South Carolina Basketball: Gamecocks receive even more accolades as All-American teams announced

As the South Carolina basketball team is now under 24 hours from beginning their NCAA run in pursuit of back-to-back titles and an undefeated season, it is only fitting to continue celebrating their accomplishments. Three Gamecocks found their names among those mentioned by the Associated Press as All-Americans in the sport of women’s college basketball.

First, and outrageously obvious, is Aliyah Boston. Boston was selected as a first-team AP All-American for the third time. She is one of ten players to ever be voted onto three AP All-American squads, joining A’Ja Wilson (South Carolina), Rhyne Howard (Kentucky), Maya Moore (UConn), Breanna Stewart (UConn), Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon), Courtney Paris (Oklahoma), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee), and Alana Beard (Duke). Boston was also a second-team All-American as a freshman, joining just Moore and Paris as four-time AP All-Americans.

Boston’s stats are excellent but don’t tell the full story. She averaged 13.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 56.8% from the field. She is one of the best interior and help defenders in the history of women’s college basketball, and despite her very active defensive presence, she only fouls 1.5 times per contest. Boston’s third-straight unanimous All-America selection is well-deserved.

Zia Cooke was selected as a third-team All-American. The Gamecocks’ leading scorer had her best season as a collegiate player as she was a more efficient scorer this year and added her most assists and fewest turnovers in her career. In what was the fewest minutes per game of her career, Cooke still led the country’s best team in scoring and saved one of her best performances for the SEC Tournament Championship Game victory over Tennessee.

Brea Beal finally got the attention she deserves as she was picked as an Honorable Mention All-American. The best wing defender in the SEC finally made the All-Defense All-SEC team this season but also added a well-rounded stat line of 6.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting almost 40% from 3. Despite matching up against opponents’ best players most nights, Beal only committed 1.3 fouls per game.

The full list of AP All-Americans not including honorable mentions:

First Team

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

Caitlin Clark, Iowa

Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana

Angel Reese, LSU

Maddy Siegrist, Villanova

Second Team

Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech

Cameron Brink, Stanford

Diamond Miller, Maryland

Olivia Miles, Notre Dame

Alissa Pili, Utah

Third Team

Zia Cooke, South Carolina

Ashley Joens, Iowa State

Haley Jones, Stanford

Aneesah Morrow, DePaul

Aaliyah Edwards, UConn