Gamecocks 2025-2026 Season | Page 8 | The Boneyard
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Gamecocks 2025-2026 Season

You know who I love on the Gamecock team? Tessa Johnson. I just love her demeanor and how she handles herself in pressure situations. She has always seemed to defer to the big stars on the team, content to just play her role and let them have the glory they deserve. I think she could have been a bigger star on another team, but she obviously doesn’t need that.
 
I don’t foresee is us winning the SEC regular season or being a one seed this year. Our starting five can play with anyone but we have no depth. Makeer could develop into a solid 6th player but that’s only a “could.” But I don’t see a 7th. Particularly, I don’t see a reliable backup for Edwards or Okot.

I don’t foresee any non conference losses but I do foresee 3-4 losses in the SEC regular season. That won’t win the conference race this year with Texas and LSU. The SEC tournament could be a chance to redeem ourselves at our second home but i see us falling to a two seed in the second NCAA for the first time this decade. An injury to Okote or Edwards would probably drop us quite a bit further.

My hopes for an (almost) unprecedented 6th straight F4 are pretty dim right now but the NCAA tournament can be a different beast for coaches like Dawn who have been there. Hope remains alive despite my more logical fears.
 
JstVisiting said:
Seems clear Staley want Joyce Edwards to be our go to player, but think it’s time to give Latson her turn. I don’t think Edwards is there yet.
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Edwards doesn't quite defend, rebound or pass well enough at this point in her career. Maybe she gets there at some point.

But, she's going to be first team SEC probably with Okot.

I do think we need to run more stuff for Latson that makes it difficult for the defense. We tend to just run basic things that let her go get it.

But we have a hell of a starting five. This version of Raven is pretty outstanding. Hell, she could also do more I think. She won the game basically.

Just are going to have to get our basic defense tightened up.

I think playing the bench more is a necessity, but I assume we will be able to do that at home and against most opponents from here out.
 
visitingcock said:
I don’t foresee is us winning the SEC regular season or being a one seed this year.
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I think LSU is the best in the conference. Their backcourt is going to give us serious problems.

But at least we didn't let a 19 year old "i'm sorry" her way back, amirite.
 
Gamecockfan77 said:
Edwards doesn't quite defend, rebound or pass well enough at this point in her career. Maybe she gets there at some point.

...

I think playing the bench more is a necessity, but I assume we will be able to do that at home and against most opponents from here out.
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Edwards is really good at everything, but, against the handful of like opponents, great at nothing. And you shouldn't run crunchtime sets for a 64% FT shooter, especially when you have an 80% senior who has carried her team in those situations for three years.

I have been pleasantly surprised with Tac. Against Texas and Louisville, she showed enough in sub minutes for me to believe she could grow into a solid 20-25 minute player.

If she and the two freshman develop well during the season, we could have a rotation of 8 that is capable of achieving any goal in March. Not the same as the favorites status we have grown used to, but similarly situated teams have won titles, for and against us.
 
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Watching from a Buffalo Wild Wings and can’t hear the broadcast. I have two questions:(1) where is Tessa? And (2) what is a boneless wing?

I haven’t even see Tessa on the bench, what’s up?

Okot and z Joyce are grown women playing with girls. Latson is lost and forcing drives. Our 3 point shooting is poor with Tessa
 
So the defense is pretty clearly not near the SC standard, but curious where you think our D measures up against the other top 25 teams.

In other words, is it poor, average, or good-just-not-great?
 
visitingcock said:
Watching from a Buffalo Wild Wings and can’t hear the broadcast. I have two questions:(1) where is Tessa? And (2) what is a boneless wing?

I haven’t even see Tessa on the bench, what’s up?

Okot and z Joyce are grown women playing with girls. Latson is lost and forcing drives. Our 3 point shooting is poor with Tessa
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Heard she was out sick.
 
visitingcock said:
Watching from a Buffalo Wild Wings and can’t hear the broadcast. I have two questions:(1) where is Tessa? And (2) what is a boneless wing?

I haven’t even see Tessa on the bench, what’s up?

Okot and z Joyce are grown women playing with girls. Latson is lost and forcing drives. Our 3 point shooting is poor with Tessa
Expand ...
Out sick. Okot sat in the second half supposedly because she is also recovering from a sickness. Makeer is still out on concussion protocol.
 
GamecockFam said:
Out sick. Okot sat in the second half supposedly because she is also recovering from a sickness. Makeer is still out on concussion protocol.
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Wondered why Okote had no second half minutes.

Latson looked a lot more comfortable in gthe second half to end up with thirty. Alaya and her poured in the second half threes.
 
