USC PG Jordan McLaughlin strong to the finish

Scoring might be down for USC guard Jordan McLaughlin, left, but he is more efficient in part because he is more successful driving to the rim. (Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press)LOS ANGELES — When USC men’s basketball assistant Tony Bland returns to his home and sees his youngest sons hoisting shots on a driveway hoop, they have an imitation ready to show off.

Landon, 9, and Axl, 6, will start to mimic Trojans point guard Jordan McLaughlin, who at 6-foot-1 is their smallest player.

“They can’t dunk it,” Bland said, “so they’re always trying to practice his layup shots. Like, ‘Dad, watch this, I got a Jordan McLaughlin layup.’”

As Bland began recruiting McLaughlin in high school at…