Bronny James Makes His USC Debut
It took a little longer than everyone would have liked. However, the debut of USC true freshman Bronny James finally happened in front of a sellout crowd on Sunday.
James came off the bench with 12:58 to play in the first half and USC leading 16-12. He drew a standing ovation from a sold-out Galen Center crowd as he came onto the court.
He immediately showed his defensive prowess, coming up with a deflection that would eventually lead to a shot clock violation. James missed his only shot attempt while he was in the game before checking out with 9:31 left in the 1st half, but not before USC’s lead ballooned to 21-12.
James finished the first half 0-for-1 shooting as he missed a three-point attempt. But he grabbed a rebound, dished an assist and made a highlight reel chase-down block on a Long Beach State layup attempt.
James’ first bucket as a Trojan came in the second half, when he drilled a transition three-pointer with 13:07 remaining to push USC’s lead to 56-46.
James played 16 minutes in the game, finishing with four points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. USC lost in overtime, 84-79.
James’ debut was delayed due to a cardiac arrest the true freshman suffered over the summer during a practice session with the Trojans in July. In late November, his doctors announced he could make a full return to basketball activities. This past week, head coach Andy Enfield announced James was expected to make his debut on Sunday.
