“UJu Watkins Sparks Hope as No. 4 USC Aims to Brighten Fire-Stricken Los Angeles with Fun”

LOS ANGELES — JuJu Watkins along with her Southern California women’s basketball teammates had some notable guests in their locker room on Sunday evening.

Cherie Nelson, who maintained the program’s scoring record for numerous years with a 50-point performance, was one of several Trojan alumni present at the Galen Center. She brought along her mother, who is 98 years old, and whose residence in nearby Altadena was ravaged by the wildfires last week.

“She shared with us that she’d been following our success and wanted to meet JuJu and the team despite her mom losing her home,” said Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “Given that situation, it was uncertain whether they would attend, but her mom insisted, ‘No, I want to go see the USC women’s team play.’”

They were part of an energetic audience of 5,881 that featured actress Vivica A. Fox and numerous kids at one of the first sporting events in Los Angeles since the wildfires began on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers are scheduled to resume their games on Monday night after their matchups were postponed on Saturday.

“I viewed it as a great chance to have some fun,” Watkins commented. “The mood is a bit low in LA, so our aim was to put on a performance and entertain everyone for a few hours.”

Watkins tallied 35 points and Kiki Iriafen contributed 28 in USC’s 95-73 triumph over Penn State, ranked fourth.

Watkins, Iriafen, and Rayah Marshall hail from Los Angeles, whereas Kennedy Smith is from nearby Chino and Clarice Akunwafo originates from Inglewood.

“This week has been challenging for LA and for me personally, hearing about the struggles,” Watkins remarked. “People I know have been impacted as well. It has been quite burdensome on all of our hearts.”

Iriafen comes from the San Fernando Valley, which has been endangered by the Palisades fire. Although her family was not directly affected, she mentioned that people close to her have lost their residences or had to evacuate.

“We are wholeheartedly trying to spread positivity, doing everything we can with donations, and I engage in prayer as well,” Iriafen stated.

“We feel incredibly fortunate to be here today and play basketball. If we can bring a smile to people’s faces for a couple of hours or provide them with an escape from the current situation, we are truly thankful for the opportunity,” she added.

Penn State traveled to Los Angeles after consulting with representatives from the Big Ten, administrators from USC and UCLA and health professionals.

“They reassured us that it was safe to participate and we trusted their guidance,” stated Nittany Lions coach Carolyn Kieger.

Gottlieb remarked, “We are grateful that they had enough confidence in the protocols to come.”

Following the game, the Lions were en route to Long Beach, where they plan to remain until facing top-ranked UCLA on Wednesday. The Bruins shifted the venue to Walter Pyramid, approximately 35 miles from their Westwood campus, which is close to the Palisades fire.

“Adapt”, Kieger stated. “UCLA has to do it as well so that we maintain fairness. For us, we’ll quickly adjust and devise a new strategy. We’re prepared to compete.”

Kieger noted that her players had numerous inquiries regarding traveling to Los Angeles, where smoke and ash from the wildfires have been impacting air quality.

“The primary concern was the safety of everyone. They’ve been fantastic since our arrival,” she said of her team.

USC and UCLA’s games against Northwestern were pushed back after the Wildcats opted not to travel due to the wildfires. UCLA had offered to relocate its game to accommodate the Wildcats, but they declined still.

The Trojans were on the East Coast when the fires erupted.

“I was astonished by the flood of text messages I received following the Maryland game where individuals who experienced it were saying, ‘This was the best two hours I’ve had in a long time just watching,’” Gottlieb shared.

Her strategy is to keep the Trojans aware of the larger issues at hand while allowing them the chance to concentrate on their beloved game.

“I suppose I would say this too shall pass,” Watkins stated. “The most important thing for us and for the community is to have faith and hope that circumstances will improve.”