When Gamecocks need an MVP — most versatile player — they look to Laeticia Amihere
Laeticia Amihere came into South Carolina’s SEC tournament opener against Arkansas with a cardinal focus: Post up.
Head coach Dawn Staley had been telling Amihere she was “floating around,” so she made it a personal goal to harp on establishing dominance in the post.
She scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds on 7 of 13 shooting in top-ranked South Carolina’s 76-54 win over Arkansas, leaving the game on Friday with a sense of accomplishment.
“I’ve just got to work on my finishing,” Amihere said. “But I feel like I’m really proud of how much I posted up and got the ball.”
Staley knows Amihere has been shuffled around quite a bit throughout the Gamecocks’ 2021-22 campaign. She started her junior season at the forward spot, but Staley elected to move her around when starting point guard Destanni Henderson was out with an injury for three games in December.
Amihere helped the Gamecocks to three wins as she filled in at Henderson’s spot as a starter, including a pair of top-15 victories over then-No. 8 Maryland and then-No. 15 Duke.
“We put her in a mixer, so to speak,” Staley said. “She’s had to adjust to being in different positions and places. I think now, things are just settling in.”
She also stepped away from the team for two games to play with her national team in February. Amihere said she made it a point to lock back in and re-acclimate with the Gamecocks upon her return, and her performance at Arkansas showed that she’s clicking at South Carolina once again.
“I’m making strides,” Amihere said. “It’s definitely hard to show out every game. I feel like I need to work on my consistency, but I’m definitely showing sparks of where I want to be.”
With a team-high 6-foot-10 wingspan and the ability to play at multiple positions, Amihere is one of Staley’s most versatile weapons on a deep roster.
Amihere isn’t always certain what spot she’ll be put in when she’s brought off the bench. She practices with both guards and post players and keeps an eye on guard Brea Beal and forward Aliyah Boston when she’s rewatching film to prepare for opponents. It helps her stay focused and prepared for whatever role she needs to fill, she said.
“When she takes her time and sees the game coming, she can facilitate from being at the forward,” Staley said. “I think she’s still got a guard’s mentality — she is a guard, really.”
But any time her name is called, Amihere looks down the bench and sees who she’s coming in for, assured that she knows how to execute the assignment.
NEXT SOUTH CAROLINA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME
Who: No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks (28-1) vs. No. 4 Ole Miss (23-7)
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
Watch: ESPNU
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 7:05 PM.
