College

Gamecock Men’s Rebuild: Why This Year Could Be More About Growth Than Scoreboards

Brandon Wagner
South Carolina men’s basketball is not running from the word “rebuild.” They’re embracing it. Lamont Paris has leaned into experience, leadership, and structure to mold a roster that may not win every night but will compete every possession. The blend of upperclass transfers and homegrown players gives the Gamecocks something they’ve lacked in recent seasons - identity. They defend with purpose, move the ball with patience, and play for one
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Inside The Academy: A Father’s Blueprint to Redesign American Education

Berry Winn
In American education, reform often arrives wrapped in bureaucratic language and incremental change. Rarely does it begin with a father sitting alone at a kitchen table, drafting a mission statement for an institution that does not yet have a name. Yet that is exactly how The Academy was born. It began as a set of questions, then a vision, then a conviction. For Darnell Thomas, a veteran educator of twenty
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Mason Williams Reopens His Recruitment After Taking Down No. 1 Prolific Prep and the Country Takes Notice

Berry Winn
Mason Williams did not just have a big weekend last weekend. He had the weekend that puts a player on every major program’s radar. Fresh off leading Tennessee Collegiate Academy to a stunning upset over Prolific Prep, the top ranked team in the country, the son of NBA veteran Mo Williams made another major announcement: he is reopening his recruitment. And this time, the entire nation is paying attention. What
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Why South Carolina’s Young Core Looks Ready to Carry the Torch for Staley

Brandon Wagner
What separates South Carolina from everyone else is not just talent. It is preparation. The young players coming up under Dawn Staley already look like veterans. They know their roles, play with maturity, and carry themselves with the confidence of players who understand what this program represents. You can see it in how they defend, how they communicate, and how they handle pressure. There is no panic, just poise. The
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Meechie Johnson’s Return to South Carolina Is Bigger Than Basketball

Berry Winn
Meechie Johnson’s return to South Carolina feels different this time. It is not just about stats and highlight plays. It is about perspective. After a health scare that stopped everything for a moment, Meechie came back not just to play, but to appreciate. You can see it in how he carries himself, calm, focused, grounded. He is playing with gratitude now, and that kind of energy changes a locker room.
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The Gamecock Women’s Blueprint for Sustained Success

Brandon Wagner
What Dawn Staley has created in Columbia isn’t a moment - it’s a model. While most programs talk about runs, South Carolina builds eras. From A’ja Wilson to Aliyah Boston to Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson, every generation hands the baton to the next. The names change, but the results stay the same. It’s not luck. It’s process. Every practice has purpose. Every player understands her role and her responsibility
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Tessa Time: Why Tessa Johnson Might Be the Next Great Dawn Staley Star

Berry Winn
If you’ve been around South Carolina women’s basketball long enough, you start to recognize that look - the one Dawn Staley’s stars get when it’s their turn. Tessa Johnson’s got it. Calm but confident. Ready but patient. The moment’s not too big because she’s built for it. She’s already showing why people inside the program are so high on her. Her jumper’s smooth, her poise is rare, and she carries
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The NIL Hustle: How College Hoopers Are Learning the Business Before the League

Tyrell Reed
College basketball looks different now, and that’s not a bad thing. NIL changed the game for good, giving athletes power they’ve always earned but never owned. From South Carolina to Duke to Kentucky, players are learning business moves before they ever step foot in the league. South Carolina’s stars run clothing lines and training camps. Duke guards sign creative agency deals. Kentucky’s freshmen have brand partnerships with local businesses. It’s
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Eli Ellis Shows He Belongs: Solid Debut Sets the Tone for a Gamecock Rise

Jon Carter
Eli Ellis didn’t play like a freshman - he played like somebody who’s been waiting for this moment his whole life. From the minute he touched the floor, he looked comfortable, confident, and completely unfazed by the stage. You could see the composure right away. No panic. No hesitation. Just basketball. His shot selection was sharp, his pace was mature, and his presence gave the Gamecocks a spark when they
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Eli Ellis: If You Ever Doubted Him, Don’t Switch Up Now

Berry Winn
I’ve been in those Colonial Life Arena seats long enough to know when a player walks in with more than talent. You can feel it - the kind of energy that doesn’t need validation because it’s been earned in empty gyms and long nights. When Eli Ellis signed with South Carolina, that’s what I felt. A kid from Hickory, North Carolina, who’s been slept on, second-guessed, and overlooked since middle
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