South Carolina's team chemistry really good right now, Lamont Paris says
Lamont Paris isn’t focused on where his team sits in the preseason rankings. He knows he’s got a good group that will compete day in and day out.
A lot of that confidence comes from the strong chemistry the team has.
“I think we’re much ahead of where we were last year in terms of our starting point,” Paris said. “And hopefully, we can have as much growth as we did last year, because honestly, there was a tremendous amount of growth with last year’s team.”
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Over the summer, the entire team took a trip to the Bahamas, where they played teams from Lithuania and Argentina. It gave them a chance to play against some real competition before the season starts. But it was also beneficial for the players to get to spend time with one another.
“I can’t say enough about what it does and that the guys get to spend some extra time with each other in a foreign land and all the things that come along with that,” Paris said. “It’s a group that has clicked and gotten along. They’ve spent a lot of time together. I don’t force that. You hope that happens organically and with this group so far it has.”
When it comes down to it, teams will be judged by the wins and losses. But being able to have a good connection goes a long way on the court and how a team plays.
“I think that’s a huge part of what happens on the basketball court. Some of it’s what you do in terms of basketball, the rest of it is what you do when you have to rely on your teammates,” Paris said.
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“This group has shown that they have a really good bond with each other so far.”
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There are nine upperclassmen on South Carolina’s roster. The rest are either sophomores or freshmen still finding their way in college basketball.
Paris said the older players have done a good job of leading by example but it’s been a combined effort in the gelling process for the group.
“I think it’s a good mesh of older guys like BJ Mack, Myles Stute’s been in this league for a long time. Stephen Clark is probably one of our most experienced guys on the team in terms of total starts and minutes played. And then you mesh that with some of the guys that have been here specifically in Meechie Johnson and the rest of that crew,” he said.
“So I think it’s great. You’ve got a good group of older guys. I love our young group, can’t say enough about them. I think that’s really led to just a natural, organic camaraderie with these guys.”
