Why Arden Conyers chose to redshirt his first year, and how it could pay off for USC
Arden Conyers chose to sit his first year out, and it seems to have paid off on the court.
“I know what I want to do. I could have played last year, but I chose to redshirt to make sure I was really ready,” Conyers explained. “I spent that time getting up extra shots, and it really helped me. So now, coming back this summer, I’m ready to go.”
In his collegiate debut Wednesday night, Conyers previewed what could be in store for South Carolina, scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in an 86-60 exhibition win over Wooster.
The redshirt freshman from Westwood High came off the bench for the Gamecocks and stayed relatively quiet in the first half. He knocked a triple just before the break — but that was only the beginning.
In the second half, the 6-foot-7, 212-pound guard hit his stride as one of the hometown guys leading the charge for South Carolina.
With Wooster staging a 12-2 run to open the period, USC needed a spark — and Conyers delivered. A quick 3-pointer set off his personal 11-4 run — including three 3-pointers and a hook shot — helping the Gamecocks pull away.
Conyers’ second-half offense was no accident.
“I want to establish who I am — offensively, defensively. I’m going to be aggressive,” Conyers said. “I bring scoring ability; I can shoot, play defense, get to the rim. I’m a guy with energy, and I’m just ready.”
Perhaps most impressive was his efficiency. Conyers kept a hot hand through much of the second half, with his only miss coming on a heat-check 3-pointer with USC up by over 20 points and a couple of minutes left in the game.
Minus the heat check, Conyers went 4-of-4 from behind the arc, and the Gamecocks outscored Wooster by 28 points with him on the court — the highest mark on the team.
USC coach Lamont Paris wasn’t surprised by Conyers’ performance. He always knew what Conyers could bring. He previously said anyone following SEC basketball would soon know Conyers’ name.
Paris did caution against expecting a shooting showcase like this every game, but he felt Wednesday’s performance underscored his confidence in Conyers.
“He’s got some work — that would not be fair to him for me to say this is what every single day looks like for Arden Conyers; it’s not,” Paris said. “But I’m telling you, his offensive package is diverse.
“He’s ready offensively. I don’t have any doubts about that.”
Paris had slight concerns about how Conyers would play in his first game under the lights. As one of the younger guys on the team, Paris wanted to get him on the court to learn and get a feel for his potential role this year.
Conyers took his time getting to this moment with the Gamecocks, and the payoff was clear.
“All my life, I’ve been waiting on this, and it was fun getting out there playing with my guys,” Conyers said.
