South Carolina Basketball: Three Gamecocks playing in Olympic qualifying

One current South Carolina basketball player and two former Gamecocks are playing in Olympic qualifiers this weekend.

South Carolina basketball stars Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso
South Carolina basketball stars Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso | McKenzie Lange / USA Today Network / USA

South Carolina basketball fans know that Kamilla Cardoso is playing in Olympic qualifying games this weekend because the 6'7" Brazilian post player is missing the Gamecocks' next two games to play with her national team.

However, she isn't the only South Carolina basketball player to be suiting up this weekend for international competition.

While Cardoso is playing with the Brazilian squad, former Gamecocks Aliyah Boston and Laeticia Amihere will be playing for the United States and Canada, respectively.

The US is playing in Belgium with a group that includes Senegal, Belgium, and Nigeria. Brazil is playing at home in Brazil in a group with Germany, Australia, and Serbia. Canada is competing in Hungary in a group with Hungary, Spain, and Japan. The top-2 teams in the United States' group will qualify for the Olympics, while the top-3 from Brazil's group and the top-3 from Canada's group will advance to compete for the gold at the Paris Olympics. As the winners of the AmeriCup, the USA is guaranteed a spot in the Olympic games.

Olympic qualifying began on Thursday and will continue through Monday. The full schedule of games including players from the South Carolina basketball program are listed below.

THURSDAY

Boston and the USA squad beat Belgium on Friday in Belgium on a buzzer-beating tip-in from Breanna Stewart.
Cardoso's Brazilian team lost against Australia in Brazil.
Canada and Laeticia Amihere knocked off Hungary in Hungary.

FRIDAY

The United States will play in Belgium again, this time against Nigeria at 12:15 PM EST.
Brazil is off on Friday.
Canada tips off at 2:30 PM EST against Spain in Hungary.

SATURDAY

USA will not play on Saturday.
Brazil has a contest against Serbia at 6:00 PM EST in Brazil.
Canada does not play on Saturday.

SUNDAY

The United States faces off with Senegal in Belgium at 1:15 PM EST.
Brazil plays at home at 6:00 PM EST against the German team.
Canada plays the Japanese team in Hungary at 9:00 AM EST.

You can watch the three South Caroina basketball stars compete in the Olympic qualifying games through the stream on FIBA's Courtside 1891.

Schedule

Schedule