Scrimmage offers first look at Lamont Paris’ USC basketball team. What we learned
After months of trying to work the transfer portal, build a team and establish a new culture, new South Carolina men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris and his Gamecocks finally had the chance to have some fun.
Though the season doesn’t officially tip off until Nov. 8 against visiting S.C. State, the Gamecocks hosted a free Garnet & Black Madness event at Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday night.
Fans had the chance to meet the new-look roster and get autographs, see the Gamecocks play a 20-minute scrimmage and watch the team hold 3-point and dunk contests.
During introductions, Paris walked through the pyrotechnics on court with the rest of the team, greeted by a rousing applause. Then he grabbed the microphone and told the crowd: “We need you on board. This is your team.”
Wednesday night was less about the basketball and more about getting the transfer-heavy Gamecocks roster in front of a crowd and used to playing in a gameday atmosphere in Columbia. Paris has talked about how hard his players have worked to learn an entirely new system, and he wanted to make sure they had room for some laughter and games before the season, too.
“I wanted guys to have fun,” Paris said after the event. “That’s our first real crowd. It was a relaxed environment, we had some music going at times.
“When I wanted guys to be mature enough to really try to get out there and get some stuff done, I saw some good things. We shared the ball. That was a big thing for us — to communicate. For me evaluating something like this really has to do with more things that are probably not really basketball things in terms of shot-making or things like that, but just more how we’re communicating.”
Still, there were a few basketball-related takeaways from the outing.
How did GG Jackson look?
That question is likely at the top of every Gamecock fan’s mind. GG Jackson, the much-hyped Ridge View High product who ranks as one of the top incoming recruits in the country, provided plenty of electricity Wednesday for the CLA crowd.
Playing for the Garnet team and wearing the No. 23, Jackson didn’t quite get his shot going from the 3-point line, going 0-for-4 on his looks during the scrimmage, but the 6-foot-9 forward knocked down a pair of rim-rattling dunks, and he showcased a passing ability that Paris has raved about during practice.
“He’s a really good passer, is very proficient as a passer, and he’s willing to do it, which is a rarity these days for guys who’ve got many accolades and all the attention that he has,” Paris said. “So it’s really good to see that he got some stuff in transition, which was good.
“There’s gonna be a day that he affects the offensive side of the game in every possible way. Who knows where he’ll be when that happens? Maybe it’s here (at USC). Maybe he’s moved on to another level at that point. But I hope it’s here. But I don’t have any doubts that he’s going to be able to affect the game offensively.”
Though Jackson had a hit-or-miss scrimmage, he dominated the dunk contest, winning with 58 of 60 possible points. He even threw in an extra dunk for good measure, with Paris telling the crowd he had “one more in his back pocket.”
What about the other newcomers?
Transfers Meechie Johnson (Ohio State) and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (Illinois) each showcased some of the ability that attracted them to the USC coaching staff in the transfer portal.
The 6-foot-8 Bosmans-Verdonk, originally from Belgium, flashed a few post moves down low, scoring near the rim with a big, bruising style. At one point, he set up a dunk for Jackson after nabbing a rebound, passing him the ball behind his back.
Johnson, on the other hand, paced all scorers with 11 points and was the team’s most proficient shooter from deep, making two of his looks. The 6-foot-2 point guard Johnson even showed some leaping ability by finishing second in the dunk contest. Paris said Johnson can be a little too trigger-happy from deep at times, but Paris has liked what he’s seen from Johnson at the point guard position in general.
“He’s got incredible range, probably too good, because he defaults to shooting,” Paris said. “I call it ‘from the moon.’ ”
Injury update
The Citadel transfer Hayden Brown, a 24-year-old forward who’s expected to take on a leadership role this year, did not play in Wednesday’s scrimmage due to an undisclosed injury. He sat on the bench and signed autographs for fans.
Paris didn’t provide a timetable for Brown’s return from injury, but he expressed optimism Brown will be able to play in the near future.
“Hayden’s Hayden, and I’m Lamont Paris, so I don’t know what that’s gonna look like,” Paris said. “But I do anticipate him coming back, when he feels really healthy. I always err on the side of caution typically myself. I’d rather have him back, and back when he’s ready to be back rather than back and then there temporarily. So we’re not going to rush him. But I do anticipate him being back at some point in the near future.”
This story was originally published October 26, 2022 at 9:03 PM.
