South Carolina women's basketball: How Chloe Kitts' roller coaster postseason ended with a title
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The 2023 Final Four might have been the low point of Chloe Kitts’ basketball career. She didn’t even get on the court in South Carolina’s loss to Iowa, and she was miserable off the court. When I interviewed her, Kitts either stared at her hands or looked straight ahead.
A year later she put in a double-double as South Carolina capped off an undefeated championship season. It was the reward for all the sacrifices Kitts had made the season before.
Just like the year before, she sat at her locker and stared straight ahead. Only this time Kitts was happy, too happy to even think.
“Nothing really. I have no words,” she said. “I’m at a loss for words. I’m so happy. I’m super sad that the season’s over. It doesn’t feel real. It’s just such an amazing feeling. I know what it feels like to lose and getting a ring for Kamilla in her last year and for coach, who day in and day out does everything for us.”
Kitts had 11 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists against Iowa. It might be the quietest double-double you’ll ever see, but it was absolutely essential. It was also a personal bounce-back.
Kitts tied her career-high with 21 points in the first round against Presbyterian on perfect 9-9 shooting and added 13 rebounds. She followed that with 12 points against North Carolina.
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But she was quiet once the Gamecocks hit the road. Kitts scored just seven total points in Ablany and went scoreless and only played 11 minutes against NC State.
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While Kitts was slumping, Ashlyn Watkins was surging, grabbing 14 rebounds against Oregon State and then a whopping 20 against NC State. Kitts was determined to do more in the championship game.
“I feel like that’s what I needed to do,” she said. “The last couple of games I haven’t been playing well. (Friday’s) game just motivated me, sitting on the bench. I sat there because that’s what I deserved to do. I wanted it so bad today. I went out there and gave it my all.”
Kitts gave it her all but also played within herself. She crashed the boards, she slashed to the basket and generally filled in the gaps on both ends of the court. That’s what she had done all year and what made her and the Gamecocks successful.
“Chloe Kitts went up and down and all around, and then finally she settled in today to have a really good game,” Dawn Staley said. “But she had to come off the bench at times because of – not what she wasn’t doing, but it was more about what somebody was doing and doing well. And that can shake your confidence. But at the same time, you have to let her know the way you build trust in our coaching staff, it’s the same way your competitor is building trust.”
Watkins got in some early foul trouble and that made Kitts’ rebounding and defense even more important. It was the epitome of team basketball, which Kitts said made the championship more rewarding.
“It feels amazing,” she said. “Everyone feels a part of it because everyone is a part of it. It shows how much work we put in. We wouldn’t do it if we all weren’t this close. We love each other and love being around each other.”
