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Staley finds an outlet
Intramural games are helping USC’s coach stay loose during a trying first season
CommentsAs members of the Phat Pharmers realized who was doing layup drills at the other end of the court, a couple of the grad students from USC’s pharmacy school called and texted friends to tell them about their opponent in the coed intramural league Monday night.
“Our goal is to not get mercy-ruled,” Katie Barber said as she watched Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley and several of Staley’s staff members warm up. “We’ve already established that.”
The goal for Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time WNBA All-Star, was to boost morale and have a little fun in the midst of a trying first season at USC.
The Gamecocks entered Thursday’s game at Arkansas having dropped eight of nine SEC games to fall four games below .500 overall. USC has been without two of its top players since seniors Demetress Adams and Brionna Dickerson went down with knee injuries in back-to-back games in January.
But those were concerns for another day when Staley and assistant coach Carla McGhee joined several student managers and staffers on the second floor of the Blatt P.E. Center.
Staley, 38, who retired from the WNBA in 2006 with more than 2,000 career points, surprised the managers by agreeing to be on the team.
“They asked me. I don’t think they thought I would play,” Staley said. “But I think it’s fun ... when it could easily be full of sorrow since we’re not getting the results that we want on the court.”
Sporting the No. 5 she wore throughout her career, Staley brought an element of fun to Monday’s game. The first time she touched the ball, Staley whipped a behind-the-back pass to a teammate, the first of many slick passes by the former Virginia point guard.
Staley dribbled the ball up nearly every possession and dished a series of no-look passes (one over her shoulder) to teammates who were not always ready to receive them. Unofficially, Staley finished with five points, six turnovers and six assists, though the assist total could have been higher.
McGhee, who played with Staley on the 1996 Olympic team in Atlanta, said Staley remains the consummate floor general, even in an intramural game.
“She’s going to handle the show,” said McGhee, who had a 13-year pro career. “It’s fun until you mess up one of her passes because you missed the layup. You’re cut off.”
Midway through the first half, nearly all of USC’s players had filed into the gym to see if their coaches could still play. They howled when Staley was short on a free throw, and they had their camera phones ready when she came to the sideline during a timeout.
“Paparazzi, get them out of here!” Staley shouted.
When she was whistled for traveling in the first half, Staley turned and jokingly glared at referee Zach Owens, who said Staley’s sweats caused the turnover.
“Her pants got under her shoes, and she just slipped,” Owens said.
Dickerson, Courtney Newton, Jewel May and the rest of the players enjoyed coaching up their coaches, reminding Staley not to gamble when she missed a steal attempt and getting on McGhee for picking up an offensive foul in the lane.
“They want to use the stuff that we use against them on us,” Staley said. “At least they’re thinking about basketball other than practice, which is a good thing.”
Staley opened the second half by hitting a long jumper — one of only three shots she took — and the Gamecocks began to pull away. Video coordinator Cynthia Jordan played for Staley at Temple, although the team is not made up entirely of ex-jocks: The last time director of basketball operations Angela O’Neal played was 10 years ago on her law school intramural team at Tennessee.
Still, USC had the talent edge on this night and the game did, in fact, end on the mercy rule with the Gamecocks up by 25 with two minutes left.
As she zipped up her warm-up and prepared to leave, Staley made it clear there are no WNBA comebacks in her future.
“I’m done. I don’t have the itch to do it again,” she said. “Body’s tired.”
At least until next week’s game.
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
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