"The job's not finished": South Carolina's Chloe Kitts proud of her basketball journey, but stresses need for improvement
South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts is enjoying a phenomenal season. She has played an important role as the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks advanced to the Final Four, where they will face the No. 1-seeded Texas Longhorns on Saturday.
Ahead of the clash, Kitts posted a video in collaboration with Fifth Third Bank. In the video, she detailed her work ethic and mindset growing up.
"Even as a kid, I was very basketball-focused," Kitts wrote in the caption on Thursday. "I was always looking for ways to improve my game, get extra shots in, and play against the best possible competition I could find. I’m proud of all the work I’ve put in to this point, but the job’s not finished💪🏼 #team53."
Kitts joined South Carolina as a five-star prospect despite offers from Louisville, Duke, NC State and Arizona, among others. However, she only had limited playing time as a freshman but got the starting role in her sophomore season, where she averaged 9.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 54.4% shooting.
Now in her junior year, Kitts has established herself as a key player for the Gamecocks, averaging 10.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.0 apg on 52.5% shooting. She helped South Carolina win the SEC Tournament, where she was named MVP after the Gamecocks beat Texas for their third straight championship.
Chloe Kitts named Birmingham Regional MVP as South Carolina reaches Final Four
Chloe Kitts earned another MVP honor after she helped South Carolina win the Birmingham 2 Regional. Kitts scored 14 points and four rebounds to lead the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks in defeating the No. 2-seeded Duke Blue Devils 54-50 at Legacy Arena on Sunday.
Kitts sank two free throws in the dying seconds to seal the win and help Dawn Staley's team advance to the Final Four for the fifth straight year. She previously missed three free throws before stepping up.
"I got the ball and I went to the line and I was just taking a deep breath," Kitts said on Sunday, via The Mirror's Tom Blow. "I told myself that my coach wanted me to have the ball at the end of the game because she knew I could make my free throws, and I told myself that I'm really good at basketball and I made both of them."
Kitts was also named to the all-region team alongside MiLaysia Fulwiley and Sania Feagin. Feagin had 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks, while Fulwiley was limited to just five points. However, she produced 23 points, five rebounds and three assists in the Sweet 16 win over Maryland.