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_ Gamecock Basketball Gamecock seniors ready to go out on top by Chris Foy The Gamecock USC captain David Ross is not content with another subpar season for the Gamecocks He’s ready to help push his team to the next lev el. The senior forward from St. Petersburg, Fla., feels that South Carolina arrived at an optimal playing level late last year, and that it will con tinue on into this season. With many of the sopho mores and freshmen from last year intact with the system, Ross believes the team is ready for always-tough SEC play. The Gamecocks fell to 5-8 against the conference, but came on strong in the SEC Tournament to make the semifinals. Last year, Ross’s role as a leader was to keep the young players motivated; to teach them how to handle the tough SEC schedule and the season as a whole. “Last year, I kept telling everyone to keep their heads up,” Ross said. “It was important with all of our young players that we never lost con fidence.” He knows, however, that his leadership role has been altered this season. Now, with a more experienced team, his approach for this season will be to sway from the teaching and focus on the motivation. Alongside co-captains Aaron Lu cas and Antonio Grant, Ross knows what style of leadership will work best. “Our job will to be to keep everybody fo cused,” Ross said. Ross was at tracted to USC, not because of any records or an affil iation, but because of head coach Ed die Fogler. Ross was impressed with Fogler’s straightforward approach to re cruiting and how he stayed away from promising playing time. Ross said that so many coaches today try to lure players in with promises of minutes, but Fogier’s flat-out honesty encouraged him to at tend school here. “Nothing was promised here. You have to work for what you gel in this system,” Ross said. “I respect that and the man who implemented it.” Fogier also has equal admiration for Ross. “[Ross] is a good leader. David has the respect of all the players. I honestly believe if we had a great ROSS SEE PAGE S8 I by Michael Haney The Gamecock Being a college athlete has its perks. For South Carolina’s Antonio Grant, he certainly has Itad lii: moments, but he’s also had Itis disappointments. The fifth-year senior front North Augusta has been one of the main fixtures in the USC basketball team’s turnaround over the last few years. He hat been one of the Gamecocks’ best rebounders or and off the court. After suffering through a broker foot in the ’96-’97 season. Grant splashed onto the scene in 1998 by banking back-to-back game-win ning shots against Florida and Cincinnati. The fol lowing year, he struggled because of a nagging groin injury and a foot injury late in the year. However, Grant played injury-free last year and was able to put up the best stats of Itis career. “I’ve been harped by injuries my whole career. I do feel like I could be a better player titan I ant now,” Grant said. “But that’s part of the game, you know. I haven’t really been able to do the things that I re ally have wanted to do.” Not usually a top scoring tlireat, Grant gets recog nition because of Itis hustle. Coach Eddie Fogler calls Grant the Gamecocks’ best defensive player, also say ing, “He’s our strongest player and quite possibly our team’s most athletic.” After taking a trip to Spain and the Canary Is lands this past summer, Grant said the team is better and that the trip helped them tremen dously as a team. “I think the trip this summer did a lot for this team. We were able to get fur ther ahead with some extra practice, and time to hang out to gether,” he said. "Tire sophomores and freshmen who didn’t get a lot of playing time last year got a chance to play. We saw a lot of different tilings offensively and defensively and were able to try out a lot of new tilings.” The last time Girolina made a trip to Europe over the summer was the 1996-97 season. That team went on to a 15-1 record in the SEC. Grant thinks this sea son’s team is different than the last team that trav eled, but they have a good opportunity to surprise some people again this time around. “We don’t have a whole lot of guys that can pen etrate like BJ (McKie) and Melvin (Watson) did, but 1 think that we do have a better nucleus. We’ve got guys that can shoot outside and we can score on the inside, wliich is something we lacked that year,” Giant Grant see page ss I For the best selection of Gamecocks clothing and gifts, visit the Addam’s University Bookstore • T-shirts •Hats • Mugs • Sweatshirts • Polos • Much, much more! or shop online at: tsrfollett NEW & USED COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS .com Phone: 803/256-6666