Frank Martin updates South Carolina roster

It’s been a long offseason, after one of the most difficult months in Frank Martin’s tenure.

But life moves on, and Frank Martin has never been about putting too much of the past into his present.

“It’s not a theme. It’s not something we’ll put up on the board and kind of make it stay there,” South Carolina’s fifth-year coach said on Friday while wrapping 2015-16 and previewing 2016-17. “We’re a good team. Our players know we’re a good team.

“We all get judged in this business on success in the NCAA tournament. But we’re not going to allow outside opinions to gauge who we think we are. We’re just going to keep building and hopefully one day, that changes and the NCAA tournament becomes reality.”

It’d be natural for the Gamecocks to attack the coming season with chips on their shoulders, a season-long mission to show the NCAA tournament selection committee that it screwed up. There’s not much doubt anywhere that USC deserved to be one of the final 68 after going 24-8 in the regular season, and the sting of the snub continues as the numbers – the ones that are better than teams that did get in – are reviewed.

But there’s nothing that can be done. Last year was last year. It’s over. Martin has never been one to remind his teams throughout the year about what they’re trying to erase.

The past can’t be undone. The present can be much better, though, and that’s all he’ll talk about as his team rejoins him on campus this week.

“Just the same way winning 17 games two years ago had nothing to do with us winning 25 games last year,” Martin said. “You win 25 last year, that shouldn’t have anything to do with this year’s team.”

Most of the Gamecocks will be enrolled for Session E, which begins on Monday, and stay throughout Session H (July 5-28). In between classes will be workouts and pickup games, and the usual three-week participation in program great Carey Rich’s S.C. Pro-Am.

Then comes the season, and the chance to not wipe clean the gutpunch of last year, but to make 2016-17 better.

After losing three players he didn’t think he’d lose, Martin signed six recruits, three of which are set to start class on Monday. Delaware transfer Kory Holden leads the group, although he’ll be ineligible this year.

Holden will be counted on to help prepare the current Gamecocks in practice this year, and take over as a leader in 2017-18, when Sindarius Thornwell, Duane Notice and Justin McKie are gone. “During that year off, they earn the right to get on the court,” Martin said. “The talent that Kory brings in is going to be great for Duane and Sindarius and them in practice every day – they have to go against him.”

Holden, along with freshmen Sedee Keita (CD KAY-ta) and Maik-Kalev Kotsar (goes by “Mike”) were reporting to USC this weekend. The rest of the class – Rakym “Rah” Felder, Khadim Gueye (Ka-DEEM GHEE, goes by “KG”) and JUCO transfer Hassani Gravett (Huh-SAHN-nee GRAH-vett) – will be in by July.

Chris Silva, Marcus Stroman and TeMarcus Blanton, suspended indefinitely for a conduct issue since USC’s first game in the NIT, remain suspended.

“It’s not just a basketball suspension, it’s a university deal,” Martin said. “They’re registered students on this campus right now, and they’re good kids. They made mistakes, they messed up. I can’t sit here and guarantee that they’re going to be here, but they’re not being asked to leave, either.”

Martin anticipates final word on the three by the beginning of Session H.

Walk-on John Ragin will remain part of the team but will not be able to play due to a medical condition. The Cardinal Newman product didn’t dress for the final 11 games last year due to illness.

The Gamecocks could get another walk-on as well. Football signee Evan Hinson has expressed a desire to play both sports at USC and Martin and Will Muschamp have agreed. While Hinson is on scholarship for football and will concentrate all of his abilities there, he’ll be welcome to join the basketball team if he desires. He averaged over 21 points and six rebounds per game last year.

“Is he going to be physically and mentally up for basketball, like (Bruce) Ellington was?,” Martin said. “If he is, the understanding was it’s solely up to him. Will’s going to support it and obviously I’m going to support it. But it’s up to the young man.”

This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 12:08 PM.