Te-Hina Paopao was arguably one of the South Carolina Gamecocks’ top pickups from the transfer portal last season. She enters her senior season as one of the key players in Dawn Staley’s side, with the Gamecocks’ head coach tipping her to achieve greater success.
Addressing the media ahead of the team’s trip to Las Vegas for their season opener, Staley was keen to see her expand her game, urging her to get more field goals and shots from inside the paint. She also praised Paopao’s efforts to improve as a defensive player.
“From a defensive standpoint, I think she’s right where we need her to be. She has taken her game to another level when it comes to that side of the basketball,” said Staley.
“I don’t want to see her just rely on her being the best 3-point shooter. I want her to get into the paint. Get some — I want to say easy 2s, but just some paint 2s, some counter to her ability to shoot the outside shot.
“She did a little bit last year, toward the end, though. She didn’t give us much of putting the ball on the floor and creating because she’s really good at it. She’s really savvy with that, and she’s been doing that.”
Te-Hina Paopao was the nation’s top 3-point shooter last season
Te-Hina Paopao possesses the innate ability of consistently making shots from the 3-point range, which was on full display throughout her debut season with the Gamecocks. She led the country in three-point shooting percentage (46.8%), and ranked second in the SEC behind Aaliyah Nye for 3-pointers made per game (2.35).
Te-Hina Paopao was a solid force in the Gamecocks' backcourt last season.Te-Hina Paopao was a solid force in the Gamecocks’ backcourt last season.
Paopao also set a single-season program record for starts (37), while posting the third-best single-season tally for 3-pointers made (87). Her impressive performances earned her Second-Team USBWA All-American honors and a spot on the All-SEC Second-Team, as the Gamecocks became the fifth team in NCAA history to win the national championship with an unbeaten postseason run.
The Gamecocks are currently the top-ranked team in AP’s Top 25 Preseason women’s college basketball poll, cementing their status as favorites in the upcoming season. The reigning national champions will open the 2024-25 season in Las Vegas, when they take on the Michigan Wolverines on November 4.
