USC, JuJu Watkins trying to bring 'fun' to LA amid devastating wildfires
01/13/2025 10:29 AM
JuJu Watkins and the No. 4 USC women's basketball team secured a high-scoring win on Sunday, providing a much-needed reprieve for Los Angeles residents grappling with the impact of devastating wildfires. In front of a crowd of 5,881 at the Galen Center, the Trojans defeated Penn State 95-73 in one of the first major sporting events in LA since the fires began.
Watkins, who scored 35 points in the game, said the Trojans aimed to uplift the community during a difficult time.
"I took it as a good opportunity to have some fun," Watkins said, as reported by Beth Harris of The Associated Press. "Vibes are kind of down here in L.A., so our goal was to put on a show and entertain people for a couple hours."
Among the crowd were several children, actor Vivica A. Fox, and Cherie Nelson, a former USC player who once held the program's scoring record. Nelson brought her 98-year-old mother, who lost her Altadena home to the fires.
"This week has been hard for L.A. and for me, too, just hearing about the stories," Watkins said. "People I know were affected by it as well. It's just really been heavy on our hearts."
The game also featured a strong performance from Kiki Iriafen, who is a Los Angeles native like Watkins. Iriafen scored 28 points for USC.
"Just truly trying to spread positivity, do all that we can with donations, and I'm very prayerful, so I'm into that as well," Iriafen said.
USC women’s basketball among several sporting teams to be disrupted by fires
The wildfires disrupted local sports schedules, with USC women’s basketball and UCLA both experiencing game postponements. Northwestern declined to travel for its games against the California schools due to concerns about air quality. Penn State, however, opted to proceed after consulting with conference and school officials, as well as medical experts.
The wildfires have also affected the sports word more broadly. Monday’s NFL Wild Card game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams was moved from SoFi Stadium to Glendale, Arizona (home of the Arizona Cardinals) due to the fires.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers have also been greenlighted to play at home again, after their Saturday games were postponed against the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets, respectively. The Lakers play the Spurs Monday, and the Clippers will face the Heat the same day.
USC women’s basketball head coach Lindsay Gottlieb emphasized the balance between acknowledging the larger crisis and focusing on basketball.
“I couldn't believe how many texts I got after the Maryland game where people were saying, 'This was the best two hours I've had in a while just watching,'" Gottlieb said.
Looking ahead, Watkins expressed hope for the community.
“I guess I would say this will pass," she said. "The biggest thing for us and for the community is just to have faith and hope that things will get better."
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