Dawn Staley Discusses The Part Of Adhel Tac's Game That Reminds Her Of Aliyah Boston

Andrew Lyon | Mar 24, 2024

Feb 18, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley directs / Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

As South Carolina women's basketball fans look ahead to the Gamecocks' Round of 32 matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels later this afternoon, they will think about the impact a Kamilla Cardoso could have coming off of her one-game suspension, how MiLaysia Fulwiley's recent three-point shooting surge could make this team more dangerous, and which team poses the biggest threat to Carolina the rest of the way in their regional. During Saturday's press availability, however, Dawn Staley made it clear that there's one player who can't even take the floor right now that people should look out for. That player is freshman center Adhel Tac, who's recovering from an Achilles Tear injury she suffered in December of 2023.

The question from The State's Chapel Fowler was more about how Tac's ability to watch the Tournament from her present vantage point could help her in the future, but Dawn eventually took her answer in a slightly different direction, comparing part of Adhel's game to one of the greatest Gamecocks and women's college basketball players of all time. 

"I'm super excited about Adhel," Dawn expressed. "We try to keep her involved in our scouting report so she has an understanding [of what we're doing]. Before we played LSU for the [SEC Tournament] Championship, I asked the team, 'Do y'all remember what LSU does in ball screen action offensively?' and there was a silence over the room, and Adele's like, 'Yeah, they pop,'" Staley recalled. "I can't wait because I equate her defensively to Aliyah Boston. I mean, she's commutative. She has a high IQ. She can move. I know she doesn't move very fast right now because she's on crutches, but she can really move. And then from an offensive standpoint, I really feel like she can impose her will. She has great footwork, great hands, great IQ, [can] kick it out. Like I'm really excited about her progression and what she'll bring to our program."

- Dawn Staley On Adhel Tac's Ceiling

From Alaina Coates, A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina has produced several high-level WNBA frontcourt talents. If Staley's words are any indication, Tac could very well be the next great post player for the Gamecocks.

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