Boston, Gamecocks carry relentless push into Final Four

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Aliyah Boston headed throughout the courtroom to affix her South Carolina teammates of their celebration when she ran into assistant coach Fred Chmiel.

Virtually instantly, Chmiel jumped into the 6-foot-5 junior’s arms for an exuberant hug.

It was a reversal from a yr earlier, when Chmiel held a sobbing Boston on the courtroom after the horn sounded to finish South Carolina’s title push in a Last 4 sport that ended along with her lacking a putback for the win.

Boston and the Gamecocks are headed again to that very same level, this time because the No. 1 total seed within the ladies NCAA Event. They’ve relentlessly stalked this title dream all season.

“She’s mature sufficient to deal with it,” coach Daybreak Staley stated. “She’s grounded. She is aware of who she is. She by no means will get out in entrance of something. … That’s only a actual good signal of simply maturing and figuring out who you’re, figuring out your price and figuring out that she’s in all probability the (nationwide) participant of the yr.”

The primary-team Related Press All-American had 19 factors in Sunday night’s 80-50 win against Creighton in the Greensboro Region final, which despatched South Carolina to the Last 4 for the second straight yr and fourth time total. Subsequent up is a nationwide semifinal towards the Michigan-Louisville winner.

Boston didn’t have the monster output like she did in the Sweet 16 win against North Carolina, and even noticed the tip of her 27-game double-double streak. However she commanded heavy defensive consideration from a number of blue jerseys all through the evening whereas remaining the bodily presence on the core of the Gamecocks’ push all yr.

Boston was named essentially the most excellent participant of the Greensboro Area, an award all however assured when she overwhelmed North Carolina for 28 factors and 22 rebounds — 10 approaching the offensive glass — in Friday’s Candy 16. This time she had 14 of her factors by halftime and completed 7 of 9 from the sector to go along with her seven rebounds.

She did it amid loads of defensive consideration and smaller defenders swarming round her, although none might match her energy. At one level, Creighton’s Emma Ronsiek and Morgan Maly — each 6-1 — tried to double her within the put up, solely to see Boston bump Maly to the ground earlier than getting the ball for the within putaway.

The Gamecocks didn’t want an enormous output from Boston on Sunday, overwhelming the Tenth-seeded Bluejays — solely the fourth double-digit seed to succeed in an Elite Eight — so totally that she spent loads of time resting within the fourth quarter. There was additionally loads of assist, with massive performances from teammates Destanni Henderson (12 factors), Brea Beal (12) and Victaria Saxton (11 factors, 11 rebounds).

“While you’re paying that a lot consideration to her, you’re giving up six offensive rebounds to Saxton possibly as a result of you need to come off her physique, otherwise you’re simply in that place,” Creighton coach Jim Flanery stated, including, “Yeah, she’s powerful to cope with.”

For Boston, every thing has been about pushing towards this system’s second nationwide championship, particularly after how final yr’s season ended.

South Carolina had a closing, determined transition play in last year’s national semifinals. Trailing eventual champion Stanford 66-65, Boston got here up with a steal close to midcourt and fed Brea Beal on the drive. Beal’s shot bounced off the rim and to a trailing Boston, who instantly put the ball as much as beat the buzzer — solely to see it bounce off the again of the rim and away.

Boston instantly grabbed her head with each fingers and knelt to the courtroom. By the point she had stood again up, she was sobbing, not even making it to the sideline. Chmiel embraced her as she continued to cry on his shoulder.

Boston and her teammates have been pushed to get one other shot, however she hasn’t dwelled on replaying these closing painful seconds in her head.

“I believe a part of rising up and maturing is having the ability to transfer on,“ Boston stated. ”In order that occurred final season however that’s not one thing I can proceed to consider or else there wouldn’t be any progress. So I’ve let go of that since final season and we’ve moved on.”

The Gamecocks responded by changing into a wire-to-wire No. 1 within the AP High 25 ballot. Now, they’re heading to Minneapolis as a title favourite as their march continues.

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Observe Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

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Extra AP protection of March Insanity: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25