Sports
Column: Marques Johnson's daughter begins a new era in family basketball legacy
Marques Johnson is a living, breathing legend who’s seen and experienced so many moments of greatness that his story could be part of a museum exhibit dedicated to telling L.A. basketball history from the 1970s into the 21st century.
From becoming the City Section player of the year at Crenshaw High in 1973 to playing on John Wooden’s final UCLA championship team in 1975 to being a five-time All-Star with the Milwaukee Bucks to screaming “Yeah, baby!” as a radio broadcaster during Tyler Edney’s miracle buzzer-beater for UCLA in the 1995 NCAA tournament, Johnson is an L.A. sports institution.
Then there’s his family. Son Kris was the City player of the year at Crenshaw in 1993 and a member of UCLA’s national championship team in 1995. Another son, Josiah, starred for Montclair Prep, then went to UCLA and became a successful TV writer and social media star. Another son, Joshua, is an actor.
John Wooden (left) and Marques Johnson, winner of John R. Wooden award, in 1977.
(Larry Bessel/Los Angeles Times)
The Johnsons are L.A.’s first family of basketball and now there’s a new era, as the first Johnson female has made her high school debut.
Shiloh Johnson, Marques’ 15-year-old daughter who paints her fingernails white and has a ponytail, is a 6-foot freshman at Windward, and all her brothers insist she’s more advanced at her age than any of the boys before her.
Marques, 68, who’s an Emmy-winning broadcaster with the Milwaukee Bucks, said his daughter has the same passion for basketball. She gets up at 5 a.m. for lessons from Kris before school. She listens intently when he reminds her of all the great L.A. stars through the years, taking her to Crenshaw to train in the gym and look up at former coach Willie West’s 16 championship banners. Marquestook her to a park in Inglewood where the likes of Reggie Theus, Paul Pierce and Byron Scott hung out.
“I’ve always considered myself the basketball storyteller who’s lived through 50 years of history,” Marques said. “I’ve made sure she is plugged into tradition. I want her to understand what this history of L.A. basketball greatness is all about. She’s working hard to try to hold up her end.”
Shiloh said she wasn’t serious about basketball in her youth days playing at a recreation center in Westchester while also trying tennis, golf and ballet. It was during the pandemic in 2020 when she started working out with another brother, Cyrus, and her love for basketball took over.
“I feel when I play. I have a drive to get better every single day,” she said. “Watching my father and knowing his legacy is also part of it.”
Windward freshman Shiloh Johnson (left) has been getting photos taken with the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo annually for seven years.
(Johnson family)
Marques has taken photos of Shiloh with the Bucks’ superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, annually for the last seven years, showing her growth along the way. Shiloh said she didn’t realize early on what it meant to be around one of the NBA’s best players but now understands how fortunate she is.
“When I was younger, I didn’t realize how big it was,” she said. “It was normal, a tradition every year, go to the Milwaukee practice facility. As I got older and mainly when they won the championship in 2021, it was, ‘Wow, I have this big advantage.’ It’s really cool and beneficial to learn things and be around that. It’s cool to see my evolution.”
Freshman Shiloh Johnson of Windward (13) gets physical in a battle for the ball during a game against Sage Hill.
(Craig Weston)
At Windward, Shiloh is one of six promising freshmen on the varsity team. Coach Rachel Shrout said her size and potential are plentiful.
“I’m proud of her progress and her work ethic,” she said.
Shiloh said this season will be about adapting to the high school game and focusing on her strengths — hustle and rebounding. She’s someone who “locks in” during games but also is hard on herself. Kris has been helping her with the mental game. She knows about the changes going on in the women’s game and the new opportunities unfolding.
“I was around the men’s game when I was younger, but I always loved Candace Parker and followed JuJu Watkins through her high school career and seeing her in the newspaper,” she said.
Kris and Marques were sitting in the bleachers for Shiloh’s high school debut against Sage Hill last month. She started and played extensively but didn’t score. Her focus was battling for rebounds, playing defense and hustling.
The Johnson family always has good timing. Marques was 6 feet 6 and known as a swingman at a time when his size made him a defensive mismatch for guards and forwards. He got to play for Wooden’s final NCAA championship team. He was an announcer for UCLA’s last championship team under coach Jim Harrick and was there for Edney’s memorable full-court drive and basket to beat Missouri.
And now he has his first basketball-playing daughter in high school at a time when the popularity of women’s basketball is soaring.
