Bronny James Applauded by CBB Fans Despite USC’s Loss to Caleb Love, No. 12 Arizona
Featured Columnist IVJanuary 18, 2024
Chris Coduto/Getty Images
Bronny James’ second start for the USC Trojans certainly went better than his first one. Well, at least on a personal level.
The freshman guard followed up his scoreless starting debut from Saturday with a strong effort on Wednesday evening, putting up 11 points, six assists and five rebounds. It wasn’t enough to get past No. 15 Arizona, however, as the Trojans lost yet again, 82-67.
USC Men’s Basketball @USC_Hoops
1-2-3️⃣ for Bronny!
📺: ESPN
📱: https://t.co/cGFArRkDBb pic.twitter.com/JoJrpF6dlq
USC Men’s Basketball @USC_Hoops
Bronny getting buckets too! https://t.co/y0VENISNvW pic.twitter.com/iIN5tIlBUU
USC had no answers for Caleb Love (20 points, five assists). The loss dropped the Trojans to 8-10 on the season, while Arizona moved to 13-4.
James desperately needed to break out of a three-game slump that only managed to see him score two points in his previous three games and not make a single bucket from the floor.
College basketball fans and pundits alike on social media were pleased to see the young guard find his groove again:
#1 TWEETER 🚫🧢 @FuIITimeTweeter
Bronny James found his stroke?!? pic.twitter.com/Gzf1Ac2CDm
JT The Brick @JTTheBrick
First time watching Bronny James for #USC at #Arizona
Good to see him healthy and balling!
Brian Pedersen @realBJP
Bronny James is a very good passer but most of these USC players aren’t equipped to capitalize on that
Kam Gulley @StoryOfAGulley
Bronny, so toughhhhhh man the vision and decision making is top tier this USC team is just no bueno!!
Justin Spears @JustinESports
Stars are out for this Arizona-USC game: ⭐️
– Kevin Durant
– Brent Brennan
– Terry Francona
– Miles Simon
– Mike Candrea
– Tetairoa McMillan
– Noah Fifita
– Jonah Coleman
– Jacob Manu
– Ka’Deem Carey
– Bronny/Savannah JamesAnd there’s a handful more.
Even Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant turned up to see Bronny in action.
It was a James family affair on Disney’s networks Wednesday night, as ABC broadcast LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Dallas Mavericks earlier in the night. Basketball fans enjoyed seeing the pair on national television back-to-back (and James made sure to have the game on as soon as he hit the locker room):
Dave McMenamin @mcten
LeBron was locked into Bronny’s USC game on the TV in the locker room during his postgame media tonight: pic.twitter.com/iDUMAeRjy5
🏁Torchy Andretti🏁 @torchyworldwide
Watching Bron on ABC then watching Bronny on ESPN immediately after is insane
Cul-de-sac Cuddy 🏁 🐦⬛ @Rod_Rillo
It’s wild now to watch Bron get buckets only to switch the channel and watch Bronny getting his lol
Matthew Wilson @MatthewsVision_
Crazy I go from watching lebron playing, straight to Bronny playing. And I love it!
USC will need Bronny to play in the coming weeks, as the team’s best player, star guard and projected lottery pick Isaiah Collier, will likely be out until late February or early March with a hand injury.
James isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Collier, but he’s shown the ability to be a solid two-way player and will need to take his game to another level if USC is going to somehow salvage his season.
“Bronny [is] a very smart basketball player,” head coach Andy Enfield told reporters on Jan. 6. “And he plays hard every possession and defensively he helps us. He gets deflections, he can guard the ball on smaller guys and he’s strong enough to guard bigger guys. So far, so good.”
