Gamecocks set to play again, but Frank Martin is out, among group in COVID-19 protocol
After missing two straight games due to COVID-19 cases within the program, the South Carolina men’s basketball team will return to action Saturday night — without its head coach.
The school announced Thursday night that the Gamecocks would travel to LSU without coach Frank Martin and assistant coach Chuck Martin, who will miss the game “due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.” The game tips at 8:30 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network).
Doug Edwards, who handles student-athlete development for the team, will also not make the trip to Baton Rouge. Assistant coach Bruce Shingler will be the acting head coach.
The Gamecocks have missed seven games this season due to COVID-19. Frank Martin’s inclusion in the COVID-19 protocol comes as a surprise, as he had already tested positive for the virus back in May.
“I’m doing all right,” Martin said on his “Carolina Calls” radio show Thursday with Derek Scott, minutes after the news was announced. “I’m sitting at home, frustrated. I’m happy for our players, though. Because at the end of the day, those kids have worked their tails off and managed this whole time period in an incredible way.”
“... I have all the confidence in the world in Bruce Shingler and the rest of our staff, minus Chuck Martin and Doug Edwards, that they’ll lead our players in the right direction and it’ll be a great trip.”
Martin said that his team practiced this week, albeit without a complete roster. It’s unclear how many players USC will have available. Martin was not able to join the team at practice due to the protocol. The coach did not go into the specifics of his health situation.
Shingler, the acting head coach, is in his fifth season as an assistant in Columbia. He joined the radio show Thursday night.
“Obviously it’s been a very challenging week, given the information given to us about the COVID protocol and the caution,” Shingler said. “And obviously the news of Frank and Chuck and Doug not being available has opened up some eyes for us.”
Shingler said the team practiced at 25% effort on Tuesday, ramped up to 50% Wednesday, and Thursday was nearly “full go.”
In good news for the Gamecocks, junior guard A.J. Lawson practiced this week after rolling his ankle in a career-high 30-point effort against Texas A&M. The Gamecocks will also have an extra body in the form of 6-foot-11 big man Tre-Vaughn Minott, whom the Gamecocks signed out of the NBA Academy Latin America one week ago.
As for the coaching staff, first-year assistant Will Bailey handled scouting duties this week in place of Chuck Martin, and both Brian Steele and John Reynolds have seen elevated roles. Steele is the director of men’s basketball video services, and Reynolds is a special assistant and director of on-campus recruiting.
“We’re all hands on deck, so we all collectively built the game plan to help give our guys the best opportunity to prepare for LSU,” Shingler said. “We’ve got confidence in each other because (Martin) gives us that confidence because he empowers us as coaches, as well as empowers the players to be prepared for these types of situations.
“And obviously it’s been a tough week for us. And not having all your troops going into war is not good but like he preaches every day, it’s next man up.”
Martin’s team first shut down three games into the season, after a Dec. 5 road trip to Houston. Three days after that game, both the Gamecocks and the Cougars announced positive coronavirus tests within their respective programs.
The Gamecocks would go on to miss five straight games, pausing team activities twice in that span.
The team returned to action with a short-handed nine-man roster on Jan. 2 and defeated visiting Florida A&M, 78-71. Then, buoyed by the return of a 10th player, Jalyn McCreary, the Gamecocks won their Southeastern Conference opener against Texas A&M at home on Jan. 6.
A day later, Martin announced in the middle of his “Carolina Calls” show that the Gamecocks would have to postpone their next game against Ole Miss. Days later, Tuesday’s scheduled home matchup against Tennessee was also postponed.
At just 3-2, the Gamecocks have had more games canceled than games played. The team also canceled a season-opening exhibition game against Coker Nov. 25 after a delay in Coker’s COVID-19 testing results.
Martin said Thursday that in 36 years as a coach, he’s only missed one game — a game he was suspended for in his second season with the Gamecocks. He said he spent that day with his wife and daughter at a cheerleading competition.
This experience will be a little different. Martin said he plans to watch the game on TV with his family.
“This one, it’s frustrating because I’m not there to help my guys out,” Martin said. “That’s the way we do things — we’re there for one another. I haven’t thought about it yet, but I’m sure my wife and my children and I will get together and we’ll watch the game.
“... Here’s a good thing: I can say whatever I want to in my house, and I can’t offend anybody.”
This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 6:43 PM.