Marques was asked what Wooden would say if he were around to see Shiloh.
“He thought the women were a lot more fundamentally sound than the men,” Marques said. “He loved it. Coach Wooden would be tinkled pink. He loved Ann Meyers.”
One tradition Marques has is dunking each birthday. Since Shiloh says she’s still growing, could she join him one day with a father-daughter dunk?
“I hope so,” she said.
The Johnson family will be supporting Shiloh on her basketball journey. It’s an L.A. story shared with so many over 50 years who’ve watched family members perform.
“I’m super honored,” Shiloh said. “I love my family.”
Sports
Indiana crushes Oregon to advance to first championship game in program history, stunning sports world
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The 2025 Indiana Hoosiers became the fifth team in modern college football history to go 15-0. Now they can become the first team of the modern era to ever go 16-0, and only the second of all-time, joining an 1894 Yale team that played with leather helmets.
With a merciless 56-22 thumping of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers punched their ticket to their first national championship game appearance in program history.
Head coach Curt Cignetti has left the college football world breathless with a dramatic turnaround of the Hoosiers program, going from one of the losingest teams in the Big 10 to potentially the most dominant single-season of all time.
Elijah Sarratt #13 of the Indiana Hoosiers is tackled by Ify Obidegwu #7 of the Oregon Ducks during the first quarter in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Many prominent sports figures took to social media to express their amazement of Indiana’s unprecedented dominance during and after their win over Oregon. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun also chimed in.
Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw five touchdown passes, improving his case to be the top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Kaelon Black ran for two touchdowns to lead the Indiana running game.
INDIANA WINS FIRST OUTRIGHT BIG 10 FOOTBALL TITLE SINCE 1945 AFTER OHIO STATE FLUBS SHORT FIELD GOAL TRY
Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers is tackled by Aaron Flowers #21 of the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Oregon (13-2, No. 5 CFP) was doomed by the three first-half turnovers while also being short-handed by the absence of two of their top running backs.
Indiana’s defense didn’t wait long to make an impact. On Oregon’s first snap, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds intercepted Moore’s pass intended for Malik Benson and returned the pick 25 yards for a touchdown. Only 11 seconds into the game, the Hoosiers and their defense already had made a statement this would be a long night for Moore and the Oregon offense.
Moore’s 19-yard scoring pass to tight end Jamari Johnson tied the game. The remainder of the half belonged to Indiana and its big-play defense.
After Mendoza’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. gave the Hoosiers the lead for good at 14-7, Indiana’s defense forced a turnover when Moore fumbled and Indiana recovered at the Oregon 3, setting up Black’s scoring run.
Moore lost a second fumble later in the second quarter when hit by Daniel Ndukwe and Mario Landino recovered at the Oregon 21. Mendoza’s first scoring pass to Sarratt gave the Hoosiers’ the 35-7 lead.
Indiana extended its lead to 42-7 on Mendoza’s 13-yard scoring pass to E.J. Williams Jr.
Oregon finally answered. A 70-yard run by Hill set up a 2-yard scoring run by Harris.
The Hoosiers led 35-7 at halftime as the Ducks were held to nine rushing yards on 17 carries. Noah Whittington, who leads Oregon with 829 rushing yards, was held out with an undisclosed injury after Jordon Davison, who had rushed for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns, already was listed as out with a collarbone injury.
Backup running backs, including Jay Harris and Dierre Hill Jr, provided too little help for quarterback Dante Moore. Moore’s task against Indiana’s stifling defense would have been daunting even with all his weapons.
Following their undefeated regular season, the Hoosiers have only gained momentum in the CFP. Indiana overwhelmed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal as Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
Now, the Hoosiers will prepare to face Miami on Jan. 19 in the national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Miami beat Mississippi 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Thursday night.
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Roman Hemby #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs out of bounds before the endzone against the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Indiana will try to give the Big Ten its third straight national title, following Ohio State and Michigan the last two seasons. Few teams from any conference can compare with the Hoosiers’ season-long demonstration of balanced strong play.
The country will be watching to see if this unprecedented team can finish the job and really punch their ticket into the history books.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
Christian Collins’ late heroics lead St. John Bosco to double-OT win over Santa Margarita
Before Friday’s Trinity League game at Santa Margarita, Christian Collins of St. John Bosco was dancing to music and looking so comfortable and loose that it was easy to predict he might do something special.
