South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley breaks down how the Gamecocks will replace Kamilla Cardoso
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley sat down with GamecockCentral’s Chris Clark and Wes Mitchell and 107.5 The Game’s Tyler Head on Wednesday. The Gamecock boss spoke for about thirty minutes about her team, and she was dripping with enthusiasm about her squad.
Among the topics of conversation, Coach Staley addressed how the Gamecocks will replace Kamilla Cardoso this season. Cardoso, a former All-American and two-time National Champion, was the focal point of last year’s team before being picked third in the WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky.
According to Staley, USC will take a multi-faceted approach to replacing their dominant post player. “We don’t have a dominant big, right? We’ve had a dominant big for the last ten years. Now we don’t. But we do have a collection of bigs who do things a lot differently than each other.”
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When she began mentioning specific players, the first name that came out of Coach Staley’s mouth was freshman Joyce Edwards. “I think Joyce (Edwards) can rebound. She actually is an aggressive rebounder. I do think she has a little bit of go-get-you-a-bucket, too…I mean, she is probably well ahead of where I thought she could be.”
Senior Sania Feagin and junior Chloe Kitts appear set to start, and Staley sang their praises. “I think (Sania) Feagin has the experience. Chloe (Kitts) has gotten better. Like, Chloe can go get you a bucket in any type of way…midrange, then you put her on the block, and she’s pretty savvy with her footwork…Chloe has been outstanding…Feagin has improved, as well.”
Edwards, Feagin, and Kitts all have enough size to play down low, but none of them come close to Cardoso. Redshirt freshman Adhel Tac, though, replaces the height lost by Cardoso’s departure. The tallest Gamecock is either 6’5″ or 6’6″ depending on who one asks, and while that isn’t quite 6’7″ (Cardoso’s height), it makes Tac taller than virtually every other player in the SEC. Staley said, “[Adhel Tac] has a little bit of a starter kit…you see glimpses of ‘dominant big’ in her.”
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Maryam Dauda, the only Gamecock who can rival Joyce Edwards’ versatility, “adds a different element to what we have,” according to Staley. The Arkansas transfer can do a little bit of everything. She can shoot outside jumpers, and she has big-time shot-blocking potential. However, Coach Staley says Dauda is still working “to get her footing.”
Sakima Walker is another player who could factor into the post rotation. Wing Bree Hall has played some small-ball minutes at the 4-spot, as well. Ashlyn Watkins, who many thought would be a starter heading into the year, is suspended following an offseason arrest. She remains listed on the official roster on gamecocksonline.com.
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Replacing Kamilla Cardoso won’t be easy, but the Gamecocks have the pieces to make it happen this season.
The first chance for the Gamecocks to show off their 2024-2025 frontcourt will come on Monday. South Carolina will travel to Las Vegas for a neutral site matchup with the Michigan Wolverines. As part of the Hall of Fame Series, TNT will air the game. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.
