Sports
What coach Dawn Staley means to South Carolina Black fans

Lo Dreher felt chills as she stopped to soak up the scene of the bustling crowd.
Dreher, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, sitting within the Halle Georges Carpentier Arena in Paris in the course of the historic contest between Notre Dame and South Carolina in November 2023, was a part of the contingent of Gamecocks fans who traveled to the City of Lights to attend the sport.
What moved Dreher was the makeup of the South Carolina delegation. Many within the audience were black. She saw familiar faces: one in all her mother’s best friends, a lady Dreher’s daughter had played with in highschool, and each were ready to cheer on their Gamecocks, led by coach Dawn Staley.
“In Paris,” Dreher emphasized.
“It’s not only Gamecock fans, it is also Black individuals who got here to Paris for a basketball game – all due to Dawn Staley. Crazy.”
South Carolina’s season opener in Paris was only one example that showed each the dimensions of the Black fanbase supporting Staley and the Gamecocks and the depth of their program fandom. Given the dimensions of the fan base in South Carolina, that is arguably the most important Black fandom in women’s college basketball.
“We’re very proud,” said former state Rep. Bakari Sellers, a longtime Gamecocks fan. “Let’s get to work. We plan our schedule around Dawn Staley and her girls. These are by no means exclusively black (fans), but black people have great affection for these girls and we’re very protective of them – even Chloe (Kitts).
For many Black fans, it is a level of support that goes beyond basketball. Staley continues to tread a path that has never been traveled by any Black coach in the game, and behind her is the Black community in Columbia that helps keep her and her undefeated Gamecocks team moving forward.
“We love them like our own,” Sellers said.
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Attending a South Carolina home game means meeting Black fans of all ages and backgrounds. Dreher talked concerning the fans who may be found walking across the Colonial Life Arena:
- There are “young girls”. “Bad with done hair and done nails.”
- “Older, close-knit women from the sorority.”
- Older men “who think they know everything about basketball, with their arms crossed on their chests.”
- Older women “who are just fanatics and love women’s basketball.”
- Black Students – “They are good at booty surfing.”
- And young graduates like Dreher.
Thanks to Staley and South Carolina’s continued success over time, Gamecocks home games have turn into a gathering place for the Black community in Columbia – a city that’s 40% Black according to the 2022 U.S. Census – and the remainder of the state.
“It’s like a family reunion. This is crazy. It’s special to have a spot to gather and have a typical ground that everyone seems to be rooting for. Win, lose or draw – it doesn’t matter. We are riding.
Since 2019, the Gamecocks have lost just once at home – to NC State in December 2020. South Carolina’s home record over the past five seasons: 76-1.
Columbia’s packed houses and constant fan base are especially noteworthy considering the state of the team when Staley became coach in 2008.
Dreher, who has been going to Gamecocks basketball games since she was a baby, remembers Staley’s early days trying to rebuild a program that hadn’t been to the NCAA Tournament in five years. The yr before Staley arrived, South Carolina averaged 1,800 fans.
“For the first few years, I could go to the gym, maybe during a break, and sit down,” Dreher said. “I could scream and be on the jumbotron. I could scream and everybody within the gym could hear me.

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Staley was 24-33 in her first two seasons. Former defender Markeshia Grant, who played under Staley for 2 seasons from 2010 to 2012, recalled Staley specializing in getting the town involved.
“We didn’t have a lot of fans,” Grant said. “That was her major point. First now we have to grow the fan base, now we have to grow the community, after which all of the championships will come.
Staley made sure high-level talent never left the state. It began with Goose Creek’s Aleighsa Welch, who was a top-100 recruit within the 2011 class. In 2012, Staley signed two top-100 recruits, Columbia native Asia Dozier and Myrtle Beach native Khadijah Sessions, now an assistant at program. In 2013, she signed Irmo’s Alaina Coates, who was ranked twenty eighth in her class. In 2014, she signed No. 1 recruit A’ja Wilson from Hopkins.
Before Wilson arrived, Staley led this system to three straight NCAA tournaments and two Sweet 16 appearances.
“When A’ja got involved, it was like a springboard,” Dreher said. “Now you have additional support from the people of Colombia.”
This season, South Carolina’s team includes two players from Columbia: freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley and sophomore Ashlyn Watkins.
“You recruit hometown kids and get them to stay, so now you’re building a fan base,” Grant said.
As the show continued to improve, so did its base, growing exponentially until it became the most important fan base within the country. According to the NCAA, South Carolina has led Division I in home game attendance yearly since 2015, when it averaged 12,293 fans. For the 2023–2024 season, South Carolina’s average home game attendance was 16,488, which ranks second all-time (Tennessee, 1999) in a single season.
“Now, if you’re going to a game, you better get there an hour or two hours early,” Dreher said. “It has changed so much.”

