A’ja Wilson, Allisha Gray’s advice for South Carolina as team enters Final Four
The last time South Carolina women’s basketball went to Texas for the Final Four ... well, there’s a big reminder of what happened in the form a national championship banner back at Colonial Life Arena.
Now, coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks are back in the Lone Star State — this time in San Antonio instead of Dallas — and they’re looking to re-create the magic of that 2017 title run, the first championship in program history. And as luck would have it, two of the most important players from that run happen to be in town.
A’ja Wilson and Allisha Gray, who were named to both to the regional and Final Four all-tournament teams back in 2017, are in San Antonio for a USA Basketball minicamp ahead of the Olympic Games.
When Wilson and Gray spoke to reporters Wednesday, they were asked if there was any advice they could give the current Gamecocks about what it takes to win two more games and the national title that goes with it.
“My words of wisdom would have to be, and I think I’ve said this before, just stay in the moment,” Wilson said. “Just have fun with it. It’s a lot of pressure, yes, and there are bright lights. But just have fun. You’ve made it this far doing whatever it is. Don’t switch up now because you think you gotta try to make that home run play. Just have fun with it, stay within yourself and lean on your teammates. That’s what got me through.”
“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” Gray echoed. “You’ve made it this far — stick to the game plan that coach Staley and the assistant coaches have been providing for you. It’s no use to change it up now. Just keep playing hard and doing your thing.”
This team’s players continuing to do what they’ve been doing looks far different from the 2017 team, though.
“I don’t really see any similarities between our national championship team and this year’s team, because they are so nice,” Wilson laughed. “They are so sweet. We would have cussing each other out ... and they’re so sweet. I probably would have got confetti shoved in my mouth or something crazy like that, but they’re pouring it over their heads. So they’re better. They’re nice.”
Wilson isn’t alone in noticing that niceness on this year’s squad. Staley has mentioned it on several occasions and agonized over whether a nice team can win a championship. Over time, the Gamecocks have shown her enough grit and toughness in close situations to give her confidence, even while never losing their affability off the court.
“Aside from being great basketball players, they are super great people,” Staley said after USC defeated Texas in the Elite Eight. “They don’t give us any issues. If they do give us issues, we talk it out. We don’t hold grudges. We just handle it, and we move on.”
On Wednesday, however, Wilson gave Staley credit for crafting that chemistry, particularly with her honesty.
“Coach Staley’s just someone that doesn’t sugarcoat anything. She tells you the good, the bad, the ugly of it all,” Wilson said. “And I think that’s what helps us develop, just to be players, just to be great women. And that’s what it takes.”
That honesty allows players to understand and embrace their roles more fully, something Gray said has particularly impressed her about this year’s team.
“You can tell, with them being on the court, everyone knows their role. You don’t see nobody step out of their role,” Gray said. “Personally, one of my favorites is (sophomore guard) Brea Beal, just hearing her story of being in high school, she was a scorer. And then coming to South Carolina, she was able to figure out what is something she can do that not everyone else is doing. ... Not many players are willing to do what she does on a nightly basis. And she’s shown up for the Gamecocks.”
NCAA TOURNAMENT: NEXT USC BASKETBALL GAME
What: NCAA tournament Final Four
Who: No. 1 seed South Carolina vs. No. 1 seed Stanford
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Where: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
Watch: ESPN
