South Carolina HC Dawn Staley quotes Kobe Bryant in motivational post for upcoming season
Dawn Staley's South Carolina, the defending national champion, is gearing up for another promising season. They went undefeated 38-0 last year and are the No. 1 team in AP's preseason poll.
The Gamecocks have already made a statement winning both exhibition games ahead of the new season in an emphatic fashion scoring 100+ points in both matchups.
In their exhibition against Memphis, South Carolina pulled off a 106-63 win at Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
On Monday, they faced Clayton State at home, cruising to an 84-point margin victory as the final score read 126-42. Before the game, Dawn Staley shared a post on social media with a few images with one featuring a memorable quote from late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
"Shootaround and pregame meal done. Check," Staley captioned the post.
In a graphic paper poster for their game against Clayton State, Staley included Bryant's quote:
"Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise."
Besides, the poster's front cover had 'Jeremiah 29:11,' a popular verse from the Bible, printed.
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," the verse reads.
Dawn Staley addresses South Carolina's biggest issue ahead of new campaign
Dawn Staley, a three time national champion coach, addressed a major problem her team currently faces as they near the new season.
She pointed out that lack of experience is the biggest concern for the Gamecocks women's team and said it is not an easy fix.
"I think what we are lacking is getting out there in front of a crowd, playing someone other than our (practice players), we just need more experience and we probably won't get that until next week this time, and hopefully we'll have enough in the tank to win a basketball game at a neutral site," Staley said after the Monday game.
"Each team is trying to find what their identity is and for us, we are trying to figure it out without having a dominant big," she added.
A 6-foot-7 center Kamilla Cardoso, who was a dominant force behind South Carolina's championship glory last season, declared for the WNBA draft this summer, leaving a huge hole in the team's frontcourt.
Dawn Staley added junior transfer from Arkansas — Maryam Dauda to the roster alongside a freshman Joyce Edwards, a five-star forward. The Gamecocks' real test begins on Nov. 4 as they take on Michigan in their first game of the season in Las Vegas.