“That presence is missing”: South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts reminisces playing with Kamilla Cardoso
South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts reminisced on her time playing with current Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso in the post-game interview following the Gamecocks' 68-62 win over the Michigan Wolverines. The pair struck up a fruitful partnership last season before Cardoso left to play in Chicago.
Kitts was full of praise for her former teammate after she registered a double-double against the Wolverines on Monday night.
Kitts reflects on her time with Cardoso
It's clear Kitts has fond memories of playing with Cardoso and she didn't hide it from the media during the post-game interview.
"I've never played with someone like Kamilla. So it was awesome playing with her. She was just a big part of our team. And you know that presence is missing," Chloe Kitts said.
Kitts carried South Carolina's offense for most of the game against Michigan. She had to secure her fair share of rebounds as well. It is no surprise the veteran is "missing" Cardoso's presence. Both share the ability to stuff up the stat sheet with their scoring and effort plays on any given night.
Kitts averaged 9.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per 40 minutes for South Carolina last season. Comparatively, Cardoso has the edge statistically with 14.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game a season ago. The 23-year-old also showed her dominance on the defensive end of the floor with 2.5 blocks and 0.6 steals per game in her final season in Columbia.
Kitts didn't shy away from discussing Cardoso's importance to South Carolina's success last season, mentioning how the team will make up for her absence.
"She grabbed boards for us. She put up all those points for us. We just need to come together and show what we can do. Everybody needs to come and play every game. We'll be fine." Chloe Kitts added.
What's next for Kitts and the Gamecocks?
The Gamecocks will now turn their attention to No. 9 North Carolina State on Nov. 10. There are some concerns over whether South Carolina can fill Cardoso's absence at the center position this season, with Kitts having the primary responsbility of doing so. If Monday's win over Michigan was anything to go by, Kitts will need to have another big game statistically if the Gamecocks are to come out on top. The veteran understands how important Cardoso was to the team's success and perhaps more importantly, understands the gaps which need to be filled since her move to the WNBA.