South Carolina’s Final Four X-factor? The deepest bench in college hoops

DALLAS — The gathering of gamers, seated on the scorer’s desk, ready patiently to enter the sport, was sufficient to make any coach go mad with jealousy.

That’s until you’re the coach on the other sideline, being compelled to cope with these 4 gamers after having already handled the South Carolina starters … and then you definitely would possibly simply be plain previous mad.

In Monday’s Elite Eight victory in Greenville, S.C., that coach occurred to be Maryland’s Brenda Frese. And the 4 gamers ready to test in for the Gamecocks had been Raven Johnson, Bree Corridor, Kamilla Cardoso and Laeticia Amihere.

All 4 are former five-star recruits. One is 6-7. One other is an Olympian.

The 4 mix for precisely seven begins at South Carolina.

On every other staff, these gamers could be starters and stars, however at South Carolina, they’re the reserves. And so they’re proud of it.

“It’s exceptional that you’ve so many gamers which can be keen to sacrifice these minutes and are available off the bench,” Frese stated.

However it’s not so exceptional to those that are, in others’ eyes, sacrificing these minutes.

Ask Amihere, an Olympian with Crew Canada, a possible first-round WNBA Draft choose and a participant who has by no means averaged greater than 18 minutes a recreation for the Gamecocks in 4 years: Is it higher to be on South Carolina’s bench than a starter someplace else?

“Completely,” she stated. “Our bench? I believe we may beat a number of Division I applications as a result of we’re so gifted.”

For all of the methods Daybreak Staley has been lauded for constructing her program, maybe none is extra spectacular than this: That within the period of the switch portal, she not solely has depth on her roster, she has that type of depth.

During the last two seasons, coaches have come to count on not simply the standard attrition of their seniors on the finish of a 12 months, but additionally, one to 4 different underclassmen to hitch the portal. Staley’s staff hasn’t been proof against that fully. The Gamecocks misplaced three reserves to the switch portal final season. However the best way she reloads her roster and with different gifted reserves deciding to remain, South Carolina has prevented the identical perceived switch impacts as different applications.

Among the many Remaining 4 rosters, South Carolina’s bench is by the far probably the most prolific. The Gamecocks’ reserves account for 45 p.c of the staff’s minutes, in addition to practically half of its factors, rebounds and assists this season, and greater than half of its steals. No different staff’s bench gamers account for even a 3rd of the minutes performed, or 1 / 4 of their staff’s level whole.

Reserves’ contributions throughout 2022-23 season

A part of this, clearly, is that South Carolina — in its undefeated season up to now — has been forward in sufficient video games to permit its bench to play. However the Gamecock reserves don’t simply get into video games when the starters have constructed a snug lead. The reserves on South Carolina’s roster have been invaluable in permitting Staley to tinker with lineups and drive opponents into not possible selections. Their depth would be the final X-factor within the Remaining 4.

Cardoso, at 6-7 and the SEC’s sixth lady of the 12 months, averages 8.4 rebounds per recreation, which leads the nation amongst gamers who get fewer than 20 minutes a recreation. However when she and Boston play collectively, it offers the Gamecocks an unmatched offensive and defensive pairing that doesn’t present up as an apparent statistic. No different staff within the nation can take out a participant of Boston’s caliber and substitute her with somebody who may cause nightmares within the paint like Cardoso.

Then there’s Johnson, who offers the Gamecocks a change up at level guard due to her pace and quickness. Although she missed final season after struggling a season-ending knee damage, she has returned as a participant whose burst can’t be matched by opponents. Her 3.5 assists per recreation are ok for second-best amongst gamers who get fewer than 20 minutes a recreation.

Amihere’s skill to affect each a part of the sport makes her a unicorn in girls’s school hoops. Amongst gamers who play fewer than 16 minutes a recreation, she’s the one one within the nation who averages a minimum of seven factors, three rebounds, one help and one block per recreation.

Corridor, in restricted alternatives, has been one of many Gamecocks’ most constant exterior threats. Sania Feagin, Talaysia Cooper and Ashlyn Watkins — all former five-star gamers who common 10 minutes or much less per recreation — have proven why the way forward for this program is in good arms, even of their restricted minutes.

Watkins, who ranked because the No. 12 participant within the 2022 class, is aware of that loads of the opposite top-20 gamers from her class who’re taking part in way over her 10 minutes a recreation. Kiki Rice, Grace Van Slooten, Ta’Niya Latson and Janiah Barker all bought important taking part in and beginning expertise with their respective groups as freshmen, with their play garnering nationwide consideration.

Watkins is OK with that as a result of she stated she is aware of the place her play is getting her seen.

“I get to indicate what I can do throughout apply,” she stated. “My time is coming, and I do know what I’m able to. However I do know I’ve to be affected person.”

She additionally is aware of she hasn’t wanted to be affected person. There are many different applications throughout the nation that may gladly welcome Watkins, rolling out the pink carpet for her and handing over a beginning place and starring function. However these applications don’t have Staley because the coach or the starters from whom Watkins says she has realized a lot.

Enjoying time isn’t the whole lot, she defined. And as many choices as there may be within the portal, there is just one South Carolina and proper now, it’s within the Remaining 4. If she wants to attend on the bench for her time on the courtroom, that’s value each minute — together with those she doesn’t play.

(Picture of Laeticia Amihere: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Photos)