It’s been a tricky season for Dawn Staley and her South Carolina Gamecocks. A knee injury took out Chloe Kitts before the season even started, limiting the number of players on the roster to ten. Then, freshman guard Agot Makeer missed a few games with a concussion. While Makeer made her return against Providence and recorded a double-double, Ta’Niya Latson went down with a leg injury after playing just 11 minutes and couldn’t return.
The team’s lack of depth makes Staley’s latest recruit an even bigger deal than it would have been otherwise. Alicia Tournebize, a 6’7” center from France, will join the team for the next semester, adding depth, size, and athleticism to the roster. The excitement around her addition—and the prospect of an in-game dunk it brings—is great, but Staley noted that Tournebize would have to put in some work to succeed in the college game.
“I think we got a gem of a player,” Staley said after her team’s win over Providence. “She’s 6’7”, athletic, but she’s 18 years old. She’s definitely going to have to get in the weight room.”
Alicia Tournebize has EuroLeague experience that will help her transition to the college game
Tournebize is tall and thin—think Dominique Malonga and Cameron Brink—and would certainly benefit from some time in the weight room. Tournebize also has one big advantage over most other players transitioning to the college game: her experience of playing for Tango Bourges Basket in the top French league and the EuroLeague.
Born in 2007, Tournebize was the youngest player on her team’s roster. Accordingly, she averaged rather few minutes with 7.6 over eight EuroLeague games and 7.4 over seven LFB games. Nevertheless, Tournebize gathered important experience playing with and against professional basketball players. That should help her when she has to go up against some of the best college players in the country once she joins the Gamecocks.
Dawn Staley hopes Tournebize can join the team soon
South Carolina fans will have to wait a bit longer to actually see Tournebize in action. Staley said in her postgame media availability that she wasn’t sure when Tournebize would be able to join the team yet because she still has to take care of some paperwork. However, Staley hopes she’ll be able to get to Columbia “before school starts.”
Tournebize will have to adjust to her new surroundings and learn Staley’s system on the fly, so she might not make a huge impact immediately. But she should still be able to fill an important need for the Gamecocks. Between Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot, South Carolina has a great starting frontcourt. Losing Kitts to a season-ending injury really hurt the team’s depth, though.
Kitts was one of South Carolina’s top scorers and rebounders last season. This season, she also would’ve been one of the most veteran players on the roster. With her out, Edwards moved into the starting lineup, eliminating South Carolina’s biggest boost off the bench. Okot and Edwards also play heavy minutes since the only other two players listed as forwards—Maryam Dauda and Adhel Tac—average the fewest minutes on the roster. Tournebize adds size and depth that could be invaluable this season and will certainly help the team in the future. She has all the tools to become one of the most exciting bigs in college basketball.