Frank Martin’s new-look Gamecocks are ready to take the court for the first time
Thursday night at Colonial Life Arena is guaranteed to be a new experience.
Most of the players on Frank Martin’s South Carolina basketball team weren’t Gamecocks a year ago. Nine new faces will play in front of USC fans for the first time in a free-admission exhibition against Benedict at 7 p.m.
In a chaotic offseason that saw more than 1,700 Division I players enter the transfer portal, the Gamecocks were among the bevy of teams across the country to retool their roster. With that shuffling has come a new energy — a sense of rejuvenation around the program.
“Enthusiasm” has been a buzzword for Martin over the last few weeks, and it’s clear that the zest Martin had lost from his bouts with COVID-19 last year has come roaring back. The energy among the players and in practice feels different, too. Compared to the rosters of years past, this squad’s personality seems more in tune with Martin’s. Newcomers like Erik Stevenson, A.J. Wilson, James Reese and much-hyped freshman Devin Carter bring a ferocity and a physicality to the court that befits Martin’s aggressive style.
They bring a hunger to win, too.
“I have pretty much established myself as a leader on the team,” said Stevenson, who transferred to USC from Washington. “I’m a vet, it is my fourth year of college basketball, so I know what it takes to win. I just want to help these guys win and improve every day.”
The Gamecocks are eager to put last year’s difficult pandemic-riddled 6-15 season behind them — but in order to do so, the new-look roster will need to mesh quickly. Martin said Monday that he’s “got a feel” for what the starting lineup and rotations could look like, but with so much turnover the lineup permutations are endless.
At starting point guard alone, the Gamecocks could go in any number of directions — from veteran Jermaine Couisnard to freshman Jacobi Wright to transfer Chico Carter Jr. With Devin Carter, Stevenson and Reese all impressing in practice, Martin’s backcourt is flush with options. And the frontcourt has been bolstered with the additions of 7-foot LSU transfer Josh Gray and 6-foot-8 freshman Ta’Quan Woodley.
The exhibition against Benedict presents an opportunity to see those players in a competitive environment before the season opens Tuesday against USC Upstate. However, the lineup configurations Martin employs Thursday might not necessarily be the same he uses in the regular season. For one, neither Couisnard nor senior Keyshawn Bryant will play Thursday, with both players nursing minor injuries. Martin said both could have played if the game weren’t an exhibition.
But Martin also said he wants to use the game to experiment, an opportunity he didn’t have a year ago when COVID-19 canceled USC’s exhibition.
“I don’t coach those games to maximize minutes and put rotations in place,” Martin said. “On the contrary, I’m trying to get everyone game experience and mess around with different lineups, just to get a feel for the good, bad, indifferent.”
The Gamecocks will likely lean on veterans like Bryant, Couisnard and Wildens Leveque this season, all of whom have shown gains in preseason practices. Martin said Couisnard has practiced better than he ever has in his USC career, while Leveque added about 30 pounds to his frame in an effort to play with more physicality.
Martin will be looking for that physicality and edge from all his players Thursday. It’s a trait that his best teams have possessed, and it’s why the 55-year-old head coach finds himself excited by this year’s group.
“I’m super excited,” Martin said. “I know the players are. I know they can’t wait. The returning guys can’t wait to get back on the court and kind of get back to who we are. We’ve prepared the way we’re used to this season, and I think they feel more comfortable about it.
“And the new guys can’t wait to put that uniform on and get in front of the fans. Away we go.”
Next South Carolina men’s basketball game
Who: South Carolina vs. Benedict (exhibition)
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Colonial Life Arena
TV or stream: None
This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 2:43 PM.
