TJ Moss feels 'ten times better' coming off injury

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASKETBALL

If you watched TJ Moss sprint around Tuesday’s Young Gamecock Camp, it’d be hard to tell he’s just a few months removed from season-ending surgery on his foot.

But, there he was bouncing and smiling while directing the horde of toddlers running with basketballs in the gym, the mental struggles from the past year far, far behind him.

“It was pretty hard. I’d never been through an injury like that before,” Moss said. “I probably tweaked my ankle a couple of times but never did I have to have surgery on anything. So it was pretty tough. I was down for a little bit but I just kept trying to embrace and help the team."

Also see: Insider notes on the newest baseball commitment

Moss missed all but seven games last season after a foot injury mixed with a high ankle sprain bad enough to require surgery and force the coaching staff to redshirt him, preserving that year of eligibility.

He played in just seven games last year as a freshman, averaging 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds in 20.6 minutes while shooting 39 percent from the field.

Then the injury happened, ending what looked to be a promising freshman year for the 6-foot-2 guard.

After missing the first two games with a similar foot injury that ultimately ended his season, Moss began playing and immediately started to have an impact.

He’d work his way into the starting lineup by the end of November, starting three games before the injury brought his promising first year to a screeching halt.

“The down moment was probably right when it first happened,” Moss said. “I was getting ready to start. But after I settled down with my mom and had surgery, I let God take control and do what’s best for the team.”

Also see: Breaking down South Carolina's defensive depth chart

After the surgery, Moss was relegated to moving around on a push scooter, watching games and practices from the bench.

That didn’t diminish what he was able to do off the court, with head coach Frank Martin joking last season about Moss wouldn’t shut up during practice.

Now, Moss can put that energy back into practice and games to try and help his team in the win-loss column. He’s been fully cleared to participate in drills and has been an active member of the team’s offseason workouts.

“I feel good. I’m back, I feel better,” he said. “I’m getting back in the weight room with Coach Scottie (Greenawalt), so I feel ten times better.”

Also see: Alabama commitment talks Gamecock interest

Heading into his redshirt freshman year now, Moss is hoping to build on what was a solid start to his career and bounce back even better from a tough injury to overcome.

He had some guidance to how deal with his injury mentally in graduate transfer Tre Campbell, who was coming off a serious knee injury when he arrived at South Carolina.

It was Campbell who Moss leaned on throughout the process and said Campbell’s advice was something that really helped him after surgery.

“Tre was a big help for me. He was basically my big brother,” Moss said. “Wherever you saw Tre, you saw me. He really helped me through it; he made sure I was all right all the time and he basically just talked me through it.”