By Kenneth Cross
Look at all eight basketball teams in South Carolina Gamecocks by Frank Martin and see lists of injuries during his tenure. You immediately understand how the victims left South Carolina with almost no opportunity to enter the NCAA Tournament as a general team.
The last season was almost the same as Keyshawn Bryant and Justin Minaya were once again excluded by several games. If the pair remains healthy, Bryant and Minaya can join AJ Lawson to form a Big Three that could be the catalyst for bringing Gamecocks back to the Final Four for the first time since their appearance in the Final Four in 2017.
Martin will have a deep team with his strong second-year class, as Jermaine Cousinard has evolved as a top player in the hidden freshman year. South Carolina ended with 10-8, as the last season was the fourth time in the past five years that Gamecocks ended with a record winning league game.
Returning for beginners:
AJ Lawson, G, 6-6, 178, Jr. – Best scorer who had 20 games with several 3s; tested the waters of the NBA draft, returning for season three – (13.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Jermaine Cousinard, G, 6-4, So. – Led Gamecocks in the SEC game with 14.8 ppg; 18 games in two digits – (12.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
Keyshawn Bryant, F, 6-5, 195, Jr. – He had a knee injury earlier in the season, losing 8 games and averaging 15.6 points and 9.4 boards in the last 5 games in South Carolina – (9.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
Justin Minaya, F, 6-7, 211, Jr. – Missed 9 SEC games due to a wrist injury; however, it has become a key factor at both ends of the floor – (7.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
Key reservations:
Alanzo Frink, F, 6-7, 210, So. – Caught 12 starts with his rebound ability and internal score – (5.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Jalyn McCreary, F, 6-7, 225, So. – Shot 57.3 percent of the ground on average 11.5 mpg – (4.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
Trae Hannibal, G, 6-2, 217, So. – Good defender who proved he can reach the line within the attack – (4.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
Wildens Leveque, F, 6-11, 230, So. – You can have a new year with your touch on the edge and tilt to go to the glass – (2.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
TJ Moss, G, 6-4, 195, So. – Looking for more consistency when scoring the ball – (2.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg)
Latest gamecocks:
Seventh Woods, G, 6-2, 189, Jr. – 4-star player who was transferred from North Carolina; missed out last season according to NCAA transfer rules
Ja’Von Benson, F, 6-8, 220, Fr. – 3-star post that is an athletic presence that can establish itself immediately as a kick blocker
Patrick Iriel, F / C, 6-10, 225, Fr. – It will be another rebound option, as he is working to cross the perimeter and become a threat in the mid-range game
Main Losses:
Maik Kotsar *, F, 6-11, 270 – (11.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
Jair Bolden, G, 6-3, 215 – Transferred to Butler – (8.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Ken Cross, the self-proclaimed “CEO of College Hoops”, has a wealth of experience over a period of more than 20 years in print journalism and broadcasting as a freelancer on the East Coast and in the Charlotte, NC area in particular. He started with the defunct Sports Fan Radio Network in 1997 as a reporter, giving updates on the game and then facilitating post-game interviews with players about winning teams after games via smartphones. He also worked in the same capacity for ESPN Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio, Sporting News Radio, Yahoo! Sports Radio in the same period.
In print and on the Internet, Cross continues to write for Lindy’s Sports Annuals as one of the primary writers of the College Basketball preview, as well as a staff writer for Lindy’s College Football. He also contributes frequently to the Lindy’s Sports website with articles on all sports throughout the year in report, editorial and game summary mode. He also writes sample material for the Blue Ribbon College basketball yearbook and covers Wake Forest basketball for Rivals.com.
Cross holds a BA in Mass Communication from Appalachian State University and a Masters in English and Education from Radford University in Virginia. He is a member of the US Basketball Writers Association and the Football Writers Association of America.