South Carolina women's basketball: The Gamecocks' four new players have to be fast learners

South Carolina officially began preseason practice this week, and although the team practiced together all summer, Dawn Staley said they are already behind schedule.

South Carolina returns significant contributors like leading scorer Joyce Edwards, leading rebounder Chloe Kitts, and point guard Raven Johnson. But the Gamecocks are also replacing three starters and SEC Sixth Woman of the Year MiLaysia Fulwiley, as well as an assistant coach.

To replace them, South Carolina brought in top-ranked freshman and transfer classes. And because South Carolina expects to compete for a national championship, those players need to get up to speed in a hurry.

Seniors Madina Okot and Ta’Niya Latson were both coveted transfers, but Latson is undoubtedly the star of the newcomers. She led the nation in scoring last season at Florida State (25.2) and is the leading active scorer in the country. 

South Carolina lacked a go-to scorer last season, and Latson wanted a chance to compete for championships, improve her WNBA draft stock, and play in front of big crowds. They were a match made in heaven. Now they have to figure each other out.

“Her maturity, her practice habits, she’s really coachable,” Staley said. “She just wants to win. She wants to get better and improve her positioning in being a pro. Not to say that Florida State wasn’t doing that, but sometimes when you change up, it’s just different. Will we need her to do some of the same things that she did for Florida State? Absolutely. Can we help her see some other stuff by just having a more seasoned basketball team when it comes to like tournament playing, just the amount of games that we’ve had in the postseason, it will definitely help her. And she will definitely help us.”

Latson is reunited with Raven Johnson, her high school teammate and best friend. Their familiarity helps Latson’s transition. From their years of playing together, they instinctively know what the other is thinking on the court, similar to the relationship between Johnson and Kamilla Cardoso, Johnson’s teammate dating back to middle school.

“Oh, it’s amazing. It’s wonderful. I just read her,” Johnson said. “It’s like another Kamilla, honestly. I love her and I’m glad she’s here.”

The Gamecocks are hoping that not only does that familiarity help Latson, but it also helps Johnson bounce back from a subpar season. It would also make life easier for the two freshmen.

Compared to Latson, freshmen Agot Makeer and Ayla McDowell are relatively unknown. They need to learn their roles quickly if they are going to play this season. So far, they have been promising.

“They’re good. Their IQ for the game of basketball, I’ve never seen it from a freshman, and I think they are gelling with us really well,” Johnson said. “They learn really fast. I’m glad to see that. But as freshmen, they want to win, they want to learn. That’s what you like to see from the freshmen coming in.”

Staley said she sees the same thing. Makeer and McDowell are talented, smart, and fitting in well. But her favorite thing about the pair is their confidence.

“They’re good. I mean, they’re good. They’re actually pretty good,” Staley said. “They’re blending in. They’re good listeners, that’s one, and they are really good basketball players, really smart. I think both of them can shoot the ball. They can really shoot the ball really impressively. I’m hoping that holds true throughout the season. And they are not shy about shooting. They are not shy about putting the ball up. I like that. They’re blending in nicely.”

South Carolina also added a highly-regarded assistant coach, Wendale Farrow, to replace Winston Gandy. Gandy left after two seasons with the Gamecocks to become the head coach at Grand Canyon. Gandy was hired to replace Fred Chmiel, who left to become the head coach at Bowling Green.

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That history was the key selling point in getting Farrow, a Sacramento native who has spent the bulk of his professional career in California, to come east.

“Yes, I did mention the fact that the seat he would be in, two guys have gotten head coaching jobs,” Staley said. “That was enough to get him to consider it. He is a California guy through and through. He did say he is a southerner now, and it’s only taken two, three, four months for him to realize there’s some good stuff happening on this side of the country.”

If everyone is fitting in and gelling well, why did Staley say they are already behind schedule? Simple: they haven’t been together.

Edwards and McDowell played in the AmeriCup Tournament in Chile for the United States and Brazil, respectively. Then McDowell immediately turned around and flew to Czechia to play in the U19 World Cup, where Makeer also played for Canada. Then, three weeks later, Edwards went back to Chile to play in the 3X3 Nations League tournament.

“This offseason was kind of like no other,” Staley said. “We didn’t have our entire team here this summer. Joyce was gone, and then our freshmen weren’t here because they were with their national teams. We really didn’t really do anything besides learn some offensive concepts, and that’s not much. We’re a little bit far behind.”

Unable to work on team concepts over the summer, the coaches only installed some basic defensive concepts, and almost none of the offense. Instead, the focus was on individual drills and player development.

“This team really works hard,” she said. “They are extremely coachable. We are gaining ground from not having put a lot in, so we’re making up for it with the intangible pieces. They want to be pleasers, and they’re listening, and they’re able to actually really try to execute. Just because we weren’t together as a team, they individually have gotten better.”

South Carolina’s first exhibition game against Anderson is on October 24, giving the Gamecocks a month to figure it all out.

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