Head coach Lamon Paris, his assistant coaches and multiple Gamecocks players met with the media, Wednesday, as South Carolina prepares for the 2022-23 season.
In addition to Paris and his staff, there are several new faces that have joined the roster since the end of last season. Highly recruited freshman GG Jackson is, perhaps, chief among them. Transfers Meechie Johnson, Jr. (Ohio State), Hayden Brown (The Citadel) and freshman Zachary Davis (Denmark-Olar HS) are also expected to contribute. Paris has been especially impressed with Johnson’s passing ability and willingness to distribute.
USC fans will get their first look at the new Gamecocks when Mars Hill pays a visit to the Colonial Life Arena for an exhibition game on Nov. 2nd. South Carolina will open the season, in earnest, against SC State on Nov. 8th before playing host to rival Clemson, Nov. 11th.
Key comments from Lamont Paris
- With the Ebrima Dibba (Coastal Carolina transfer) injury, Paris expects Ohio State transfer Meechie Johnson to play some point, but also says this team may not have a traditional point guard role, but instead play more fluid offense.
- Paris quoted Bruce Lee, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” Paris was describing finding his player’s strengths, and utilizing those strengths.
- Paris says his team will be hard to score against, and that opponents won’t be happy playing against them. He also points out that his teams historically play their best basketball towards the end of the season, steadily progressing throughout the year.
- Paris talks about his “system”, and how important defense is, and how he hopes to make decision making “easy”, or ‘simplified” for his team. He wants his guys to understand the scheme, then be able to play freely on game day.
If nothing else, I hope this new Gamecock basketball era fields a consistent winning team that can play at a high level both offensively and defensively. Under the prior HC, we were often 70% defense and 30% offense. As a result, we below average overall and often very boring to watch. Not to mention the HC sideline antics often wore thin quickly.
I also look forward to a watching coach who doesn’t allow his team to lose games against much lesser opponents, in order for his players to learn life lessons. I’m so glad that era is behind us now. Good riddance!