South Carolina Basketball: The biggest (early) questions for Dawn Staley’s team for the 2023-2024 season
By Kevin Miller
5 Questions around South Carolina Basketball for the 2023-2024 Season:
How can the team replace Aliyah Boston?
The short answer to this question is that there is no possible way to replace Aliyah Boston. The best defensive player in college basketball (and one of the best ever) was also an elite player in terms of offensive efficiency. Boston locked down the paint on one end of the floor and produced on the other end despite a low number of touches.
Dawn Staley knows there is no replacing Boston, but she also knows that she has some solid pieces in place to help fill the void. Kamilla Cardoso is the returning Sixth Woman of the Year in the SEC and likely will be the starter at center in her last season. When Staley would deploy Cardoso alongside Boston, the Gamecocks were devastating down low.
The twin towers minutes will continue in the 2023-2024 season as 6’4″ Junior College National Player of the Year Sakima Walker is sure to play alongside Cardoso at times. If Staley’s history of playing two traditional post players together for big minutes continues, the Gamecocks will be able to continue their rebounding and shot-blocking dominance.
In attempting to replace Aliyah Boston, though, the burden to score efficiently and defend dominantly will not be able to be filled just by adding Walker to the roster. Versatile sophomore Chloe Kitts will get some minutes across every non-point guard position, and junior Sania Feagin and sophomore Ashlyn Watkins are high-potential forwards. Two of those three players will be needed to step up into a big-time role for Carolina to repeat their recent success without Boston.