Trio of Gamecocks Expected to Return for Another Season

After the South Carolina Basketball team's SEC Tournament loss to Ole Miss, a trio of Gamecocks indicated they would be returning to Columbia for another year.

Wednesday night's loss to Ole Miss was a big blow to Wednesday night's loss to Ole Miss was a big blow to a South Carolina basketball team, whose inconsistent play led to a final record of 11-21 and culminated in the squad being the first team eliminated from the SEC Tournament. Despite all the pain and heartbreak that Wednesday's loss gave Gamecock fans, some good news did emerge post-game. A trio of South Carolina players in guards Meechie Johnson and Jacobi Wright, along with center Josh Gray, indicated they plan to return to Columbia next season.

Johnson served as the Gamecocks' starting point guard for the entirety of the season, averaging 12.7 points and 3.6 assists a game with the Gamecocks this season. Considering his profound impact, having Meechie return for another season is great news for a team looking to rebuild its roster. Johnson cited Head Coach Lamont Paris as the main reason for his return next season, describing playing for Paris as the perfect situation for him.

Although he averaged just 16.8 minutes a game, Josh Gray emerged as the Gamecocks' leading rebounder and top rim protector this season, averaging 6.3 boards and a team-leading 0.9 blocks a game. Jacobi Wright didn't start the season as a prominent fixture in South Carolina's starting lineup but saw his role slowly expand to that point, and finished the season averaging 7.3 points and 2.1 rebounds a game.

All three players played significant roles for South Carolina this season, so there's no question their returns are welcomed warmly by Lamont Paris and his staff. With the season now over, Lamont Paris will attempt to rebuild the roster for the 2023-2024 season.

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