David E. Klutho /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Black Gamecocks fans have a good time the on-court success South Carolina has had over time, but their support goes beyond AP No. 1 rankings, wins and trophies.
“It goes way beyond basketball,” Sellers said. His father, Cleveland, taught on the university for 20 years. “It’s more than just basketball here in Colombia.”
It starts with the community’s ability to consistently root for and support a team with a Black female head coach and predominantly Black female players who proceed to be at the highest of the game yr after yr. Historically, women’s college basketball has only seen this occur once with C. Vivian Stringer.
“Growing up, I saw (South Carolina) girls playing, but they weren’t led by a black woman. This shows well that I cannot only play, but in addition train. I can do it too. I do know if I used to be younger and saw a lady like Dawn, I could work just a little harder, if I wanted to play for Dawn,” Dreher said. “I feel it’s immeasurable. Little girls playing basketball immediately know nothing apart from South Carolina and Dawn Staley.
“She’s one of us,” Sellers said of Staley. “She is family. She feels like she’s part of our whole family. She won. It’s easy to love.”
There is deep respect for the Hall of Fame head coach and the way she handles business at South Carolina, each on and off the court. From the standards he holds in his program to the way in which he trains and leads his players. She has been praised for her authenticity and approachability, in addition to her real desire to connect with the Columbia community – whether it’s shaking hands after every home game or the annual breakfast Staley hosts for several hundred local Columbia grandparents each November.
“People will go through a wall for her, even if they don’t play for her,” Grant said. “She’s very personable. You are easy to talk to, easy to establish contacts with. He will stop, sign autographs, take photos. Nothing is too big for her.”
Staley then consistently advocates for her players, unafraid to use her platform to criticize those she feels have done her team a disservice.
“Being a Black community in the South is something that resonates with all of us because all of us, growing up in South Carolina, were in a situation where you had to let someone know where they mixed you up at the top,” Dreher said. “Seeing it on a bigger scale and not letting anyone push you around, not letting anyone put you in a box, just letting it go and not saying anything, I think that’s why people ride for her.”
In Staley, every season and each game, Black Gamecocks fans see a Black woman fighting for respect and acceptance in an area where high-level performance alone wasn’t all the time enough to earn it. An identical struggle is echoing in Black communities far beyond South Carolina.
In some ways, when Staley wins, the Black fans who support her win, too.
“I think (Black fans) see her as the person they can be,” Grant said. “A lot of young girls are just excited to meet her because – how many black coaches have done the same thing she did? I think that’s something to be proud of and something we want to emulate in the Black community.”
The Gamecocks will play their final game of the season in Columbia on Sunday. South Carolina will proceed their efforts to finish the season because the tenth undefeated team in NCAA history, and it would be thanks to the Black Gamecocks fan community who can be strongly behind them and cheering on victories that stretch far beyond the 30-yard court on which they gather. Arena of colonial life.
“Every young lady from the University of South Carolina and the Dawn Staley basketball team who walks through these doors receives the love, admiration and protection of the entire community,” Sellers said.
“Every single one of them.”
Sports
Mother of the New Orleans Pelikan Player Zion Williamson, accused after the alleged assault

Ahkeema Love, who’s the mother of New Orleans Pelican Player, Zion Williamson, was arrested and accused after alleged hacking into the house of one other woman and attacking her.
According to 31-year love, she was accused Together with the home invasion, deteriorating battery and persecution after cops claimed that the woman he attacked was allegedly the interest of the NBA player. Love and Williamson divide a toddler, a daughter who was born in 2023.
Before the attack took place on April 6, love antagonized the victim when she took the house on March 17. She sent a girl a message on Instagram with information: “Don’t worry, it will be your head when I drop this child, count your days.” In the post in social media in March, Love published that she was celebrating her birthday and the upcoming birth of one other child. No word if Williamson is the father of his newborn baby.
“Happy birthday to me!
This year I do not only celebrate the next year; But another addition to our family.
I can’t wait to meet you Little 1 “
In an announcement made in court, officials stated that love was given by a toddler “shared by their romantic partner.”
Love had keys to the woman’s house. She went to the residence and “caught the victim’s hair and hit the victim with keys clenched into a fist” as an announcement. The victim suffered a cut over her eyes, a nodule on the face and scratching in her shoulders and face. She also had 4 nails detached from her hands.
Love was arrested at the house listed on behalf of Williamson.
Court documents reveal that Love had a trial in the bond on April 8 and was released from a police custody. As part of its issue, a protection order was issued.
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Sports
Florida Guard Will Richard has a satisfactory end of his college career in winning the title

