Los Angeles, California - After a huge medical scare during a team practice over the summer, USC freshman Vince Iwuchukwu made a surprise return to the NCAA basketball court on Thursday night against the Colorado Buffaloes.

Iwuchukwu suffered a cardiac arrest during a team practice in July, but was finally cleared to play in his first college basketball game.

The USC newcomer made his debut for the Trojans in front of a packed arena that included his family, who made the trip for the special occasion. He was given a standing ovation.

"He’s an incredible person. He’s been through a lot medically. He’s had so much support from our trainers, team doctors. It was really special," said coach Andy Enfield after the game.

"I think he’ll just get better and better. We were just so happy he was out there."

Prior to Thursday’s game against Colorado, the five-star recruit hadn't played in a single college game - including team scrimmages.

Iwuchukwu took to the court for a total of five minutes against the Buffaloes, a first step in his slow but sure process of making a comeback.

In the Trojans' slim 68-61 victory, the California native got two shots up to the basket, both misses.

Like many freshman players, Iwuchukwu's debut was not all about making slam dunks or big performing stats.

Instead, his return to the court marked a defiant story in which many wondered if the 7-foot big man would ever return to basketball.

"Vince is really good. He might take a couple games to get acclimated...but when he gets his groove back, I feel like you guys are going to see a great player," fellow Trojan teammate Joshua Morgan shared.

Down the road, USC will need Iwuchukwu’s strong defense to hold up against the Pac-12's tough competition.

Until then, however, slowly getting back into the flow of basketball again will be the biggest priority for the former top high school recruit's return.

His most important role since being sidelined has perhaps been providing an emotional boost and serving support to his team, which has helped secure them as a top-five program in the Pac-12 conference.

USC will head back out on the court on Saturday against Utah at 10:30PM EST. If Iwuchukwu sees action again, he will likely only be allowed limited playing time once again.

Still, just being able to play the game he loves after all he has endured is a miraculous development for the future hoops superstar.