Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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n y rarsons < Foster, J< By Michelle Burchette Gamecock Staff Writer At the beginning of the women's basketball season, few people helipVpH th'lt (VlO I r?rl?f VI.mv IIIV J.^4UJ uaiiic\,VA;iv^ could work their way to Mount Pleasant, Mich., as one of the final four teams in the AIAW national tournament. However, under the direction of third year USC coach Pam Parsons, and with the Ail-American play of Sheila Foster and Evelyn Johnson, the Lady Gamecocks made that all hut impossible dream come true. Downing Stephen F. Austin in] ^ A m m RussoM K Pnce ? GAMECOCK f' J|/^B B? ^ JB&''- '-'^HHB^^AhfiK' aam """fr wr^mrninv w" "" ? s5* s;:> USC coach Pam Parsons er duf/M:Tu*^x?jicxo,ot W osHHHi mi dream com jhnson blis the quarterfinals of the national tournament 63-56, Carolina won their first chance at a national championship. Although the score boasts a seven-point victory the game was not a one-sided contest. Jumping out to a 6-0 margin on shots bv Evelvn Johnson. Carolina maintained the lead throughout the first half. Johnson connected for 12 first half points while Sheila Foster, Cynthia Jacobs and Becky Parker dominated the court defensively. TIII.' .w] u? i r ...;?u wr r-.i\i iir< ai.cuiiu iictii wiiii a 26-24 halftime lead, the Lady Gamecocks watched Stephen F. Austin take control and run off 14 straight points to dominate Carolina 38-30. On several outside shots by Johnson, Autry and Woolston, hv fwo kpv bvniK in?;iHp hv v ^rw -----Foster, the Lady Gamecocks forced their way back on top taking a one point lead with 8:40 remaining. The see-saw battle continued for nearly five minutes with Carolina and the Ladyjacks alternating the lead. With four minutes remaining, Foster hit for two turnaround iumpers to kev USC's final comeback. Freshmen Sharon Rivers and -Johnson were responsible for the last Carolina shots and the final 63-56 score. According to Parsons the key to || the win was teamwork in all I aspects of the game. "I am | overwhelmed by the way the girls * played. By the way they responded it sure shows we have more than one player." Parsons said. "In the second half the main key was that we double teamed (Rosie) Walker | and we used our guards to handle the perimeter. We rattled their guaras. Parsons added that the Ladyjacks made a fatal mistake by switching to a man-to-man defense late in the second half. By feeding the ball to Foster in the middle, Carolina was able to easily overcome the women from Texas. "Once they went to man-to-man Lrru>\i' vju*? h:iH tn Pot thp h^ll in In S h c i i nphasizes a point to her team fcSfM&bVf.\ Am**/- Tfawv es true as I iie>r I w vy* A JL going to score," Parsons explained. * "She's just awesome. She's come a long way in two years." Foster aereeri with hf?r rnarh saying she was able to take controi inside better when allowed to post. | "They tried to stop me inside, but I think they made a mistake when they went man-to-man," she said. While citing teamwork as the Gamecock's biggest asset, Parsons still acknowledged Johnson's performance in the game, commenting that the freshman guard has overcome living in the shadow of her brother Earvin "Magic" jonnson, All-star guard ot the Los Angeles Lakers. "I can't imagine what it would be like to have a famous brother, trying to live up to that, trying to be a young college co-ed,"Parsons said. "She doesn't leap tall buildings with a single bound, she's a young girl who wants to do well i I _ l_i r a ? __ ? ? t . * 1 anu a 101 01 nines sne s evaluated on the basis of what her brother has done. "As she grows she's going to be ' great. She's got great tools. > Tonight in key. situations ? goodness, gracious can she shoot? > It rattled them to see her shoot i from the outside like that," Pari sonsaddnd I LEADING THE scoring for the Lady Gamecocks was Evelyn Johnson with 21 points. Foster put in 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Carolina. Rivers, who played for only five minutes, drew praise from Parsons for her performance. "When Sharon Rivers came in it was obvious that her quickness was based on being fresh," Parsons said. "She's a clutch player. She got the ball into Sheila and that helped us a lot." As the Lady Gamecocks advance to the final four at Central Michigan University they will face Tennessee for the third time this season. After splitting the first two fJnmoc tho I nrK? \/nlc h<i(h v ? j\v a Ji* j V \/IO, I/V/III winning and losing at home, , Carolina is anxious for their third encounter. ^ .. JB: v *mj| HP - Gamecocks now go on to play Tt .-, frhalganie Friday. Above, Sheila ligA,, Wi|pV 5 i Ip1 df' + ' We re num Their latest match, a 14 point i loss to the Lady Vols came in the i semifinals of the AIAW Region II finals earlier this month Parsons i claims the Ladv fiamoforks wore not prepared for that match but j will be for their meeting in the t national tournament. \ "The final four is the most ex- ( citing thing that has ever happened to me. I'm very excited to play Tennessee again." the coach said i " I think the third time around is \ ft/\i A Ka r\ 1 '?' ???-> U.vrt#. . ... ^ L iv/ k/v <i u;ai H"111 "t'tdllhl* I i irPrlnUf Wi I AW*i b 5K I - Dave Rohrtck GAMfcCOCK tnnessee in the national semi- , l' f /fljf I I . ?. ?. -_rA v - *N "J ^ VTrCrfFPJr r?fF fwr\/?* oiir "^"'H- jLm frfr \ ** - Russell K Pace GAMECOCK >ber one!' nentally they feel that they're * nuch better than us. "In thf? firvl hnlf :i0aitKl Ton lessee last time they played a .1-2 :one. I was caught by total surprise -- I hadn't prepared my team or that. At halt time we prepared; ,ve came out and they heat us by me point in the second half "I\ TI1K FIRST halt we became 'attied and shot the ball from places that we shouldn't have shot rom." Parsons added "That's jart of the fact that 1 didn't prepare them We're going to be prepared this next time I will lave them prepared." The Lady Gamecocks will try not to worry about which team the\ will face after their confrontation with Tennessee According to Parsons."We have to deal with Tennessee before we can think uhnnt ;invfhint* elsr It we lns<> that's the end of it and the girls know that. Knowing that should help them Foster s;?ui ih.t; being faced with a do or du- i , -ins what helped her put loriii ihe extra effort needed to win. "11 we lost this one it was the end." she said. " That nil* t?nt nn fur I hie n-imn -jmJ r' ^ ^ ,,,x 1 v*r ,w? h<?'uv c?? m keep trying through the whole thing. It we had lost there would he no torn morrow for us I think everybody knew that and it helped us." No matter what mental strategies the Lady Gamecocks UM'dihes have brought themselves to national prominence ar.ri to the doorstep o| a national championship. With a ?i?-5 record, the best in Carolina women's basketball history, capturing the national title would full ill the tire#m. tlieyive.. worked, tor .all srersfmv*"* ?***?% .