San Antonio – at the moment when Florida Gators approached the podium Alamad for his or her coronation, it will Will Richard kept the national championship in his arms and swayed them like a child.
When the team members submitted to the Postgame press conference in the media hall, Richard entered the room for room equipment and gently concentrated it on the podium.
Later, when the team gathered in the locker room to rejoice the first school championship since returning in 2006 and 2007, Richard stands in the center of the room, swaying the trophy.
“It’s hard, but I don’t care,” said Richard, when asked about his quick bonds with the prize. “This is a national championship trophy, and I have to wear it.”
Images Bob Dhannan-Imagn
On the night where Florida Walter Clayton Jr. And Alijah Martin was never completely offensive (they shot a total of 5-20 from the pitch, and Clayton was flawless in the first half), Richard’s hot hand in the first half in the first half allowed Gators to take care of the game on Monday 65-63.
Richard finished the game with 18 points and eight rebounds – each team ups. Fourteen of these points occurred in the first half, which ended when Gators traveled only about three, despite the two best scorers, Clayton and Martin, connecting just one goal in the first half.
“Houston guarded us great, but we have many guys in this band who can leave,” said Clayton. “(Monday) was one of these nights for Will. He showed it many times this year.”
This season, Richard led the team to attain nine times, including 30 points in his career against Georgia in February. While Clayton and Martin had problems in the first half against the highest rated defense in the country, Richard was on the radiator-bothering in 4 out of six 3-point shots.
“I just try to play to help us stay in the game,” said Richard, who withdrew from the NBA 2024 draft to return to this season. “I knew that if the arrows were open, I had to take them. When I saw the first to come up, I just said,” It’s my time. ” I just try to make a few pieces to help us win. “
Richard often ended up with the ball when Houston sent a further body in Clayton to stop him from running the belt. This didn’t make Clayton ineffective in the first half, he simply made him a facilitator when he registered five out of seven his assists in the first 20 minutes.
The election shooter was not in the state of Richard, who scored 48.6% from the field this season. While Richard was limited to only 4 second half of the points, his heroic in the first half gave Clayton time to get into the center of attention at the end of the game. Clayton’s first goals got here from 7:54, but this shot and the following free kick tied the game to 48.
The 3-point Clayton indicator with 3:14 tied the game at the age of 60. From there, they suppress Florida’s defense, she kept Cougars without a goal in the last 2:04 games. Richard’s shooting in the title match took place after two doubtful trips: he left nine out of 12 shots in the last two tournament matches against Auburn and Texas Tech.
Heroiki on Monday evening brought Richard a place in 4 4 ALL-Tournament bands, joining Clayton, Cooper Flagga (Duke), LJ Cryer and J’an Roberts (each with Houston). Clayton was called the most eminent player of the tournament.

Photos of Robert Deutsch-Imagn
For Richard, timely scoring was a satisfying ending of a college career, which began in Belmont, where he scored a median of 12.1 points per match while starting 30 matches.
When Todd Golden arrived at Florida as the major coach in 2022, Richard was the first player who committed himself to the program. Richard began all games except three since they arrived in Gainesville. Earlier in the NCAA Tournament, Golden called Richard the “elite sets of culture”, which he gave the tone to the team from the 1st day. Martin called him a “leader”.
For Richard, the whole lot was part of the process to assist establish the foundation under the latest management.
“I just wanted to make sure that guys know the standard in which (Golden) wants guys to play,” said Richard. “Just bringing this advantage every day so that we can be where we want.”
Where all the teams wish to be on the pitch after the last match of the season, when “they shiny moment” plays on large screens. After Monday’s match, Richard climbed the ladder to grab the fragment from the network when Luther Vandross’s voice filled the arena.
This fragment, a few hours later, hung at the back of his national championship hat when he was a trophy in the cloakroom.
“When the clock hit Zero, I was shocked because I thought,” We really won the national championship, “said Richard. “This is something I actually have at all times dreamed of and it is exclusive to see that it involves implementation.”
Asked when he intends to desert the trophy, Richard gave the impression that he was planning him when he returned to the hotel room.
“I don’t think I would leave it,” he said with a smile. “I don’t think I’m leaving it.”
Sports
Stopping of the defensive Walter Clayton Jr. gives Florida a third national title with a victory 65-63 over Houston

