BIBBY HAS HIS MIND ON FUTURE.

Byline: Scott Wolf Daily News Staff Writer

Henry Bibby was frustrated. Following an upset loss to Long Beach State two weeks ago, his USC basketball team had reached perhaps its lowest point since he became head coach.

``I don't see any leaders on the team,'' Bibby said. ``I think that's going to (come) in recruiting. We just don't have that. It's important. We have to find someone in the next class that can do that.''

It was an extraordinary admission by Bibby and demonstrated how tempting it has become for him to let his mind wander toward the blue-chip prospects he has signed for next season.

``I think about it a lot,'' Bibby said.

And why not? USC's fall class of recruits was ranked ninth-best in the nation by recruiting expert Bob Gibbons.

``This is the best class they've had in awhile,'' Gibbons said. ``Maybe ever.''

The Trojans signed four players in the fall: Sam Clancy, a 6-7 forward from Fairview, Ohio; David Bluthenthal, a 6-7 forward from Westchester; Brian Scalabrine, a 6-9 forward from Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash., and his teammate, Quincy Wilder, a 6-3 guard.

``The parts add up to an outstanding class,'' Gibbons said. ``Bibby works as hard at recruiting as any coach I'm aware of. I think that hard work merits some dividends.''

The gem of the class might be Clancy, who stunned several Midwest schools, including Cincinnati and Ohio State, by selecting USC. He has been rated as high as the 12th-best player in the nation by one service, and is a consensus top-40 player.

``One of the Cincinnati coaches said, `We didn't think we'd lose you to a school like USC,' '' Clancy said. ``Some people say I shocked them. But I picked USC because they said I could start right away and I really like California. I want to be involved right away.''

Clancy's impact will be felt immediately, according to Gibbons.

``He will give Bibby a rugged forward,'' Gibbons said. ``He's an inside player that will be a factor on every rebound.''

Bluthenthal is also rated among the nation's top-50 players and was recently named most valuable player at the prestigious Best in the West tournament.

Scalabrine was not a well-known player until last summer and committed to USC right before playing in a tournament that caused nearly a dozen schools to offer him a scholarship after watching him play.

``Scalabrine's perhaps the best JC player on the West Coast,'' Gibbons said.

Scalabrine is redshirting this season at Highline and will enter USC as a sophomore next year.

USC also signed Wilder, who was Mr. Washington two years ago and committed to the University of Washington but failed to meet NCAA academic requirements. Two weeks ago, he scored 45 points in a Highline victory.

The Trojans also received an oral commitment from 6-4 guard Rahim Johnson, but his chances of coming to USC are remote. Johnson was recently kicked out of his prep school in Troy, N.Y., and has not academically qualified to attend USC.

USC is hotly pursuing former Mater Dei guard Schea Cotton, who was set to attend UCLA until his Scholastic Assessment Test was nullified by the NCAA. Cotton, attending a prep school in Connecticut, stopped by two USC games last month and said the school is one of those he is considering.

``If they get him, they could be in the top five nationally (in recruiting),'' Gibbons said.

The expected contributions of these players might be one reason Bibby decided early this year he would do everything possible to give this year's freshmen class plenty of playing time, even if USC had to take its lumps along the way.

``We're off to a slow start, but that's OK. We're trying to set the stage for what we're doing down the road,'' Bibby said. ``It's like building a house. We're trying to build a foundation. I decided that before the year started, the young people had to play a lot for us. Hopefully, I can get them enough playing time to build for next year.''

HEAD OF THE CLASS

USC basketball coach Henry Bibby has signed the ninth-best recruiting class in the nation, according to one recruiting service. Here's a look at the class:

David Bluthenthal (F, 6-7, 215)

Ranked 41st in nation

Sam Clancy (F, 6-7, 240)

USA Today All-American

Brian Scalabrine (F, 6-9, 240)

Top JC forward in West

Quincy Wilder (G, 6-3, 195)

Mr. Washington in '96

Note: USC has one scholarship available for the spring signing period.

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: HEAD OF THE CLASS (see text)