USC NOTEBOOK: TRADING HOOP DREAMS FOR NFL.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

USC forward Gregg Guenther bypassed his senior year of football to concentrate on basketball but next month intends to pursue a career in the NFL.

Guenther, who played tight end for the Trojans for three seasons, will participate in USC's pro-timing day March 23, when NFL scouts watch seniors work out before April's draft. If he is not drafted, Guenther will try to sign with a team as a free agent.

Guenther started seven games at tight end in 2003 following injuries to starters Alex Holmes and Dominique Byrd and caught 17 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. But last summer, he decided to quit football and focus on basketball.

The decision backfired, however, because he has had a disappointing senior season, starting just four games and averaging 19.8 minutes and 6.8 points. Last season, Guenther started five games, averaged 17.9 minutes and 5.6 points after joining the team Jan. 2 following the Trojans' Rose Bowl victory over Michigan.

Although Guenther is still in the playing rotation, USC interim coach Jim Saia announced two weeks ago that forwards Jeff McMillan and Rory O'Neil would start the rest of the season.

--Returning home: Saia, who grew up in Marin County, will have about 13 family members and friends at tonight's game with Stanford. Some of his most memorable games as a UCLA assistant also took place at Maples Pavilion.

``We had some great ones and some bad ones,'' Saia said. ``We got beat by 48 points the first year. 'The Maples Massacre,' (former UCLA coach) Steve Lavin liked to call it.''

Following that loss, however, Saia was part of three upsets of the Cardinal, twice when it was ranked No. 1.

``We were down by 20 to Cal (in 2000) and then came back and beat them by 20, then we got Jaron Rush back and beat (No. 1-ranked) Stanford by one point in overtime.

``Then we played Stanford up there the next year, and they were No. 1 again, and we beat them (79-73). Then they were ranked seventh (in 2002) and we beat them again (95-92).''

USC has won two of the past six games at Maples Pavilion, but the Cardinal is 19-3 against the Trojans in the past 22 meetings.

--Defensive goal: Saia instructed the Trojans to stay close to Cardinal point guard Chris Hernandez in the teams' first meeting, but he still got open late and finished with 20 points in the Cardinal's 78-70 victory at the Sports Arena.

``He won the game for them,'' Saia said. ``He hit two big 3-pointers and got a crucial steal.''

--New starter: Saia doesn't act as if USC is getting a break with Stanford guard Dan Grunfeld out for the season with torn knee ligaments. Sophomore Fred Washington, a high school teammate of USC guards Errick and Derrick Craven, will start instead. Washington is averaged 2.3 points this season.

``They always have other guys,'' Saia said. ``They will rally behind them. Fred Washington will get those minutes but someone will take more shots, probably Chris Hernandez.''

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

USC's Gregg Guenther, who quit football after the 2003 season to focus on basketball, is returning his focus to the gridiron.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer