The results in recent years haven’t exactly been what Lamont Paris has expected in his four seasons helming the Gamecocks. He took South Carolina to a surprised 2nd place finish in the SEC in year two, complete with 26 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth. However, in his other three years this program has really struggled, finishing under .500 and as an afterthought in the conference race.
Last season was another one of those struggles, as South Carolina would end up just 13-19, tying for 14th place in the SEC standings. While technically a step in the right direction by avoiding another last place finish, it’s pretty clear that the Gamecocks have been outclasses by some elite programs in this conference. Meechie Johnson and Collin Murray-Boyles aren’t walking through that door again after all.
End of a strong career
This past season saw the end of Johnson’s eventful collegiate career and he’s far from the only departure the Gamecocks faced in the offseason. The top six scorers from last season are gone, notably losing Eli Ellis and Elijah Strong into the portal alongside plenty of veteran talent. With such great departures, Paris and his staff had their work cut out for them but they were also given an opportunity.
Given how these recent seasons have turned out, that performance in 2024 looks more and more like an outlier for a South Carolina program that rarely competes for conference supremacy. Regardless, Paris and his staff have brought a ton of new talent into Columbia and just have to hope they can hit the right notes like they did three seasons ago.
Projected Starters
Guard – Kory Mincy (Senior)
It’ll be the first power conference experience for Mincy, but South Carolina hopes the veteran guard can take the mantle running the point. The Georgia native spent two years at Presbyterian before standing out with George Mason last season, putting up 14.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Life in the SEC is tougher but you can expect Mincy to become one of the top scoring threats in this lineup.
Guard – Davion Hannah (Sophomore)
While he may be familiar with the SEC, Hannah really didn’t get a chance to show his promise last season. The former Top 50 recruit from Milwaukee saw his season cut short after just ten games at Alabama, averaging 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in limited minutes. He’s a quick athletic guard who can score from all over the court and the Gamecocks really need him to develop into said top prospect.
Forward – Camden Heide (Senior)
He’s another transfer addition familiar with the SEC, though Heide comes with a bit more experience. The forward from Minnesota was a reserve for two years at Purdue before starting in Texas’s frontcourt, averaging 5.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last season. It’s a different situation with the Gamecocks, who hope for more productivity as Heide has shown he can be an effective shooter in the paint and outside the arc.
Forward – Juan Fernandez (Senior)
An impressive offseason addition, Fernandez is a 6-11 big man from Argentina who’ll give the Gamecocks plenty of size and international experience around the rim. He’s a more athletic frontcourt weapon than the typical European big we’ve seen in recent years and his potential on both sides of the ball has this staff excited to see what the 23-year old can do at the college level.
Forward – Aleksas Bieliauskas (Sophomore)
Possibly the most important transfer addition of the offseason, Bieliauskas comes to town after spending his freshman year up at Wisconsin. The Lithuanian forward did very solid work with the Badgers, averaging 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds while showing potential in the Big Ten. He’s no longer behind anyone on the depth chart and has a chance to show his value, especially if his outside shot can really develop.
Key Reserves
Guard – Marcus Johnson (Freshman)
Johnson is a 4-star point guard from Cleveland and certainly the most notable freshman addition to South Carolina’s lineup this year. He’s a really talented facilitator and distributor who can score on his own and also run the offense with resolve. He’s also Meechie’s cousin, so perhaps there’s something to be said about continuing the family business and standing out in Columbia.
Guard – Shane Blakeney (Senior)
After spending the last three years at Drexel, Blakeney heads back to his home state hoping to end his career on a high note with the Gamecocks. A reserve earlier in his career, he earned Second Team All-CAA honors while putting up 14.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season. Clearly there’s a major jump to the SEC but he certainly provides scoring ability and backcourt depth for a lineup full of new faces.
Forward – Jakub Necas (Senior)
A 6-8 forward originally from Czechia, Necas is another intriguing mid-major piece that South Carolina is hoping to plug into a solid role. Necas spent the last three years at Duquesne, becoming a starter and major weapon the last two. The numbers don’t jump off the page, putting up 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds, but the Gamecocks love his size, strength, and potential this season.
Guard – Grant Polk (Sophomore)
A rare returning player from last season, Polk is back in Columbia for year two after carving out a decent bench role as a freshman. He put together a decent first season at 3.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game, showing his potential at times as an outside shooter. We’re still not penciling him into a major role, but he is the most prominent returning face and has experience in Paris’s system.
Forward – Hayden Assemian (Sophomore)
A similar tale can be told about Assemian, a Greenville native and returning piece from last year’s team. He earned a few starts but didn’t play a ton of minutes last year, averaging just 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds across less than ten minutes per game. Known for his explosive play and shot blocking ability, the Gamecocks are eager to see more of Assemian on the court as an important piece of the frontcourt rotation.
Schedule Outlook
South Carolina has every opportunity to ease into things this season, opening the year with five straight home games against mid-major opposition. Anything shy of a 5-0 start would be disappointing, even as Paris tries to understand the rotation and lineups for a new-look roster. The Gamecocks spend Thanksgiving at the Acrisure Series in Palm Springs, facing USC and Arizona State.
Their first road test comes on December 1st thanks to the SEC/ACC Challenge, as the Gamecocks play at NC State. This is followed by a few more games at home, notably facing rival Clemson on December 15th. Just four days later, the last real nonconference challenge comes in the Battle in Baltimore as they’ll take on Big Ten member Maryland.
The lineup in SEC play looks quite murderous compared to most of these matchups and it’s no easy task ahead for the Gamecocks. They’ll get two looks each at Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi State and will only see potent programs like Kentucky and Tennessee on the road. There’s actually a softer stretch in the back half of league play that leads into Senior Night against the Gators.
Season Outlook
We’ll keep things completely real here when talking about the Gamecocks. Nobody is expecting this team to win the SEC or even be involved in the conversation. Their transfer class is talented but far from the tops in the league and there’s a lot of moving pieces in a very new lineup. Regardless, South Carolina could still surprise some people if things come together as the season progresses.
A backcourt with Mincy and Hannah is built on potential and there’s every opportunity that both can be really great players this season. If Hannah can take that massive step forward as a sophomore then he can be a star and he’s far from the only young player capable of standing out for the Gamecocks. There’s also a depth issue without much experience in the backcourt behind Mincy and fellow newcomer Blakeney.
Getting a talented veteran piece like Fernandez really shores up the frontcourt and it can’t be overlooked how important Bieliauskas could be as well. If the Gamecocks are going to surprise people this season, that 1-2 punch around the basket is going to be playing at a high level.
Three years have passed since South Carolina had a relevant basketball season. Maybe Meechie Johnson’s cousin can be part of that next breakthrough at some point, though it’s hard to ignore the difficulty ahead for this team. There are some nice pieces here in Columbia but it’s just so hard to see them competing night in and night out in this SEC. Can Paris and company surprise everyone like they did in 2024?
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