The 6-foot-9 All-American delivered the tying basket at the buzzer to send the game into overtime and scored the clinching basket with six seconds left in the second overtime to lift St. John Bosco to a 74-73 victory in a game that lived up to the hype while producing terrific performances from both teams.
“That really was a high-level game,” St. John Bosco coach Matt Dunn said. “They put us in positions that were really challenging and we did the same. I had so many kids play great.”
The Braves (12-4) had four players score in double figures and battled back from an eight-point deficit in the third quarter. Collins finished with 20 points. Howie Wu, St. John Bosco’s 7-foot center, scored 15 points. Point guard Gavin Dean-Moss had 15 points and Tariq Iscandari added 13 points.
Santa Margarita (19-3) received 29 points from Kaiden Bailey and 20 points from Drew Anderson.
Collins saved St. John Bosco just before the buzzer at the end of regulation, getting an offensive rebound basket to tie the score. Then, with six seconds left in the second overtime and St. John Bosco up by two points, he scored to clinch the victory. A three-pointer at the buzzer by Brayden Kyman meant nothing with a four-point deficit.
“It was really hard to get stops,” Dunn said. “We finally got some.”
After the score was tied at 10, 12, 14, 17 and 19, Santa Margarita was able to take a 36-30 lead at halftime. Anderson had 14 points by then. The Eagles started connecting from three-point range, with four threes in the second quarter. St. John Bosco continued to rely on Collins, who had 10 points but missed six shots.
Drew Anderson of Santa Margarita battles for the loose ball against St. John Bosco.
(Nick Koza)
In the third quarter, Bailey made two threes and Rodney Westmoreland made another for an eight-point Santa Margarita lead. But the Eagles’ success with threes might have been their downfall. They started to rely too much on trying to score from deep, and St. John Bosco kept fighting back.
“I was really proud of our guys,” Dunn said.
Santa Margarita, with four returning starters, was considered the Trinity League favorite. But the play of Wu and Dean-Moss helped take offensive pressure off Collins, who was effective as a passer.
“Howie was great,” Dunn said.
This season the Trinity League will be playing only one round of games and will hold a postseason tournament at Concordia University and Hope University.
After Friday night, the Braves are the team to beat.
Harvard-Westlake 80, Crespi 53: The Wolverines received 26 points from Joe Sterling and 19 points from Pierce Thompson in the Mission League win.
St. Francis 58, Bishop Alemany 45: Cherif Millogo had 30 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks for the Golden Knights.
Chaminade 55, Loyola 48: Temi Olafisoye contributed 22 points and 20 rebounds to help the Eagles (19-2, 1-1) pick up an important road victory.
La Habra 66, Crean Lutheran 56: The Highlanders (16-5) upset Crean Lutheran in a Crestview League game.
Los Alamitos 80, Marina 60: Tyler Lopez had 21 points and Isaiah Williamson scored 16 in the victory.
Sports
Olympic medalist suffers serious injuries after ‘death-defying’ skateboarding stunt
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An Olympic medalist and 13-time X Games winner suffered serious head injuries after a stunt went wrong.
Nyjah Huston, who won bronze in Paris in 2024, said he suffered a fractured skull and eye socket.
“A harsh reminder how death-defying skating massive rails can be…” Huston wrote in an Instagram post which included a photo of himself in a hospital bed. “Taking it one day at a time. I hope yall had a better new years then me. We live to fight another day.”
Nyjah Huston of the United States competes in the men’s street prelims during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at La Concorde 3. (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY Sports)
The post also featured Huston being treated by first responders and friends, along with another photo showing a large black-and-blue mark on Huston’s eye.
Numerous skating legends showed their support for Huston, who is considered one of the best skateboarders in the United States today.
Nyjah Huston of Team USA reacts at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park on July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
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“Been watching @nyjah grow up into one of the best skaters to ever do it and it amazes me the amount of grit this kid has,” Shaun White shared on his Instagram story, via Pro Football Network. “You got this brother. Heal quick!”
Even Tony Hawk shared well-wishes on Huston’s Instagram post.
“Heavy. Stay strong; we know you’ll be back,” the skateboarding legend wrote.
“Man.. prayers for healing brother!” added Ryan Sheckler.
It is unknown whether Huston was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
Nyjah Huston, of the United States, celebrates during the men’s skateboard street final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Huston has seven gold medals and five silvers in world championships. He has not competed since the 2024 Olympics, but the California native has his eyes set on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
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