Walter Clayton Jr. From Florida he invented the perfect gift that’s a crushing spirit of Houston, who persecuted, battered and downloaded all of it night.
It was its own defensive jewel. Just before the buzzer. For victory and national title.
Gattors and Clayton one way or the other overcame the intensity of Lockdown Houston, along with a 12-point deficit on Monday evening to win 65-63 victory in the title thriller NCAA, decided that his own D Florida Senior stopped Cougars from winning the win in the match in Brzęcze.
Clayton ended with 11 points, all the things in the second half. For most, he might be remembered that Emanuel Sharp from Houston stops in the middle of his movement when he tried to go to the winning game 3 in the last seconds.
“Just go 100 percent,” said Clayton, asked what he was attempting to do at the finish. “We just tried to stop and we happened to get it. I am glad that we did it.”
With a sharp in search of room, Clayton ran to him. Houston’s guard dropped the ball and, unable to choose it up, in order to not be called to travel, he watched him bounce.
Alex Condon dived on the ball, after which knocked it over to Clayton, who ran to the opposite line of free kicks with a buzzer and pulled the shirt from shorts. Then the court was flooded with Gator Chomps and Orange and Blue Confetti.
“We guarded them hard, and then I saw the ball loose and I just hoped that we would beat it to the ball,” said Florida coach Todd Golden.
This meant the fourth return in six March madmen for Gators (36-4). They led this game for 64 seconds, including the last 46 ticks of the competition, which was suspended to the last shot that never got here.
Coach Houston, Kelvin Sampson, called it “incomprehensible” that Cougers couldn’t shoot in a single of the last two things.
About the last one, Sampson said: “Clayton had a great time. But that’s why you have to shoot a false and get to the paint. Two in order.”
Will Richard had 18 points to maintain him in it, and won his third general title and the first since Billy Donovan returned in 2006-07.
This time it’s gold in the third yr, restoring the title back to Gainesville, where Faithful Gator can have fun victory in a single of the biggest scenes of the university sport for the first time, since Tim Tebow played the playmaker in the football team in 2008.
It was the first HoOPS title at a south -eastern conference from Kentucky in 2012, in addition to the results for which the Power conference (expected?) Count after placing records of 14 teams in the tournament.
Cougars (35-5) and Sampson were refused their first championships and resulted in the same place as the colourful teams of Phi Slama Jama from the 80s-oh-so close in second place.
It was a defensive fight – Gators didn’t break 70 for the second time throughout the season – and for many of the night Clayton received the worst of this.
He had 0 for 4 from the field without a point to the first half. I met at the top of the circle, after which doubled and imprisoned if needed, he didn’t rating until he hit two free throws from 14:57.
The player who scored no less than 30 points in the last two matches, which on average 24.6 in the first five matches of the tournament, which just about independently beat Uconn and Texas Tech down these March return to madness, ended with one third. Earlier he had a few three points going down to the rims, which kept the gattors in a striking range. He finished 3 for 10.
He also became part of not one, but two stops that placed these gatras in a historical book, and doubtless established himself as the best basketball player to wear orange and blue.
After Alijah Martin performed two free kicks to place Florida 64-63, the first advantage from 8-6 gattors lured sharply in a triple team in the corner, where Clayton pressed him, after which Richard forced him to dribble the ball from his leg and leaving Bounds.
Florida made one free kick in the next possession, which established the final.

The ball first went to LJ Cryer, who led Cougars with 19 points. Covered by Richard, he threw himself at Sharp, who moved to note 3 when Clayton ran to him. It didn’t leave him a alternative but to let the ball go.
“It was a great defensive game of Walter,” said Condon. “I just dived over it, and hearing a buzzer was a crazy feeling.”
Instead of 69-year-old Sampson became the oldest coach who won the title, 39-year-old Golden becomes the youngest than Jim Valvano from NC State in 1983 to win all the things.
This thrilling loss occurred two nights after Cougars created their very own return, from 14 down against Duke.
All the last three 4 matches have been settled on the episode, not more than the six -point victory of Florida over Auburn on Saturday. Every thought that the male game has been overtaken by increasingly popular women will probably abstain for no less than a yr.
On Sunday, the last three women’s matches, limited by Uconn in Southern Carolina, on average 24.7 points were settled.
“When it remained up to the two best teams,” said Sampson about a thriller, who barely lost, “it will not be easy for any team.”

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