South Carolina women's basketball: A'ja Wilson puts on a show for her homecoming
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A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces put on a show for Wilson’s homecoming. She put up a double-double in less than three quarters and the Aces cruised to a 102-50 win over the Puerto Rico National Team.
Before the game, Wilson led the Aces out of the tunnel. She sprinted to midcourt and stopped on the Gamecock in the middle of the jump circle as the crowd roared.
“I got chills. It didn’t feel real. It felt like I was in a movie, for real,” Wilson said. “It was just a great feeling of home. It was a big hug.”
Aces coach Becky Hammon was shocked by the attention Wilson draws in Columbia.
Coming around here, it’s like traveling with The Beatles. She can’t go anywhere, it’s just madness everywhere she goes. That’s pretty awesome.”
Wilson got the first two shot attempts for the Aces, missing both. She struggled early and missed six of her first seven shots before settling in and playing like the best player in the world.
“It’s incredible. It really is. This should become a thing,” Wilson said. “Today was a big day. I’m blessed to be able to have a day like this. It brought tears to my eyes when the bus drove by and I saw the people lined up.
By halftime, Wilson had 19 points and seven rebounds and the Aces led 59-22. She added eight more points in the third quarter to finish with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Wilson took a seat with 2:33 left in the third quarter, and Hammon rested her rotation players in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Wilson grabbed a mic and addressed the crowd.
“I just want to say thank you to every last one of you guys who are here. You don’t know how this warms my heart,” Wilson said. “I was crying on the way here because this is something that is truly special, this is something that we all built. I’m so grateful that you could be here to watch myself and my teammates crush it. God has truly blessed me to play on this court one more time. This means the world to me. You guys don’t understand.
“I wouldn’t be A’ja Wilson without you guys, so thank you!”
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Dawn Staley arrived fashionably late, getting to her courtside seat next to members of the Aces’ front office at the first timeout. She sported a shirt that said “Of Course I Have A Shoe Dot Com,” a reference to Wilson’s new signature shoe, which was announced before the game.
Aces rookie Kate Martin played in the fourth quarter. It was the former Iowa guard’s first game since losing to South Carolina in the national championship game in Cleveland. During free throw attempts, Martin drew a nice round of applause from the partisan crowd. She finished with five points and two assists.
Throughout the Gamecocks’s undefeated season, Wilson kept a tally of every time South Carolina beat one of her teammates’ alma maters. Wilson made them pay off the losses on Saturday. She went to the book store on Friday and bough everyone Gamecock gear to wear pregame.
Wilson chose the wardrobe for Jackie Young (Notre Dame), Chelsea Gray (Duke, Gray got a robe since she was not playing), Kiah Stokes (UConn), Sydney Colson (Texas A&M), and Martin and Megan Gustafson (Iowa).
“I bought them outfits knowing they were going to give them back to me so I had to give them cute fits that will look good,” Wilson said. She said Martin looked the best.
Retired Candace Parker, whose Lady Vols lost to South Carolina three times, got out of the punishment.
“She’s going to have to be on TNT in some garnet and black,” Wilson said Friday. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. (…) Listen Candace, I know you have been listening baby girl, We need to build trust. That garnet and black is on the way.”
Former Gamecock and current Atlanta Dream player Laeticia Amihere was at the game. Current Gamecocks Adhel Tac and Ashlyn Watkins were also in attendance. Watkins waved sheepishly when shown on the video board. Later they served as celebrity judges for the kids’ slam dunk contest.
Rapper Plies, who performed in Columbia Friday night, sat courtside with Tac.
