COLOMBIA – The timetable is not known. The pandemic hangs throughout the season like everything else.
But basketball is in the air, although the format for this season is still undetermined.
“We are improving each other to become the best we can,” South Carolina coach Frank Martin said on Tuesday. “I’m excited. I hit the wood. I hope we stay healthy. If we do, I will enjoy being around this team.”
The team’s official training starts on Wednesday, but the Gamecocks have been on campus training since June 20. With nine players who scored important minutes last year returning, including scorer AJ Lawson, and adding the transfer of Seventh Woods from North Carolina to the rotation, Martin’s ninth team has high expectations.
A schedule is still being worked on after the original had to be discarded due to COVID-19 and replaced with a maximum schedule of 27 games, including 18 at the SEC. There will be a SEC game in late December and the Gamecocks are supposed to still play against Houston on the SEC / AAC Alliance and rival Clemson, but the rest will probably only be released for a few days.
The main thing is that everyone is healthy (since COVID and other diseases) and nobody is giving up. Martin tested positive for the virus in June and recovered well after losing some hair, and his new knee replaced over the summer is holding up well.
So how is it going to be? The staff and the surroundings?
“I think we should have fans in the game. How many? I’ll leave it there, ”said Martin. “I understand, a matter of security. But at the same time, if there is a way to make that happen, I would like to have some people at the games. “
And your guard room is deep, talented and experienced.
“Extremely excited, because AJ is a very good basketball player. He may be the most underestimated return player in the country, ”said Martin. “I don’t like to predict, but I think (seventh) it’s going to be a very good year.”
USC has not made it to the NCAA Tournament since its run to the Four Finals in 2017. Head scratching injuries and losses have been the hallmarks of the past three years.
Gamecocks wouldn’t have made it to the NCAA Tournament last year without a miraculous run for the SEC Tournament, but that chance was still there. USC finished 18-13 and posted another winning season on the SEC.
“We take on the challenges. I thought we became a good basketball team because of the schedule and season challenges, ”said Martin. “We grew up, dealt with it and moved on. This is what last year’s team did and I look forward to continuing this year. “
Follow David Cloninger on Twitter @DCPandC.