Dewayne Dedmon Class: RS Sophomore Hometown: Lancaster, Calif. High School: Lancaster Last College: Antelope Valley Weight: 255 Position: Forward Birthdate: 08/12/1989

BREAKDOWN: Dewayne Dedmon is a 7-foot, 255-pound redshirt sophomore power forward who transferred to USC from Antelope Valley last January and practiced with the team. He did not play at Antelope Valley during the 2010-11 season and will be available to play immediately in 2011-12. Dedmon will be counted on heavily to fill the void left by Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stepheson. He is an aggressive, agile big man with a very high upside.

2010-11: Practiced with the USC team beginning in the second semester when he transferred from Antelope Valley College. He did not play for AVC to keep a full season of eligibility.

2009-10: Played for Antelope Valley College and helped lead the team to a 17-14 record while averaging 6.6 points and 7.8 rebounds. He also had 46 blocks and tied the school record with seven blocks at Chaffey College on Jan. 22. Dedmon had a season-best 15 points vs. Ventura College on Nov. 15 and had a season-high 14 rebounds vs. College of the Desert on Dec. 11. He sustained a broken bone in his forehead and an injured nasal cavity when he was hit by an elbow in the game vs. Victor Valley on Jan. 27. The injury caused Dedmon to miss the final seven regular season games, but he returned for the playoffs and grabbed 13 rebounds, while scoring five points in his first game back, a win vs. Miramar College on Feb. 24.

2008-09: Attended Antelope Valley as a part-time student, working out and learning the game. He also grew three inches to 7-feet and filled out to 225 pounds

HIGH SCHOOL: Dedmon graduated from Lancaster High in Lancaster, Calif. in 2008. Dedmon did not play high school basketball until his senior season. He was 6-9 and still learning the game and saw limited action.

PERSONAL: Dedmon was born on August 12, 1989. He did not begin playing organized basketball until his senior season of high school due to religious reasons.