title icon'Untruths' behind the national anthem controversy in South Carolina: Dawn Staley

As a participant, she was a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a member of the Hall of Fame, but the team never got past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Staley took over as coach of South Carolina's girls' basketball team in 2008 with one goal in mind: "Winning," she said on Saturday. She wished for the national title. During Staley's tenure, the Gamecocks made 10 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, advanced to four Final Fours, and, after Sunday night, won two national championships. South Carolina's program was rebuilt from the ground up by Staley. Connecticut, essentially the most celebrated girls' basketball program, was defeated on Sunday, which suggests that the guard within the sport is changing.

She built a team led by Aliyah Boston, who was recognized as the highest participant and defender. Consequently, Staley said, starting guards Zia Cooke, Brea Beal, and Destanni Henderson have logged a lot of minutes together. It doesn't take much to say," Staley said. "You may simply point out that the adjustments have been made."Time and again, her rosters have proven themselves. A’ja Wilson, who helped bring home South Carolina's first national title in 2017, is one of eight Gamecocks to be chosen for the 2018 W.N.B.A draft by Staley. Wilson was rooting for her alma mater on Sunday night.

Geno Auriemma set the foundation for a lot of this success, according to Staley. UConn's Auriemma won 11 titles in his time at the university, which he has led since 1985.No matter what people think, he has greatly contributed to the development of our sport. We have a lot to gain from their success, and that's why we are able to do so much. As a group, the UConn women's basketball team is considered a sport by the individuals up there. Their profitability and success force them to, but you may take a page from their book."

Coaches had never misplaced a national championship sport before the championship sport. After that, Staley beat Auriemma.“I told Daybreak after the sport that they had been one of the best teams all year,” Auriemma said. As South Carolina attempts to shift the consideration from UConn to other programs, Staley hesitated to call her program a dynasty. She acknowledged, however, that the playing discipline has changed.“I think as a Black lady and a coach you have to be able to do it the best way, like setting an example for different coaches to follow,” Staley said after Sunday's game.„ I would like to be a superb example of the best way to do things appropriately and maintain our sport on top of its integrity since that's how we will develop,” she said.

South Carolina may seem like a child compared to UConn, but the game is not dominated by one team. With six double-digit seeded groups making the quarterfinals, this season has shown how girls' basketball is in an entirely different era, with a wealth of expertise spreading all over the nation. Southeastern Convention is primarily associated with soccer in South Carolina. Staley's success has generated much more attention for girls' basketball at her college thanks to her success. For seven straight seasons, she has been the nation's top women's college basketball attendance leader and she is also the highest-paid Black female teacher.

Ahead of Sunday's game, Beal, a junior guard, recalled that when she first started here, it wasn't all rainbows and stuff. Just looking at that and her accomplishments in creating a wonderful neighborhood, a wonderful place, I feel that building our own legacy and leaving a lasting memory for our children was key. The Chicago Sky's Candace Parker said South Carolina is carving its own path. According to Parker, the following USC is the next USC, as everyone appears to be chasing their own identity following Sunday's game. They usually are doing what they're supposed to be doing."Sunday night-time's win is just the beginning for Boston.“Throughout the previous couple of years, you have seen how this program has grown,” Boston said, adding that more athletes will attend South Carolina because of “our environment.”