Frank Martin’s ‘fact-discovering mission’ continues as USC regroups after first loss
As South Carolina turned its 2018-19 season around, its best player grew louder.
Chris Silva was an All-SEC player on the floor and that caliber of leader off it. He was that extension of Frank Martin who helped the Gamecocks battle through early struggles and wind up with the No. 4 seed in the SEC Tournament.
As the wins — 11 of them over 18 league games — piled up, though, Martin knew the time was growing short. Soon Silva would be gone and the USC coach would be on to his next team, a roster dripping with potential, but with an obvious void.
“It’s been the fact-discovering mission that I’ve been on since we decided to start this year as a team,” Martin said.
The 2019-20 Gamecocks (3-1) are four games old and they’re still seeking that bonafide voice that resonates in crucial situations. Its absence became clear Tuesday when South Carolina was upset by Boston University at Colonial Life Arena.
The Terriers went on a 9-0 run after the game was tied at 60 with 7:05 remaining. That burst cushioned BU enough to secure a 78-70 win.
“We got real quiet,” Martin said. “We had timeouts where no one said a word. You’d probably say Frank was calm (Tuesday). I’m trying to figure my team out. We were facing adversity, and I wanted to see who would take ownership. Unfortunately, nobody did.”
While Silva stood out last season, Martin figured he’d have A.J. Lawson and Maik Kotsar back for the next. That was the experienced duo he felt had the best chance to fill that leadership void.
Lawson and Kotsar were USC’s top performers in the BU game — see a combined 36 points and 14 rebounds — and Martin said they remained solid in Wednesday’s practice. But they’re also both naturally quiet individuals.
“Those two guys are fine in how they do it,” Martin said, “but we need some other guys to step up.”
Kotsar on Thursday, ahead of a Friday game against Gardner-Webb (0-4), rattled off Lawson, Justin Minaya and Alanzo Frink as prime leadership candidates. But the senior and four-year starter mostly pointed the finger at himself.
“I’m supposed to help everyone else out,” Kotsar said. “I’ve been through it for three years, so I should be there. It got a little quiet, like Frank said. I got to be more of a leader.”
After facing the Bulldogs on Friday, South Carolina heads to the Cancun Challenge for a Tuesday clash with Wichita State (4-0) before getting either West Virginia (3-0) or Northern Iowa (6-0) on Wednesday.
Whoever emerges as the Silva-like voice on this USC team will do it on his own.
“We got to figure all that out right now,” Martin said. “And I don’t believe in assigning players.”
Bryant update
Martin has delivered nothing but positive updates when it comes to Keyshawn Bryant’s recovery from knee surgery. An early timeline allowed six weeks for a return — see South Carolina’s hosting of Houston on Dec. 8 — but the sophomore wing remains “ahead of schedule.”
“He’s been fully cleared in the weight room,” Martin said. “So he’s in there squatting and doing all kind of stuff. He was on the court yesterday, just shooting jump shots. And then he’s running on the treadmill.”
Scouting G-W
USC’s next opponent is no stranger to Colonial Life Arena. Gardner-Webb, as an NCAA Tournament No. 16 seed, was leading eventual national champion Virginia at halftime of last year’s first round game in Columbia before falling, 71-56.
Three Bulldog starters are back from that game, including leading scorer Jose Perez. GWU’s losses — by an average of 14.3 points — have come to Furman, Western Carolina, North Carolina and Wichita State.
GARDNER-WEBB AT SOUTH CAROLINA
Where: Colonial Life Arena
When: 7 p.m. Friday
TV: SEC Network Plus via the WatchESPN app
Radio: 107.5 The Game in Columbia area
Projected starting lineups
Gardner-Webb (0-4)
G Jose Perez 12.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg
G Nate Johnson 7.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg
G Jaheam Cornwall 11.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg
F Eric Jamison 8.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
F Ludovic Dufeal 5.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg
South Carolina (3-1)
G Jair Bolden 11.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg
G A.J. Lawson 17.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg
F Justin Minaya 7.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
F Alanzo Frink 8.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg
F Maik Kotsar 6.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg
This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Frank Martin’s ‘fact-discovering mission’ continues as USC regroups after first loss."
