"Proud of your professionalism": South Carolina HC Dawn Staley beams with pride during post-game interview with former Gamecock Aliyah Boston

Coach Dawn Staley complimented former standout player Aliyah Boston before talking about the Gamecocks' performance in the post-game interview. South Carolina advanced to the national championship game after defeating North Carolina (78-59) at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.

Aliyah Boston served as the guest analyst on the ESPN broadcasting panel for Friday's game. She interviewed Staley following the victory, but the head coach praised her standout player before heading into the game.

"This is a proud moment to be just on the other side of this mic. proud of your professionalism, proud that you know the game so much that you are representing at the highest level, that is good to you" Staley said to Boston."

The WNBA 2023 Rookie of the Year returned praise to her head coach, saying:

" I'm talking about you though, you're going to the national championship game. "

The Gamecocks were unable to advance past Iowa in the Final Four last year. Resulting in Boston's senior season concluding without a shot at the national championship. But things are different now, as Boston took a seat in the front row as an analyst for her team.

Aliyah Boston on Final Four Broadcast

ESPN announced that Aliyah will be on the studio desk for the Final Four at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike, and Carolyn Peck join her on the panel.

"It is a dream to be a part of such a special weekend and I’m so glad that God has opened this door for me. I could not be happier to join this incredible team,” Boston said in the release. “As a player there was no bigger thrill than the Final Four. I’m really excited to return, share my experience, and shine a light on the amazing players we’ll see take the court in Cleveland.”

During Boston's stint with the Gamecocks, they consistently made it to the Final Four in every NCAA Tournament. In her freshman year, the tournament got canceled due to the pandemic, and she took her team two times to the final four before winning the title in 2022.

She also boasts expertise as a game analyst; she served at the desk as a studio analyst for Peacock during the Big Ten women's basketball games in the 2023–24 season.

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