JuJu Watkins had an exceptional performance against the top-ranked UCLA, scoring 38 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and recording 8 blocks, showcasing her versatility on the court. From giving her team an early lead with three 3-pointers to making crucial defensive plays in the closing minutes, her impact was undeniable. Despite her teams struggling offensively, she single-handedly regained control of the game, exhibiting both her skill and maturity. Her postgame remarks downplayed her phenomenal display, attributing it to playing like a kid, yet her performance reflected a high level of adult-like professionalism and poise in the sport.
Not until the two-minute mark of the fourth quarter did any of her teammates finally break double digits. But by that point, there was no mystery left.
Watkins, typically shy and sheepish at the postgame press conference, explained away the 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and eight.! blocks as her playing 'just like a kid out there.'
If anything is striking about the experience of watching Watkins, it is her game's adultness. In pickup parlance, hers is 'the old man game.'
When I have sung her praises in the past, it has generally been on the basis that she is not like a kid out there.
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