South Carolina Basketball: Two Gamecocks named Players of the Year
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina basketball just faced a gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of Caitlin Clark and Iowa on Friday night. The perfect season, back-to-back titles, and a final championship for “The Freshies” now all firmly reside in the “what if?” category instead of in reality. However, the one-loss Gamecocks had an incredible season, and the accolades for that season keep pouring in for Dawn Staley’s team.
On Saturday, two Gamecocks were honored as the players of the year at their positions. Aliyah Boston was named the Lisa Leslie Player of the Year, and Zia Cooke was selected as the Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year. The Lisa Leslie Award is earned by the top center in women’s college basketball, and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award is given to the best shooting guard in women’s college basketball.
For Boston, this was her fourth time being honored with the Lisa Leslie Award. She is the only four-time recipient in the award’s history. Boston averaged right around a double-double this season and was the best defensive player in the land. Her impact was not always felt in the numbers (though she put those up at times, too), but the Gamecocks’ on-court success generally centered around #4 in garnet and black.
Cooke’s game had a more offensive focus. The senior guard averaged over 15 points per game on career-high efficiency numbers. Cooke also was often the offensive engine for the country’s best team this season, able to make plays for herself and her teammates when the play broke down.
Boston and Cooke have the ability to match their award’s namesakes at the next level, as well. Both Leslie and Meyers Drysdale went on to become WNBA MVPs, something the South Carolina leaders would love to duplicate. Boston has already announced her plans to enter the 2023 WNBA Draft and is expected to be the top selection. Cooke has not yet made her decision known.
