"Got 7 to cheer for tonite!": South Carolina HC Dawn Staley expresses excitement for Aja Wilson vs Aliyah Boston WNBA clash

The influence of the South Carolina Gamecocks is undeniable at the WNBA level. Winners of two of the last three NCAA championships, alumni from the program have become crucial pieces of multiple WNBA rosters.

Currently, with 10 new additions in 2024, the total number of Gamecocks alumni in the league stands at 26, the most out of any program. With her former players making such an impact, coach Dawn Staley took a moment to celebrate her squad's success.

In a post via X, she was looking forward to a thrilling encounter between two players: A'Ja Wilson, who has cemented herself into the league's greatest players and Dawn's personal top 5 players of all-time list and Aliyah Boston, last season's Rookie of the Year.

"Oh just chilling at home watching all of @GamecockWBB ballin in the W @WNBA ….decisions decisions decisions! If I don’t hear you cheer loud for my babies….time for you to go home! Got 7 to cheer for tonite! GAMECOCKS on 7!"

Coach Staley looked to be firmly in the corner of Boston with her comment of "Got 7 cheer for tonite!", referring to the one-time All-Star's jersey number with the Indiana Fever.

Aliyah has gone through a bit of a regression to start the season, as Indiana jumped out to a 1-6 start. Her individual numbers suffered a major hit. After a 14.5 point and 8.4 rebounds per game start to her career, the first overall pick in the 2023 draft's numbers has fallen to 9.8 ppg and 6.2 rpg.

Dawn put out another tweet, celebrating the incredible championship mettle that Boston possessed, ahead of the box score she might be tallying.

"Never ever underestimate the heart of a champion……ladies and gentlemen that champion is @aa_boston . We “ain’t” forgot!"

But, with the Las Vegas Aces pulling out a dominant 99-80 victory, the final credits went to A'Ja Wilson, who Staley believes is the best player in the world. The reigning WNBA Champion tightened her grip on the 1st seed in the Western Conference with 29-point and 15 rebound outing.

"Ladies and gentlemen you’re witnessing the best player in the world @_ajawilson22"

Record ticker prices to watch Aces vs. Indy clash

Thanks to the incredible star power on display, as the back-to-back number 1 picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark took on the reigning Champion Aces led by A'Ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, the hype for the game was at an all-time high.

Earlier in the day, a report emerged about the ticket prices in the game, which further stands as a testament to the meteoric rise in popularity of women's basketball. Last year's WNBA Finals had a get-in price in the same building at $47.This time around, that number has skyrocketed to $120.

As the hype around Clark continues to shine, her stats have backed up her claim to fame. One of 8 players in the league to average 17, 4 and 5, Cailtin's brilliance has been on full display.

Thanks to a game-winning 3, Indy has registered its first victory as well. With time to build out complementary pieces, do you think the Fever could eventually reach the mountaintop? Let us know in the comments below.