Colonial

The South Carolina student section was packed on Tuesday to watch the Gamecocks upset No. 18 Kentucky. File/Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina 

COLUMBIA — Frank Martin’s been telling people for months. His team is young, has been belted with a boxing glove full of injuries, but it’s not that bad.

South Carolina's basketball coach knew his teams always improve throughout the year, always play their best at the end. Tuesday’s stunning comeback to beat No. 18 Kentucky could be the start of that.

Although nobody’s making plans for March just yet.

“A week ago, I didn’t quit on our team like everyone else in this room quit on our team,” Martin said. “I’m not going to celebrate because we still got a whole lot of games to play.”

This team was never going to be last year’s team. The Gamecocks couldn’t possibly lose the players they lost and keep on as if nothing changed.

But circumstances outside of Martin's control have made this season more challenging than expected. Martin was counting on Rakym Felder — a “beautiful kid” who made a mistake — to supply leadership and point-guard skills instead of being out of school for one semester and not playing for another. He expected Kory Holden to become the lethal scorer he was at Delaware, instead of fighting through another knee surgery to get back, only to severely injure a hamstring.

Throw in Hassani Gravett’s injury and it wasn’t a surprise for USC to stumble to a 1-3 SEC record to start. But Martin knew it wasn’t nearly as rough as it was being made out to be.

“You know how many people have come up to me and said, ‘Coach, I have all the confidence in the world that you can turn this around?,” Martin asked. “We won 11 games. Turn what around? It’s going to be all right. As long as those guys come in here and work and get better and they listen, we’ll keep fighting to get better.”

No one’s checking NCAA tournament projections but the Gamecocks are back in the top half of the league standings, and their RPI leaped to 47 after beating the Wildcats. The Gamecocks host No. 21 Tennessee Saturday.

“I just want to thank all the fans. You can’t ask for a better environment,” senior Frank Booker said. “When we were down, they stayed in it with us. We can’t appreciate them enough and we hope they can keep bringing that energy.”

The Gamecocks are rolling out the football team’s annual appearance for the Tennessee game, honoring the Outback Bowl champs at halftime, and will have a few other promotions as well.

“Unbelievable energy in this building. It rattled Kentucky,” Martin said. “When they’re out there like that, it’s fun. It’s a whole lot of fun.”

Follow David Cloninger on Twitter @DCPandC.

From Rock Hill, S.C., David Cloninger covers Gamecock sports. He will not rest until he owns every great film and song ever recorded. Want the inside scoop on Gamecock athletics? Subscribe to Gamecocks Now.

Similar Stories