Season Recap: How the South Carolina Gamecocks finished on the AU Pro Basketball Leaderboard

Zia Cooke – 18th overall

Guard Zia Cooke’s confidence and role within her teams developed week-over-week which translated to her position on the leaderboard. Week 4 was her most successful one, racking up 1,345 points in the final three games and pushing her up to 18th on the final leaderboard.

She scored in double figures in 9 out of 12 games, shooting 40.2 from the field and 36.7 percent from three-point range. She scored a season-high 32 points against Team Cloud on March 14.

The two categories that could have boosted Cooke’s rankings were win and stat points. Her teams were 4-7, placing her in the bottom 20% of win-point earners and she was voted an MVP in two games.

Cooke competed for the Gamecocks from 2019-2022 and was a regular starter all four years of her career. She helped the team to three SEC Regular-Season championships, three SEC Tournament titles, three NCAA Final Four showings, and a victory in the 2022 National Championship.

Laeticia Amihere – 14th overall

Laeticia Amihere’s debut season proved her to be one of the premiere 4/5 positional players in the league. She was voted to the 2024 All-Defensive Team and finished 14th on the final leaderboard.

Defense was a large part of her impact; she was second in the league in blocks (22), fourth in total rebounds (94) and accumulated 16 steals. Amihere finished the season with five double-double performances and averaged 13.2 points per game.

She was 12th in stat points earned but her teams struggled; Amihere was in the bottom half of win-point earners and was only voted MVP twice.

Amihere’s stint as a Gamecock overlapped with Cooke’s. She was also a contributor for four years and part of the 2022 national title-winning squad. She was the first Gamecock women’s basketball player to compete in the Olympics during her college career.

Tiffany Mitchell – 6th overall

Guard Tiffany Mitchell stepped onto the scene at AU Pro Basketball and made one of the biggest splashes of the season. Mitchell earned the honor of Newcomer of the Year, dominating not just the leaderboard categories but also the stat lines.

She was the second-most prolific scorer, averaging 23.8 points per game, only behind champion Allisha Gray. She tied with Gray for field goals made (111) and was fifth in three-pointers made (28). Mitchell was incredibly efficient; not only a leader in those categories but she took smart shots to hit 48.5 percent from the floor and knock down 46.7 percent from three. She connected on 47 of 57 from the stripe and tied for 5th in steals (20).

Much of her success can be articulated as the third-most MVP point earner, garnering honors in seven out of 12 games this season. Mitchell finished with a 5-7 record and was the fourth-highest stat point earner of the season

Mitchell is one of the most decorated players in Gamecock program history. She’s a three-time All-American, two-time SEC Player of the Year, and winner of the South Carolina President’s Award, the highest annual award bestowed on a student-athlete. Competing from 2012-2015, Mitchell holds multiple program records.

Allisha Gray – 1st overall, Champion

When it comes to the AU record books, Allisha Gray’s name is scattered throughout after the 2024 season.

Gray set a new league record for leaderboard points and scoring average in a single season. She also paced the league this season in total points scored (349), free throws (92), and tied for the league lead in 3-pointers (35) with Kierstan Bell.

Night after night Gray put up stellar performances, garnering votes for MVP in 15 of her last 16 contests. Gray collected a league-high 11 Game MVP nods this season, tying Hawkins for the single-season standard set during her 2022 title-winning season. This is the second time in league history a player has won 10 or more Game MVP awards in a single season.

Her margin for first place is the largest any Basketball champion has claimed the title by, 872 points ahead of the Odyssey Sims in second place. Gray posted 20 or more points in 11 outings this season and a league-best eight games with 25 or more points.

Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Twitter @savannaecollins.