One more honor for USC women as they prepare to defend title

The whirlwind summer for Dawn Staley and the South Carolina women’s basketball team is coming to a close. One of the final celebrations of the Gamecocks claiming the program’s first national championship in April came Tuesday as the Columbia Fireflies paid tribute to the champions.

Sophomores Tyasha Harris and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan threw out ceremonial first pitches. The team was honored on the field between innings and participated in the on-the-field promotions before signing autographs.

“It’s been busy but good. It’s great to get back in the swing of things,” Staley said.

All-American A’ja Wilson had class and was part of a handful of players who didn’t attend, but this was the first opportunity the Gamecocks coach had to speak on the summer in which she coached Team USA and Harris won a silver medal with the U19 Team USA.

South Carolina was also able to take an overseas trip where the Gamecocks played a three-game series against the Japan National team in late June, early July. That opportunity gave Staley a chance to see how the six new faces that will be eligible this season will blend with the returning players.

“I’m excited because they’re excited,” Staley said. “They’re part of a national championship team and they want to do their part. They want to contribute knowing we lost so much, so they’re in the weight room attacking it. We need that kind of mentality if we’re going to go back-to-back and win a national championship.”

The Gamecocks learned a lot about themselves playing an older, physical Japan National team. Harris said the experience will help once the season begins.

“We had workouts with the freshmen before we left for Japan, so we’re already used to each other,” she said. “We played their 23-and-older team, so they were more physical and faster, so it helped us. If we can compete with them, we can compete with anybody.”

Staley thought the trip was helpful as well. The Gamecocks must replace Allisha Gray, Kaela Davis and Alaina Coates from last year’s team.

“It was great to see where our players were and see how they would respond not having three cornerstones of our program,” Staley said. “We had different people step up at different times. We got a glimpse what it would be like when all the attention is on Wilson.”

Harris might have benefited the most this summer, adding her duties playing with the U19 USA Team. Staley said the strides Harris made this offseason will be helpful this year.

“Her being on the USA basketball team not only helps from a basketball standpoint but from a leadership standpoint, being around other great players,” Staley said. “She didn’t play much point guard. She was on the wing a lot. That gives us an opportunity to go smaller and give other players an opportunity to run the point.”

This story was originally published August 29, 2017 at 9:35 PM with the headline "One more honor for USC women as they prepare to defend title."