Newcomers contribute scoring, rebounding in 88-31 victory
With 2:42 to play in the second half, a shot by South Carolina guard Tiffany Mitchell got stuck between the rim and the backboard.
It was one of the only things that could slow the Gamecock offense down on Sunday afternoon, as they rolled over the Anderson Trojans for an 88-31 victory in their lone exhibition game of the season.
The suspense was gone before the first timeout, as USC scored nine unanswered points to start the game and used man defense to keep Anderson off the board for over four minutes.
The Gamecocks, led by sophomore forward Aleighsa Welch and freshman guard Asia Dozier, never looked back from their strong start. Welch and Dozier led the team in scoring with 14 points apiece, but three other players also had double-digit points in the game.
“For us to come out and have such a great team effort, get scoring from everybody in every way, shape or form was just a really good start for our team,” Welch said.
Post play was the key to South Carolina’s success on offense, as the Gamecocks scored 50 points in the paint. Coach Dawn Staley said that while the team is effective and predictable on the inside, the number of young players on the roster makes the perimeter game inconsistent.
The Gamecocks have just three seniors on their roster, and one of them, guard Sancheon White, is only in her second year at USC. But the performance of the team’s four freshmen on Sunday was an encouraging sign, Staley said.
Mitchell was the only freshman that appeared in the starting lineup, and she led all players with 25 minutes on the floor. She finished with 10 points, three rebounds and two steals. Staley said Mitchell earned the start because of her speed and her defensive contributions.
“She’s pretty athletic ... we like that quickness on the perimeter,” Staley said. “She can score the ball. She can get to the basket and create her own shots. We just have to try to get her to play within her speed.”
Mitchell’s classmates found ways to contribute off the bench. Dozier had six rebounds to go with her 14 points. Freshman guard Khadijah Sessions led the team with six steals but also contributed 11 points and five assists on offense.
“[The freshmen] aren’t always going to look as good as they looked today,” Staley said. “We have to take these moments and enjoy them and continue to teach them what’s going on, things they did well and things they didn’t do well.”
Junior center Wilka Montout, who transferred to South Carolina this year from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, also made an impressive debut, with nine points and seven rebounds.
Staley said the coaches have worked specifically with Montout and sophomore center Elem Ibiam to improve their rebounding. The extra work paid dividends in the exhibition, as Ibiam led all players with 12 rebounds.
“I’m pleased with the rebounding,” Staley said. “That’s something we thought we would lack, not having Charnee (Stephens) and some of the other players who played last year ... But we’ve made conscious efforts ... to get (Montout and Ibiam) to be more active on the boards. I’m glad it paid off in a game-type situation.”