USC Freshman Star Alijah Arenas Delays Debut This Week
USC Freshman Alijah Arenas Delays Debut as Recovery Continues
The highly anticipated debut of USC freshman Alijah Arenas has been postponed for at least another week. Despite positive progress from a knee injury sustained in the summer, Arenas is not yet ready to return to the court, according to a source close to the situation who requested anonymity.
Arenas has officially been ruled out for the upcoming games against Maryland and Purdue, which had initially been targeted as potential return dates. The timeline for his return remains uncertain, but expectations suggest he could make his debut during Big Ten play, possibly by the end of December.
The return of the five-star prospect is eagerly anticipated, especially as USC has started the season with an impressive 8-0 record, marking the team’s best start since 2022. Arenas participated in practice last month after being sidelined since July. At that time, he expressed uncertainty about whether to continue with the Trojans or declare for the draft, noting that the support of his teammates played a crucial role in his decision to return.
The Trojans, currently sitting at 13-3 with a 2-3 record in the Big Ten, narrowly avoided a third consecutive loss last Friday against Minnesota. They are managing without Arenas through a collaborative approach in ball handling. His eventual return is expected to significantly enhance the team’s performance.
USC faces a mixed schedule ahead, with two of their next three games at home against struggling teams—Maryland and Northwestern. However, challenging road encounters against Iowa and Wisconsin, both of which have lost only one home game this season, will present formidable tests for the Trojans.
In the absence of Arenas, sixth-year senior Chad Baker-Mazara has stepped up, recently rebounding from a two-game slump with a standout 29-point performance.
