South-Carolina
A’ja Wilson thanks Dawn Staley, South Carolina basketball in accepting 2024 WNBA MVP award
A’ja Wilson sat between her college coach, Dawn Staley, and her WNBA coach, Becky Hammon, and got choked up thinking about the impact they have had on her life.
That was back in May at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. The Las Vegas Aces center spoke to the media before an Aces preseason game, and she thanked Staley for making her into the person she has become.
Four months later, Wilson stood before the media Sunday night in Las Vegas in a bright red pantsuit after being named the 2024 WNBA MVP. Again, she recognized the influence the South Carolina women’s basketball coach has had on her life and career.
“I want to thank South Carolina and Coach Staley,” said Wilson, who also mentioned her family. “I truly wouldn’t be standing here today without the hard work and sacrifices made by all those people . . . it’s humbling to walk a path paved by so many legends of this game, those who made this league what it is today.”
Wilson earned all 67 first-place votes for 670 points to become the second player in WNBA history to win the MVP unanimously — Cynthia Cooper did it in 1997.
Wilson, who was named league MVP in 2020 and 2022, joins Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson as three-time MVP winners. The award comes one week after Wilson broke the WNBA record for most points in a single season, and five days after she broke the single-season rebounding record. She finished her seventh season with a league-high average of 26.9 points per game.
Staley coached Wilson at South Carolina from 2014 to 2018, and Staley won her first NCAA championship with Wilson in 2017. Wilson holds the program’s career records in points (2,389), blocked shots (363), free throws made (597) and free throws attempted (835).
On Sunday morning, Staley took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to hype up Wilson.
“THE UNANIMOUS MVP OF@WNBA BELONGS TO@_ajawilson22! Congrats A! Deserving! Earned! And Forced this one! And to the voters I’m proud to say you represented the game well….see yall for @WNBA DPOY soon,” Staley wrote.
The Aces finished the 2024 regular season as the No. 4 seed and face the No. 5 Seattle Storm in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.
THE MOMENT: Look: Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson learns she won her third WNBA MVP award
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
South-Carolina
South Carolina man faces first-degree murder trial in deadly 2022 Fayetteville robbery
A South Carolina man will face a Cumberland County jury in November for his involvement in a deadly robbery at a Yadkin Road business.
Quinteel Pierre Harley, 37, of Loris, South Carolina, is charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in the death of Eddie Saez Jr., 34, of Fayetteville, who was shot and killed inside his Yadkin Road shop in 2022.
Harley’s trial is set for Nov. 14 in Cumberland County Superior Court. Assistant District Attorney Rob Thompson said it is the only murder trial scheduled for November.
Harley’s codefendant, Rasheem Grant, 32, of South Carolina, pleaded guilty March 5 to second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in the killing. Grant was sentenced to 23 to 28 years, eight months in prison, according to court records.
Shopkeeper killed as he prepared to ring up items
According to search warrants, police responded to reports of a shooting around 3 p.m. Jan. 4, 2022, at Southern Swag City Boutique on Yadkin Road. Saez was found inside the store with a gunshot wound to the head, according to the autopsy report. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shortly before the shooting, surveillance footage at the shop recorded a man exiting an Infiniti SUV, entering the business and browsing as if shopping, according to the warrant.
The warrant states a second man joined him in the store, and the two continued browsing before bringing items to the counter.
As Saez began folding the items, the warrant states, one of the men feigned payin,g and then two intruders pulled out weapons. The record states that the men are seen on surveillance video ordering Saez around the store before shooting him.
The warrant states that after the gunfire, one of the men collects a firearm near Saez’s body, before both left the scene in the Infiniti SUV.
The record says that several anonymous CrimeStopper tips identified Harley as one of the suspects after police released photos to the public in a bid to identify the shooters, according to the warrant.
The record also alleges that latent prints found at the scene matched Grant and that his Grant’s phone records showed he was in contact with Harley and in the area of the clothing store three minutes before the first call to 911 reported the shooting.
Grant was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Columbia, South Carolina, 10 days after the killing.
Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com.
South-Carolina
Texas A&M football: Aggies announce TV channel for South Carolina
Texas A&M football will be on national television in Week 12 as it seeks revenge from a 2024 loss.
The Aggies (9-0, 6-0 SEC) will play South Carolina at 11 a.m. Saturday at Kyle Field on ESPN, A&M athletics announced Friday.
Last season’s meeting did not go as planned for the Aggies, who were 7-1 and ranked No. 10, but were upset 44-20 in Columbia, S.C. Marcel Reed was 18-for-28, totaling 206 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The loss started a 1-4 stretch to end the season.
This year, the Aggies are again in first place when they meet Shane Beamer’s 3-6 Gamecocks. The Aggies’ latest conquest was a 38-17 rout Saturday of the No. 22 Missouri Tigers.
Texas A&M is 6-0 in conference play for the first time since 1998, when the Aggies were members of the Big 12.
South-Carolina
Community gathers to honor veterans at Gen. Francis Marion’s gravesite
PINEVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) – The Berkeley 250 Francis Marion Commission and the South Carolina State Guard joined other local organizations to honor veterans at the gravesite of General Francis Marion ahead of Veterans Day.
The ceremony brought together veterans, active service members and their families at the Revolutionary War hero’s burial site.
“I served with a lot of good guys who some didn’t return, some did, but they all served with honor,” veteran Ed McCants said.
Maj. Gen. Commander Leon Lott of the South Carolina State Guard said the event highlighted the importance of remembering true heroes.
“Very important that we never forget the real heroes that we’ve got. Not a sports figure, but someone who put a uniform on, a different type of uniform that was willing to sacrifice his life,” Lott said.
The ceremony included military traditions such as the Posting of the Colors and the National Anthem to remember those who served before.
“This is someone who’s a true American patriot and a hero for South Carolina and for the United States, and we’re free today because of someone like General Francis Marion,” Lott said.
McCants emphasized the importance of recognizing those who went beyond their call of duty.
“There are many of those who serve and did more than was asked of them. And I think those people need to be recognized and those people need to be honored,” McCants said.
“If you don’t remember your past, you won’t have a future,” Lott said.
The ceremony also served as a reminder of what it means to be a veteran.
“Somebody who is willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary for the duty he was in charge to perform,” McCants said.
“You never stop serving. Once you put this uniform on, you really never take it off. You always have it on. It may not be visible, but you have it on inside your heart,” Lott said.
And it showed why it’s important to honor what our flag stands for.
“Have a duty and obligation to keep our country free,” McCants said.
The South Carolina State Guard is also assisting food banks across the state in response to the ongoing government shutdown, making sure families don’t go hungry.
Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.
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