Gamecocks get big boost from McCreary, Leveque

If there were any doubts about Jalyn McCreary’s ability to knock off the rust after a month-long layoff, he put those to bed almost immediately.

A lot will be made of his dunk—and rightfully so—but the biggest wow play came 40 seconds into McCreary checking into the game.

That’s when McCreary, spotting a cutting AJ Lawson to the hoop and beamed it to him with an overhead pass that led to two points, showing the Gamecocks exactly what he could bring to a team when healthy.

“There’s no one else on our team that makes that pass,” Frank Martin said.

McCreary checked in with 16 minutes left in the first half Wednesday and in just 122 seconds already registered that assist to Lawson plus a vicious block and a dynamite dunk in transition just seven seconds after sending a ball hurtling back to the court.

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“He got two full days of practice and competed at a high level for us. That’s what he does. He brings incredibly energy and instincts,” Frank Martin said. “He brings athleticism, toughness and gives us someone other than Justin (Minaya) to pursue the offensive glass and go gets basketballs outside of their area.”

McCreary returned to action Wednesday after missing the team’s first game in a month and with limited practice time to put up six points on 3-for-4 shooting while setting a career-high with nine rebounds.

“That dunk was amazing. We know what he’s capable of. He has extreme athletic abilities,” Lawson said. “You guys might be new to it but we’re not new to that.”

He’d finish plus-3 for the night and right now has an offensive rating of 103.6, seven points higher than his rating last season, and is second on the team in offensive rebound rate.

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“He just really brings a lot of energy. He crashes the glass. That’s something we need: everyone on the glass,” Jermaine Couisnard said. “We’re shorthanded. He really came out and helped us today.”

What McCreary’s performance provided was help to obliterate A&M 78-54 but bolstered what had been an inconsistent forward group the first four games.

After battling a concussion to start the year and then dealing with the COVID shutdown for a month, McCreary is settling in nicely and providing a spark in the frontcourt.

Even against Houston McCreary had eight points on 3-for-4 shooting, hauled in four rebounds and blocked a shot.

He even played a little center against the Aggies, something Martin said is less than ideal but might happen if the Gamecocks win with it.

“I’d rather not, but it’s what we got as a team right now. If he’s going to be at the center spot, we have to do some things differently offensively,” Martin said. “That’s OK. That’s my job. If that’s what we have to do to win, that’s what we’ll do. Then we’ll make some offensive adjustments to facilitate some things for his talent.”

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South Carolina also had an encouraging performance from center Wildens Leveque, who finished 10 points, his first double digit scoring performance against a SEC team.

If he can continue to develop, the Gamecocks have two more viable options in the frontcourt with Alanzo Frink set to return and Ja’Von Benson playing more minutes.

“(Leveque) gives us a presence at the rim defensively. He was great today walling up and getting the hands straight up and protecting the rim with his size,” Martin said. “Offensively it’s going to come. He does some good things for us. He had some other opportunities where he didn’t convert. It’s going to come.”