The Wildfires have disrupted sports in the city all week. The Lakers and Clippers have postponed games (though they resume home play tonight). The Rams shuttled fans to Glendale, Arizona, for their relocated wildcard game. College basketball is no different. Northwestern didn’t make the trip west. The Bruins will play Penn State in Long Beach instead of at Pauley Pavillion on Wednesday, as Westwood is just outside of one of the evacuation warning zones.

But on Sunday, on what felt like our first day of respite from the flames, Juju Watkins was on fire. The Galen Center was only about half full and not nearly as raucous as it has been for most home games this season but the women of Troy didn’t seem to notice or care. They continued their winning streak, leaning on their two elite stars, who combined for 68 of their 95 points. Those who attended appreciated the efforts and there were smiles, high-fives, and hugs as a little bit of LA came together to cheer and celebrate.

Trojans games continue to feel like Sparks games. DJ Mal-Ski’s playlist and shtick don’t deviate much from what he does at Crypto, aside from fun interactions with the USC band. Familiar faces of Sparks 24/7 members are dotted around the arena. The Trojan fan base is very familial; The proximity to South LA and the deep ties between the current roster and their alums to the blacker parts of this city make it similar to the long-time fan base of our WNBA team.

Much like our first in-person Sparks games in 2021, it was so lovely to see the women’s sports friends we’ve come to cherish so much over the last decade. We might be from all over the county, but these are our neighbors. This is our community.

Once again, the church of basketball didn’t disappoint.