Former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston was by Dawn Staley’s side after the Gamecocks won a national championship game against Iowa that was partially done in her honor.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was extremely emotional after the Gamecocks beat Iowa and Caitlin Clark in the national championship game 87-75 on Sunday.
Staley has said she contemplated retiring before the start of the 2023-24 season before guiding South Carolina to a 38-0 season to become the 10th women’s team in NCAA history to remain undefeated. After composing herself following floods of tears, Staley said live on ESPN: “We serve an unbelievable god. So proud.”
The Gamecocks coach was surrounded by her winning roster, and also WNBA star Aliyah Boston, who used to play for Staley at South Carolina. Boston has worked as an ESPN reporter throughout the NCAA Tournament and shared a special interview with Staley after the Gamecocks sealed their place in the national championship game.
Staley has been described as a “Mother” to the athletes on her roster and said during the win over the Hawkeyes that the relationship she has with her players means more than any success. Staley still has a strong bond with Boston, who earned WNBA Rookie of the Year status in 2023 and even promised her South Carolina would win the tournament for her.
“To be, just on the other side of this mic, proud of your professionalism; proud that you know the game so much that you’re representing at the highest level. God is good to you,” Staley told Boston after the Gamecocks had beaten NC State in the Final Four.
“We want to do it for you. We really want to take care of Sunday for you and the freshies because you gave basketball everything you had, and you came up short in your senior year,” Staley added. “So, hopefully, we can turn the tables and win it for you. And if we do, freshies will be getting their rings.”
Staley and South Carolina delivered on their promise, but after beating Iowa, it was time for the coach to praise one of her current athletes, Kamilla Cardoso. The Gamecocks center had a career-high 17 rebounds during the national championship game. Staley was always confident South Carolina would win with Cardoso on the floor.
“Kamilla Cardoso was not going to let us lose a game in this NCAA Tournament,” Staley said. “She played with injury, she played like one of the top picks in the WNBA Draft, and her teammates did something that no other teammates have ever done. They send her off as a national champion, this is history for us.”
It was the perfect end to a flawless season for the Gamecocks. In victory, they denied Clark the dream ending to her collegiate career. After a season where Clark broke numerous men’s and women’s NCAA records, the Hawkeyes couldn’t do enough to secure their first championship. Even so, Staley thanked the projected No. 1 WNBA Draft pick for changing the women’s game forever.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport… you are one of the goats (greatest of all time) of our games and we appreciate you,” Staley said. “Clark, if you’re out there, thank you.”
