Gabby Brooks drains a three against USC Upstate and Kenny can't help but smile ear-to-ear

The start of the Kenny Brooks era went about as well as it possibly could have. The Cats won 98-43 against USC Upstate, and there was a lot of good that transpired on the floor. There was even a wholesome moment that may have gone unnoticed by most in the moment.

With 1:29 left in the game, Gabby Brooks found herself open on the perimeter and let it fly. Of course, the shot went in, and the bench erupted as her teammates applauded her. However, Kenny was silent. Instead, he smiled ear-to-ear.

That sequence served as a beautiful father-daughter moment that transcends what you see on the box score.

“You guys don’t know the half of it. You really don’t,” Coach Brooks said postgame. “I’m so proud of her. The narrative with a coach’s kid is always that maybe they don’t belong, or they’re not worthy, or whatever, but she just plugs away, and I watch her, you know, last year, she wasn’t ready. We redshirted her, and the growth that she’s had in a year, with the understanding that so many people would doubt her, you know, that’s why you saw the smile.”

Brooks continued, “Because when she knocked that shot down, I think we were all excited for her because she doesn’t do anything but come out and work hard. Every time she’s on the floor, she doesn’t complain, she doesn’t tell her mom on me when I yell at her. She just does what she’s supposed to do. And that’s why that smile was there. Because she’s been doubted before.”

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