ATLANTA — Regardless of the 200-plus miles between Columbia and Gateway Middle Area, the ambiance on the Atlanta Dream’s residence opener in opposition to the Indiana Fever on Sunday felt extra like a South Carolina ladies’s basketball crowd at Colonial Life Area.
The No. 4 jersey that Aliyah Boston wore for the Gamecocks dotted the sold-out crowd, welcoming the Fever’s No. 1 general choose within the 2023 WNBA Draft again to the South. Followers additionally repped the faculty jerseys of Fever ahead Victaria Saxton and Dream ahead Laeticia Amihere, greeting Amihere with one of many largest cheers of the evening when the roster was introduced pregame.
“It felt actually good that they have been cheering for me, regardless that they have been in Atlanta’s constructing,” Boston stated with amusing. “It is particular (to play former teammates). I feel it reveals this system and what Coach (Daybreak) Staley does and the place she elevates her gamers to, so it is very nice.”
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Mary Ellen Sartori has been a Gamecocks fan since attending South Carolina within the Seventies and frequently makes the journey to Atlanta to look at former gamers within the WNBA. In 2022, she noticed A’ja Wilson with the Las Vegas Aces, Destanni Henderson with the Indiana Fever and Allisha Grey with the Dallas Wings.
The Dream’s matchup with the Fever was on her record for this season, the primary time that two of “The Freshies” — South Carolina’s iconic 2019 recruiting class — confronted off on reverse benches.
“It’s extremely uncommon that you’ve got 5 are available and keep for the entire 4 years,” Sartori stated. “There was in all probability extra South Carolina followers right here than there have been (on the Closing 4) in Dallas.”
The category of 2019 misplaced only one residence recreation in its 4 years at South Carolina, and the power from the ‘FAMS’ continued for Boston in Atlanta. With a 90-87 victory, the Fever ended a WNBA record-tying 20-game dropping streak relationship again to June 2022, and Boston completed with 13 factors, seven rebounds, a steal and an help.
“We’re making an attempt to vary the tradition, and that takes steps,” Boston stated. “Getting our first win was considered one of them, so everybody’s simply actually excited … It was actually particular to get this primary win, particularly it being an away recreation.”
Bonnie Stephens and her husband Jim met Sartori in 2022 on their flight to Minneapolis for the Gamecocks’ nationwide championship, and all three traveled collectively once more to the Closing 4 in 2023. On Sunday, Bonnie and Jim rode with Sartori to their first-ever WNBA recreation to help Boston and her former teammates.
Sartori and the Stephenses waited in a protracted line of followers and admirers to snap selfies with Boston after the victory. Although they struggled to resolve which group to root for with Gamecocks on either side, Bonnie and Jim stated they’ve all the time particularly cherished Boston.
“She’s simply so personable. She’s an actual particular person,” Jim stated. “And he or she does this on a regular basis. We noticed her in Minneapolis and he or she was the identical manner.”
The trio additionally took photographs with Amihere and Saxton as the 2 caught up on the court docket postgame. Bonnie stated seeing them in opposing uniforms will take some getting used to, however she hopes to return to Atlanta for extra WNBA video games this season.
“It was a bit bittersweet, as a result of we want they have been nonetheless with us and nonetheless collectively,” Bonnie stated. “They only all performed collectively so nicely, they usually needed to win as a group … however they’re beginning the subsequent section of they’re lives, and we’re hoping that they are going to be very profitable.”
