Gamecock WBB seniors soak in accomplishments in sentimental regular-season finale
Seven garnet-and-white jerseys were lined up across the court Sunday inside Colonial Life Arena.
Family members escorted the seven South Carolina women’s basketball seniors to those carefully framed uniform replicas, with roses in their hands and tears in their eyes.
A combined 875, now 882, games of college basketball experience was being honored in front of a sold-out crowd for South Carolina’s Senior Day game.
The No. 1 Gamecocks (29-0, 16-0 SEC) relished in the moment for as long as they could, though there wasn’t much time for that.
After the pregame ceremony, there was still a basketball game to be played.
“We just knew that once the tip happened and that buzzer sounded, it was go time, regardless of what we just did, like, five minutes before that,” senior forward Aliyah Boston said. “I think we did a great job getting our emotions out prior to the game starting, but we knew that we had to compete.”
South Carolina’s 73-63 win against Georgia secured the first undefeated season in program history. It also gave USC the outright SEC regular-season championship.
Boston delivered 25 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. Senior guard Zia Cooke chipped in 12 points.
The nuts and bolts of the game, however, were mostly underscored by the overarching appreciation for the team’s accomplishments.
“Sometimes, we have a hard time enjoying moments,” Cooke said. “We move on to the next thing that needs to get done. But we’re definitely going to enjoy this moment and know that we made history.”
Boston, Cooke, Brea Beal, Laeticia Amihere and Olivia Thompson joined USC in the top-ranked 2019 recruiting class. Since then, the team has clinched three regular- season SEC titles, reached the Final Four twice, won a national championship and has now notched the first undefeated regular season in team history.
There was plenty of crying in the pregame ceremony — from parents and the athletes.
For Boston and Cooke, reflecting on the four-year roller-coaster ride put them in a sentimental place.
“I think what made me so emotional was thinking about how my journey has been, and how I was able to come out of my journey in such a good way,” Cooke said.
Boston recalled moving from the U.S. Virgin Islands to the United States at the age of 12 and living with her aunt in Massachusetts.
Her aunt accompanied her on the court Sunday, a feeling Boston described as “unreal.”
“Wow, I’m graduating college and time has just flown by,” Boston said.
Victaria Saxton — USC’s all-time games played leader — arrived in 2018 and is playing in her fifth season. Kierra Fletcher transferred in from Georgia Tech before the season and is also in her final year of eligibility. They were the first to be celebrated for Senior Day by the enthusiastic Gamecock fans.
Soon after, the lights were dimmed inside the arena to honor the 2019 recruiting class with a tribute video, narrated by coach Dawn Staley.
In the video, she described Thompson as “selfless,” Amihere as “versatile,” Beal as “low-maintenance and high-performing,” Cooke as “all-in” and Boston as “the first pick of the 2023 WNBA Draft.”
“I think when Coach got up there talking, that’s what really made me start crying,” Cooke said.
By the end of the game, all five of the “Freshies” shared the court for one minute and 25 seconds of playing time.
Some might describe the moment as fitting, but Staley described it in a surprisingly different way.
“Unintentional,” she said with a laugh. “There were seven of them to juggle, so I did want to get them in and out of the game so the crowd could appreciate them. ... I didn’t know I had all of them out there at the same time.”
The bond of South Carolina’s team allows them to put personal agendas to the side and win games — though they’ve found plenty of on-court success while fulfilling those personal aspirations.
It’s a connectivity that Staley doesn’t believe could ever be replicated.
“They were joined at the hip. Actually, they were joined at the heart,” Staley said. “When you’re attached to your sister from the heart, it just pulls on you to get through.”
This story was originally published February 26, 2023 at 6:00 PM.
