Garnet & Black Madness Gamecock men's basket looking up
Oct. 27, 2022
After months of trying to work the transfer portal, build a team and establish a new culture, new South Carolina men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris and his Gamecocks finally had the chance to have some fun. The season doesn’t officially tip off until Nov. 8 against visiting S.C. State, the Gamecocks hosted a free Garnet & Black Madness event at Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday night. Fans had the chance to meet the new-look roster and get autographs, see the Gamecocks play a 20-minute scrimmage, and watch the team hold 3-point and dunk contests.
During introductions, Paris walked through the pyrotechnics on the court with the rest of the team, greeted by rousing applause. Then he grabbed the microphone and told the crowd: “We need you on board. This is your team.” Wednesday night was less about the basketball and more about getting the transfer-heavy Gamecocks roster in front of a crowd and used to playing in a gameday atmosphere in Columbia. Paris has talked about how hard his players have worked to learn an entirely new system, and he wanted to make sure they had room for some laughter and games before the season, too.
TALKING GG JACKSON
That question is likely at the top of every Gamecock fan’s mind. GG Jackson, the much-hyped Ridge View High product who ranks as one of the top incoming recruits in the country, provided plenty of electricity Wednesday for the CLA crowd. Playing for the Garnet team and wearing the No. 23, Jackson didn’t quite get his shot going from the 3-point line, going 0-for-4 on his looks during the scrimmage, but the 6-foot-9 forward knocked down a pair of rim-rattling dunks, and he showcased a passing ability that Paris has raved about during practice.
“He’s a really good passer, is very proficient as a passer, and he’s willing to do it, which is a rarity these days for guys who’ve got many accolades and all the attention that he has,” Paris said. “So it’s really good to see that he got some stuff in transition, which was good. “There’s gonna be a day that he affects the offensive side of the game in every possible way. Who knows where he’ll be when that happens? Maybe it’s here (at South Carolina). Maybe he’s moved on to another level at that point. But I hope it’s here.
Though Jackson had a hit-or-miss scrimmage, he dominated the dunk contest, winning with 58 of 60 possible points. He even threw in an extra dunk for good measure, with Paris telling the crowd he had “one more in his back pocket.”
NEWCOMERS?
Transfers Meechie Johnson (Ohio State) and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (Illinois) each showcasing some of the abilities that attracted them to the USC coaching staff in the transfer portal. The 6-foot-8 Bosmans-Verdonk, originally from Belgium, flashed a few posts move down low, scoring near the rim with a big, bruising style. At one point, he set up a dunk for Jackson after nabbing a rebound, passing him the ball behind his back.
Johnson, on the other hand, paced all scorers with 11 points and was the team’s most proficient shooter from deep, making two of his looks. The 6-foot-2 point guard Johnson even showed some leaping ability by finishing second in the dunk contest. Paris said Johnson can be a little too trigger-happy from deep at times, but Paris has liked what he’s seen from Johnson at the point guard position in general. “He’s got incredible range, probably too good because he defaults to shooting,” Paris said. “I call it ‘from the moon.’
Oct. 27, 2022
After months of trying to work the transfer portal, build a team and establish a new culture, new South Carolina men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris and his Gamecocks finally had the chance to have some fun. The season doesn’t officially tip off until Nov. 8 against visiting S.C. State, the Gamecocks hosted a free Garnet & Black Madness event at Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday night. Fans had the chance to meet the new-look roster and get autographs, see the Gamecocks play a 20-minute scrimmage, and watch the team hold 3-point and dunk contests.
During introductions, Paris walked through the pyrotechnics on the court with the rest of the team, greeted by rousing applause. Then he grabbed the microphone and told the crowd: “We need you on board. This is your team.” Wednesday night was less about the basketball and more about getting the transfer-heavy Gamecocks roster in front of a crowd and used to playing in a gameday atmosphere in Columbia. Paris has talked about how hard his players have worked to learn an entirely new system, and he wanted to make sure they had room for some laughter and games before the season, too.
TALKING GG JACKSON
That question is likely at the top of every Gamecock fan’s mind. GG Jackson, the much-hyped Ridge View High product who ranks as one of the top incoming recruits in the country, provided plenty of electricity Wednesday for the CLA crowd. Playing for the Garnet team and wearing the No. 23, Jackson didn’t quite get his shot going from the 3-point line, going 0-for-4 on his looks during the scrimmage, but the 6-foot-9 forward knocked down a pair of rim-rattling dunks, and he showcased a passing ability that Paris has raved about during practice.
“He’s a really good passer, is very proficient as a passer, and he’s willing to do it, which is a rarity these days for guys who’ve got many accolades and all the attention that he has,” Paris said. “So it’s really good to see that he got some stuff in transition, which was good. “There’s gonna be a day that he affects the offensive side of the game in every possible way. Who knows where he’ll be when that happens? Maybe it’s here (at South Carolina). Maybe he’s moved on to another level at that point. But I hope it’s here.
Though Jackson had a hit-or-miss scrimmage, he dominated the dunk contest, winning with 58 of 60 possible points. He even threw in an extra dunk for good measure, with Paris telling the crowd he had “one more in his back pocket.”
NEWCOMERS?
Transfers Meechie Johnson (Ohio State) and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (Illinois) each showcasing some of the abilities that attracted them to the USC coaching staff in the transfer portal. The 6-foot-8 Bosmans-Verdonk, originally from Belgium, flashed a few posts move down low, scoring near the rim with a big, bruising style. At one point, he set up a dunk for Jackson after nabbing a rebound, passing him the ball behind his back.
Johnson, on the other hand, paced all scorers with 11 points and was the team’s most proficient shooter from deep, making two of his looks. The 6-foot-2 point guard Johnson even showed some leaping ability by finishing second in the dunk contest. Paris said Johnson can be a little too trigger-happy from deep at times, but Paris has liked what he’s seen from Johnson at the point guard position in general. “He’s got incredible range, probably too good because he defaults to shooting,” Paris said. “I call it ‘from the moon.’
