The Gamecocks are back in Columbia and the basketball world is starting to turn again.
- Back in Columbia
All 11 Gamecocks are back on campus, arriving July 15. They underwent COVID-19 testing upon arrival. The results can’t be made public, but to my knowledge nobody tested positive. Workouts with sports performance coach (that’s her fancy title for strength and conditioning coach) Molly Binetti and trainer Craig Oates began July 20. PLayers have been split into groups of three or four for workouts. From what I have gathered, the groups are Aliyah Boston, Brea Beal, Laeitica Amihere, and Olivia Thompson; Destanni Henderson, Victoria Saxton, and Zia Cooke; and Eniya Russell, Destiny Littleton, LeLe Grissett, and Elysa Wesolek. It is sometimes hard to tell who is who because of masks, so I may have misidentified someone.
- Sheila Foster update
Foster returned home Monday after being in the hospital for two weeks with COVID-19 and pneumonia in both lungs. Foster’s daughter created a Go Fund Me to help cover expenses and to date has raised almost $4,500. Foster has also reportedly enjoyed reading the cards and letters sent by fans. Read more here: WBB: Gamecock great Sheila Foster hospitalized, fundraiser started
- New offer for 2023 guard
On July 21, the Gamecocks offered 2023 guard Emma Risch, a 6-0 guard from Melbourne, Florida. Risch isn't currently ranked in the HoopGurlz Terrific 25, but that could change. Risch is an outstanding shooter with an extremely quick release and range beyond the three-point line. She's also capable off the dribble and on defense, with good size and long arms. Risch averaged 16.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.2 steals as a freshman.
Risch is the fourth prospect in the class of 2023 that has been offered by South Carolina, joining locals Milaysia Fulwiley of Keenan and Maliyiah Mason of Irmo, and Kamorea “KK” Arnold from Wisconsin. Fulwiley is the 14th ranked prospect and has had an offer since she was in seventh grade, and Mason received her offer last summer prior to her freshman season. Arnold received an offer on April 28 this year.
(Note: This list previously omitted Arnold. It has been edited to correct the mistake.)
- Travel team notes
Several players of interest to the Gamecocks played in the War Games Atlanta over the past two weeks. 2021 commitments Raven Johnson and Sania Feagin participated, along with 2022 targets Lazaria Spearman and Talaysia Cooper, 2023 target Milaysia Fulwiley, and 2024 target Joyce Edwards.
Johnson, Fulwiley, and Edwards played for FBC United and won the Session II championship. Johnson and Feagin each earned some all-tournament recognition, but Cooper was one of the standouts. She drew rave reviews and was named tournament MVP by one scouting service. Cooper is the 25th-ranked player in her class and has been a Gamecock target for years. Fulwiley is another longtime priority, and it can’t hurt the Gamecocks’ chances that she and Raven Johnson seemed to form a strong on-court relationship.
Another name to remember is Ta’Niya Latson. Latson is a super-athletic 5-8 guard in the 2022 class. She plays for FBC United and is also Johnson’s teammate at Westlake High. The Gamecocks have not offered Latson, but there is mutual interest.
FBC United also won the championship in the Summer Slam tournament over the weekend.
Elsewhere, Bree Hall has been busy with her Sports City U AAU team. They won the championship at a tournament in Indianapolis, where she earned praise for her defense and open court ability.
- More travel team notes
All the players mentioned above have been lucky enough to be able to play, even with social distancing and masks required . Others aren’t so lucky. Some parts of the country, including talent-rich California, are still locked down. California has also already canceled some fall sports and limited basketball to 10 games played between March and June 2021. That lack of court time has left some players and parents worried about missing out on scholarship opportunities due to lack of exposure and the inability to meet with coaches face-to-face.
The lack of exposure cuts both ways. Dawn Staley puts a lot of emphasis on meeting recruits’ families and getting to know them outside of basketball, but that is limited. Coaches are also feeling the pressure and holding off on scholarship offers. At this time last year, South Carolina had already offered seven scholarships to players in the 2022 class. This year it is only four, with two of the offers made well to local players the staff has known your years (Fulwiley was offered as a seventh grader in 2018, Mason was offered in 2019 prior to her freshman season).
- Jillian Hollingshead update
2021 post Hollingshead was rumored as one of the Gamecocks’ four birdies, but obviously that turned out not to be the case. Some fans are holding out hope that she could be a surprise fifth birdie. Hollingshead was also at war games and did a rare interview with a Mississippi State site. She said she has a list of 10-15 schools that she is still considering but refused to go into detail. Hollingshead did reveal that she will not sign in the early period and instead will wait until the end of her senior season and sign in the late period. While some will try to read into this and speculate that Hollingshead is still considering South Carolina, all indications are that she will be going elsewhere.
