How ‘unafraid’ Laeticia Amihere has stepped into key role in her third year at USC
Dawn Staley doesn’t mince words when asked about Laeticia Amihere. South Carolina’s 6-foot-4 forward has been vital to the No. 1 Gamecocks’ success through their 7-0 stretch to start the 2021-22 women’s basketball season.
Staley said Amihere has grown since she arrived to Columbia three years ago, and the statistics are just starting to show that “grit” she’s played with since she was a freshman.
“We absolutely need her,” Staley said after USC’S 80-63 win over then-No. 9 Oregon on Nov. 21. “If she didn’t get the early minutes in her career, we’d be seeing the progress go a lot slower than what it is. Now we’re at a place where she knows we count on her.”
Amihere scored 18 points against Oregon in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, setting her career-best on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. She’s averaging 7.7 points per game, fourth-best on the team, shooting 44.7% from the field and notching 67.9% of her free throw attempts.
Amihere’s elevated role shows up on the stat sheet. She averaged 6.8 points on 39.8% from the field as a sophomore and 4.7 points on 41.7% shooting as a freshman.
Given Amihere’s breakout performance in last year’s NCAA tournament, where she averaged 10 points per game on 51.2% shooting and 7.6 rebounds, the Tokyo 2020 Olympian from Ontario, Canada said she’s building upon her summer experience.
Amihere led Team Canada in its fourth-place finish at the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup from June-July, averaging 13.0 points per game. She also played for Team Canada as it finished ninth at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I think this summer has helped me a lot, just playing against experienced and skilled players,” she said. “(I’m) just trying to translate that to here at South Carolina and what we’re doing here. I’m grateful that I had that summer under my belt.”
On a loaded roaster that includes star post players like All-American Aliyah Boston, consistent starter Victaria Saxton and Syracuse transfer Kamilla Cardoso, Amihere has earned the fifth-most playing time (19.4 minutes per game) on the team thanks to her versatility and ability to play well on both sides of the ball.
With freshman point guard Raven Johnson suffering a season-ending knee injury in USC’s second game of the season, Staley has looked to Amihere as part of the Gamecocks’ committee approach at back-up point guard behind veteran Destanni Henderson.
Amihere is second on South Carolina’s roster with 10 steals, behind only Henderson, and fourth on the team with six blocked shots on the season.
Staley said Amihere’s skilled passing ability and length against opposing point guards make her a formidable threat on the floor. Staley is also complimentary of Amihere’s speed running the point.
“She’s unafraid,” Staley said after South Carolina’s 79-38 rout of Elon, during which Amihere finished with seven points and four rebounds. “I’d rather have somebody out there that’s unafraid. She’s not afraid to make mistakes.”
After going undefeated in its first seven games and beating three top-10 opponents, South Carolina moves onto the second of a four-game home stretch with a game against North Carolina A&T on Monday. The Gamecocks play Kansas State on Friday before hosting No. 2 Maryland at Colonial Life Arena on Dec. 12.
Next USC women’s basketball game
Who: South Carolina (7-0) vs. North Carolina A&T (0-5)
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
Watch: SEC Network