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Nice seeing Latson hit some 3s… we’ll need that in the conference games. Okot missing most of the game forced Tac to play some extra minutes, and she’ll be needed as we get deeper into the schedule.
 
visitingcock said:
Watching from a Buffalo Wild Wings and can’t hear the broadcast. I have two questions:(1) where is Tessa? And (2) what is a boneless wing?

I haven’t even see Tessa on the bench, what’s up?

Okot and z Joyce are grown women playing with girls. Latson is lost and forcing drives. Our 3 point shooting is poor with Tessa
Expand ...

A boneless wing is a chicken nugget
 
visitingcock said:
Dunking is greatly over valued. Yes, Tournabix, at least, has dunked in a game - but that was in a breakaway. Many touted dunkers exist in practice but never accomplish it in games.

The only value I place on dunking is that it shows the leaping ability for rebounding and shot blocking. She looks like a Cameron Brink. If we get her, she needs strength training and some good weight gain to avoid injury.
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Totally disagree.
 
Dunking is an aspirational individual accomplishment. And, it's psychological value is immeasurable.
 
visitingcock said:
Watching from a Buffalo Wild Wings and can’t hear the broadcast. I have two questions:(1) where is Tessa? And (2) what is a boneless wing?

I haven’t even see Tessa on the bench, what’s up?

Okot and z Joyce are grown women playing with girls. Latson is lost and forcing drives. Our 3 point shooting is poor with Tessa
Expand ...
Boneless wings come from the Far Side Boneless Chicken Ranch.
 
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This reminds me of a conversation I had with a Shane's rib shack employee when I went to pick up our meal and they replaced our chicken tenders with boneless wings because they were out of tenders. The employee literally told me that there was no difference between their boneless wings and chicken tenders besides the cut. Their boneless wings are just chicken tender nuggets. 😆
 
GamecockFam said:
This reminds me of a conversation I had with a Shane's rib shack employee when I went to pick up our meal and they replaced our chicken tenders with boneless wings because they were out of tenders. The employee literally told me that there was no difference between their boneless wings and chicken tenders besides the cut. Their boneless wings are just chicken tender nuggets. 😆
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My theory was that they're nuggets for the adults who don't want to admit they like nuggets.
 
Last edited:
YoDore said:
You know who I love on the Gamecock team? Tessa Johnson. I just love her demeanor and how she handles herself in pressure situations. She has always seemed to defer to the big stars on the team, content to just play her role and let them have the glory they deserve. I think she could have been a bigger star on another team, but she obviously doesn’t need that.
Expand ...
I have to agree with you on this. Tessa is under rated. She was ranked #25 in Hoopgurlz 2023, which had 12 really good guards on that list ahead of her. To be fair, the list of 12 IS REALLY GOOD but Johnson is also really good.

Here's the list for anyone's perspective:
1. Juju Watkins
2. Mikala Williams-LSU
5. Hannah Hidalgo
6. KK Arnold
9. Zoe Brooks-NC State
11. Taliah Scott-Baylor
12. Madison Booker
13. Malaysia Fulwiler
15. Ashlyn Shade
21. Jada William-Iowa State
23. Sahara William-Oklahoma
24. Kymora Johnson-Virginia
25. Tessa Johnson

That is quite an impressive list of guards on the HS listing. I would argue they are better than any of the other positions on that list.

Here's the link for a review:

2023 SportsCenter NEXT 100 - ESPN

Get the inside scoop on the top ranked high school girls' basketball players. In-depth player briefings, film and more on ESPNHS.com.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
DefenseBB said:
I have to agree with you on this. Tessa is under rated. She was ranked #25 in Hoopgurlz 2023, which had 12 really good guards on that list ahead of her. To be fair, the list of 12 IS REALLY GOOD but Johnson is also really good.

Here's the list for anyone's perspective:
1. Juju Watkins
2. Mikala Williams-LSU
5. Hannah Hidalgo
6. KK Arnold
9. Zoe Brooks-NC State
11. Taliah Scott-Baylor
12. Madison Booker
13. Malaysia Fulwiler
15. Ashlyn Shade
21. Jada William-Iowa State
23. Sahara William-Oklahoma
24. Kymora Johnson-Virginia
25. Tessa Johnson

That is quite an impressive list of guards on the HS listing. I would argue they are better than any of the other positions on that list.

Here's the link for a review:

2023 SportsCenter NEXT 100 - ESPN

Get the inside scoop on the top ranked high school girls' basketball players. In-depth player briefings, film and more on ESPNHS.com.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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Tessa won the McDonald's 3 point shooting contest during that year and has maintained a 40%+ 3 point average during college as well as having earned the title "Tournament Tess" her freshman year. AND she just has a great personality
 
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