The 2019-20 WCBB season ended abruptly in March, as did all other sports, as the global pandemic ravaged the world. At the time the NCAA canceled the rest of the season, including the NCAA Tournament also known as “March Madness”, South Carolina’s Gamecocks led by Dawn Staley were prohibitive favorites to cut the nets in “Nawlins”, also known like New Orleans or “On The Bayou” for the second time since 2017.
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The team was 32-1 and had swept the SEC season without blemish, led by two great veterans in Tyasha Harris and Minkah Herbert Harrigan. Three freshmen in training surrounded these two senior leaders in training to form a steamroller in training.
So, with the 2020-21 season here and Gamecocks looking for a spot in the Final Four and a national championship, there are some real issues for Staley and his team.
Who will replace Harris and Herbert-Harrigan?
Herbert-Harrigan and Harris started every game last season and kept the young Gamecocks running smoothly with their veteran leadership. They combined for more than 25 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks per game. Staley repeatedly called them “glue” to keep the operation intact and on track in the middle of a dream season. And while there is no shortage of talent, with 9 former five-star recruits on this year’s list, Staley says replacing these two veterans will not come without challenges and sacrifices.
Replacing “Ty” is extremely vital as she set the table for the team as a four-year holder as a point guard. The choices to replace her are Destanni Henderson junior, who thrived in a reserve role last season. And the second Zia Cooke, who debuted alongside Ty Harris, but played more out of the ball while Harris was the general. Both are capable, but they need to work as full-time decision makers.
Staley believes that both Henderson and Cooke are capable leaders and do this in different ways. Henderson is quiet and doesn’t need much maintenance, while Cooke does it more emphatically and can take control of the games. Staley says he will reduce the manual by about 25% without a four-year senior initiator to orchestrate everything.
So far so good, as they are 3-0.
Replacing “KiKi” comes with its own set of challenges. She is a 6’2 striker capable of going out to defend the perimeter inwards and also flexes a medium-range jumper that forced opponents to respect her outside the painting. But what will be most missed is his aggressive and impetuous personality that injected energy into the team.
Staley says you have to be a “killer” to replace “KiKi” and she sees many of her team as “killers”, like Zia Cooke, Brea Beal, Aaliyah Boston, Laeticia Amihere and Victaris Saxton have the killer mentality but they are super cool as opposed to “Kiki”.
So the biggest question for Staley is … Can good players win a title?
Positionally, Amihere, Saxton and Grissett played minutes in place of Herbert Harrigan earlier this season. Grissett is the only veteran on the team and gets a 6’2 frame with a guard’s ball handling. While Saxton emerged as a locker room leader last season and generally provides a lot of intensity.
Gamecocks ranked first is currently 3-0 in the youth season, with their best win over No.18 Gonzaga. They will be challenged by the usual suspects at No. 2 Stanford led by trainer Tara VanDerveer, No. 3 UCONN led by Geno Auriemma and his fabulous freshman Paige Bueckers (# 1 player ranked for The Class Of 2020 class).
On the hunt:
No. 4 Baylor and Kim Mulkey who recovered guard star Didi Richards just 38 days after she was temporarily paralyzed after a fall in training, No. 5 Louisville and Jeff Walz. Mississippi state number 6, led by former Tennessee Volunteers and WNBA star Nikki-McCray Penson, will also be difficult.
South Carolina will face a tough and talented 8th State NC team tonight in a game that must be very competitive. The Wolfpack has an excellent three-point shot with a great dominant in Elissa Cunane, and his combination of in and out of one and four out is difficult to defend if snipers are hitting.
Boston and Cunane measure 1.80 m with impressive wingspan and dominate on the low post as hitting centers.
Let’s see if Gamecocks are up to the challenge of starting the season in Columbia. And the series of other challenges they will face in order to reach the top of the mountain again, as they did in 2017, led by the current WNBA MVP, Aja Wilson (The Principal Recruit during Staley’s term in Columbia).