Nearly three months removed from a national championship, the South Carolina women’s basketball team flew across the Pacific Ocean Tuesday morning, setting up a series of exhibition games against the Japan Women’s National Team.
Although these games will be closed to the public, head coach Dawn Staley says that this trip will not only help the ladies improve their game, but also allow them to have the experience of traveling to another country. Staley spoke to the media Monday afternoon and said that she wants to make the trip more educational for her players.
“The game is important just for learning, but it gives the players an experience like no other, and I think this trip does that,” Staley said.
With international territory comes international rules, which allows the Gamecocks to work on different facets of the game. The differences are subtle, but they include an extended three-point arc and a shorter shot clock of 24 seconds, which resets to only 14 after an offensive rebound.
“We will probably be playing a lot quicker with the shorter shot clock on offensive rebounds," Staley said of the international game. "I think it’s a great style of playing if you want to have fast basketball.”
Staley also spoke on the five new additions to the team (excluding Alexis Jennings, who practiced last year while sitting out due to transfer rules), who she says will each have to hold their own on this championship team.
“You get to see who you’re working with a lot sooner than later," Staley said of the newcomers, a group that includes three of the top 50 players in the 2017 class. "The freshmen don’t know the contributions those players that left made, they’re only worried about what they can contribute.”
Staley also mentioned the contributions left by the former Gamecocks and now WNBA players, pointing out how they were each a huge factor in elevating the program to where it is now, and she believes that the newcomers will be able to carry their own as well.
South Carolina will take on the Japanese national team on June 30, July 2 and July 4 before returning to the U.S. on July 5.