South Carolina women's basketball: Former Teammates Te-Hina Paopao and Sydney Parrish reunite as opponents
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Albany, New York has become the home of a paddling of Ducks this weekend. A “paddling” is the more interesting alternative to “flock,” but whatever your preferred term, it means there are a bunch of former Oregon Ducks here.
In 2020, Oregon signed five players comprising the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class. Even though Sabrina Ionescu was off to the WNBA, Oregon looked like a burgeoning basketball power. Instead, all five later transferred and Oregon won just 11 games this season.
Adding to the insult, despite all going to different teams, four of the five members of that class are reunited this weekend.
Te-Hina Paopao (South Carolina) and Sydney Parrish (Indiana) face each other on Friday. Kylee Watson (Notre Dame) is out with a season-ending injury. Angela Dugalic (UCLA) plays on Saturday. The only missing player is Maddie Scherr, who transferred back home to Kentucky.
There was plenty of success. Paopao was a three-time All-Pac-12 player at Oregon, and Parrish started all but one game as a freshman. They made the Sweet 16 as freshmen. But they never made a deep tournament run and had declining team success.
“We’re so close. It is very bittersweet,” Paopao said. “I’m really excited that we all made it to the Sweet 16, besides Maddie.”
After two seasons, Parrish transferred to Indiana to be closer to home. Paopao lasted one more season before transferring to South Carolina.
Parrish was the ringleader of that class. She and Paopao were roommates when they played for Team USA.
“We didn’t say one word to each other all week, not a single word all week,” Parrish said.
That may be why Paopao has a different recollection.
“I do not remember that,” she said. “But she did tell me that. And I was like, wow, that’s actually crazy, because I don’t remember that.”
Despite moving on, Parrish, Paopao, and Watson remain close. They have a group chat and take summer vacations together. Last summer they went to Florida State for a reunion of former Oregon basketball and football players.
They have cheered for each other all season. Parrish said it was hard watching Oregon last season because she thought Paopao was getting ignored nationally and didn’t look happy.
“Her last season at Oregon she didn’t look like she played happy,” Parrish said. “Just seeing her with the joy on her face that she has and playing under such a great coach as Dawn Staley. Just so happy for her.”
Parrish hadn’t said that to Paopao, but her comments were relayed later. Paopao was elated.
“That makes so much joy to my heart,” Paopao said. “Knowing that one of my former teammates says that and just knowing how they know me and knowing that I feel so much more confident, so much more fun, and just so much joy to play out on the court. Just seeing hearing that from her. It brings a lot of joy and knowing that I did make the right decision.”
I asked both players if they had any embarassing stories about the other. Parrish went first.
“One thing I remember about Paopao is she would come into practices sometimes in pajama pants, and a beanie,” Parrish said. “She’ll just come in and the pajama pants and a beanie and she’ll still just tear you apart.”
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About an hour later I asked Paopao the same thing.
“I do have embarrassing stories, but I don’t think that’s for the media,” she said with a sly grin. When she heard about the pajama pants, Paopao laughed and said Parrish ate lots of Chipotle, and then got into Parrish’s wardrobe preferences.
“She loved pink. And she was just always that you know, that girly girl of the group that’s like, she always had a dress, always like designer and pink and Barbie.”
Because she is injured, Watson has become the go-between of the group. Parrish and Watson saw each other Thursday. Paopao hadn’t seen Watson but had texted her.
“I have her location on my phone still from when we were at Oregon,” Parrish said. “So I was like, Okay, I can’t wait to see you. So we got to hug and talk a little bit.”
Parrish and Paopao each said they won’t text before the game. If they run into each other at the arena then they’ll talk, but nothing on purpose.
“Usually when I play against former teammates, I usually just let them jog in before the game and then I say what’s up or give them a hug after the game,” Paopao said. “Sometimes in the middle game, you know, I give them a little like nudge here and there. But usually I just let them be who they are before the game and it’s all love after.”
“I’m going to give her a big hug,” Parrish said, adding she hopes to see Paopao’s family, too. “Just excited to wrap my arms around her again.”
On Friday the former teammates meet as opponents. They are each hoping to make the Elite Eight for the first time (Indiana was upset in the second round last season), and trying to extend their stay even longer.
This season Paopao leads the nation in three-point shooting percentage (47.6%) and averages 11.2 points and 3.8 assists this season. Parrish averages 10.4 points and 6.1 rebounds.
