Following South Carolina’s overtime loss (94-82) to Oklahoma, Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley was complimentary of Sooners freshman Aaliyah Chavez. Despite the stinging defeat, Staley credited Chavez for her poise and command of the game, acknowledging that the young guard executed her role perfectly against the Gamecocks’ defense.
“Yeah, she was great. She ran her team, hit big shots, delivered the ball, everything that you want a point guard to do,” Staley said. “She’s having a great freshman year.”
Staley did not shy away from the reality of her own team’s performance, admitting that South Carolina simply failed to execute in critical moments. She emphasized that in their conference, especially in away games, lapses in effort or focus result in immediate consequences. Rather than blaming luck, she accepted the loss as the direct price of their performance. She added:
“Like, we didn’t do enough to win it. And when you do that in our league, especially on the road, you pay for it. You pay for it with defeat.”
Despite the unfamiliar territory of a regular-season loss, Staley maintained a level-headed perspective for the rest of the season. She reinforced that while the defeat was a setback, it was not fatal to their championship aspirations. Her focus immediately shifted to resilience, viewing the loss as a learning opportunity rather than a reason to panic. She said:
“Our goals are still in front of us. Every single one of them are still right in front of us.”
South Carolina’s Future Seems to be in Good Hands
South Carolina commit Jerzy Robinson recently achieved a major milestone, becoming the all-time leading scorer for Sierra Canyon High School during a dominant 92-35 victory over Chaminade. With a 28-point performance, Robinson pushed her career total to 2,355 points, surpassing the previous record of 2,332 set by current USC superstar JuJu Watkins.
This achievement is particularly impressive, given Watkins’ prolific high school career and subsequent success as an NCAA record holder. Although both athletes transferred to Sierra Canyon partway through high school, with Robinson having played her freshman year at Desert Vista in Phoenix, the school recognizes their cumulative career points for the record.
The 6’1″ guard is currently ranked third in the class of 2026 and has drawn comparisons to Watkins for her physical, WNBA-style of play. Despite missing the start of the season with an ankle injury, Robinson remained a dominant force, recently earning a spot on the Naismith Trophy Girls High School Player of the Year Midseason Team.
Her team was on full display for her future coaches recently, as South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley attended a game in which Robinson scored a 33-point double-double just weeks after verbally committing to the Gamecocks live on ESPN in December.
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