Jacobi Wright says playing in March Madness was a 'dream come true'
After an emotional loss in first round of the NCAA Tournament last month, guard Jacobi Wright reflects on what it meant to South Carolina to make it to the Big Dance. Even after coming up short, it was a great experience for him and the Gamecocks to advance to the tournament.
“You see the ‘March Madness’ everywhere on the court, it’s surreal. It’s a dream come true to a kid,” Wright said during the Garnet Trust Hour on 107.5 The Game. “It’s just a lot more that goes into it beforehand but the game itself is still the same.”
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In the first round against Oregon, Wright went 2-for-4 from the field and 1-for-2 from the three point line. Wright was an important off the bench player for South Carolina throughout the season.
The whole experience rewarded South Carolina for the hard work put in throughout the season. March Madness also brought a new environment and city for players to adjust to.
“You’re somewhere you probably haven’t been, it’s just a different kind of atmosphere and vibe. A gym you’ve never played in but that goes for both teams. It’s just a crazy experience,” Wright said.
After the loss, head coach Lamont Paris made sure to help focus players not on what could have been but what was a historical season for the Gamecock men’s basketball team.
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“He just kind of wanted to remind us how much we did accomplish this year,” Wright said. “How successful we were and that this team is the start of something special. This team was the foundation for what’s to come in the future years and he was just thankful for us. He just kind of went over that and just told us that we actually made history this year. We did some things that have never been done, so be proud of that.”
However, it was a hard loss for South Carolina. Despite already making history, there was a lot of time and effort that went into making it to the tournament. To come up short, that was a hard pill to swallow.
“It’s a lot of emotion behind the season,” Wright said. “Man we work everyday to get to that point and play every game to get to that point so for us to lose it was really emotional.”
