Alabama had the most first-team selections

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- How do you like the view here, on the peak just below the peak? Its nice, isnt it? Look at how vast the area is that now lies below you, and realize what hard work it was to get this far.Now, see that ledge right there? Get to that. Hoist yourself up just one more time. And there you are -- at the very top! It doesnt look that far away, especially considering the distance youve come to get here. You can do it, right?This is where South Carolina womens basketball is, and its a great place to be. But what seems so close sometimes can be the most difficult part of the trip. Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley knows this all too well, but its not what shes talking to her team about, of course.South Carolina, for all its talent, is still discussing some of the basics now. Thats what happens after losing four senior guards. Yet the last thing most anyone is expecting from the Gamecocks -- especially with a post duo like Aja Wilson and Alaina Coates -- is that they might need just a little rebuilding time.Theyre back in the spotlight again, so theres a fair amount that has to be worked out quickly.Its a little too care-free, but its who we are, Staley said of the personality of her team. Our coaches have talked about it: Whos the leader? Whos stepping up? It cant look like last year because were not like last year.Weve come upon a new type of team and new leadership. So its on us to figure out how to get it to that place without having those strong, competitive, outspoken people like weve had in years past.No one is feeling sympathy for South Carolina, which went 33-2 in 2015-16 and is picked to win the SEC again. And the team will get a test right away, when the No. 4 Gamecocks travel to face No. 7 Ohio State on Monday.The Gamecocks have been an NCAA tournament No. 1 seed three years in a row. They went to their first Final Four in 2015. They tied for the SEC regular-season title that year, won it with a 16-0 record last season and took the league tournament title both times.Theyve led the nation in Division I attendance two years in a row, averaging 14,978 last season. In a conference where football can blot out the sun even for mens basketball in some places, the Gamecocks matter to their school and community. They have a foothold.In the climb that the best programs in college sports attempt to make, the Gamecocks have been on a mostly exhilarating race up the mountain. The next ledge would be making it to the national championship game. And you know the final step.However, there are those programs that can do all but the last one. They dont get past the ledge. And many dont get quite get that far.As a player at Virginia, Staley went to three straight Final Fours and made one final but didnt win a title. This is well-worn territory in her mind. For her current players? Not so much, which is just as well.South Carolina lost senior guards Tiffany Mitchell, Khadijah Sessions, Asia Dozier and Tina Roy. Also gone are forwards Sarah Imovbioh, a transfer from Virginia who played her last season at South Carolina, and Jatarie White, who transferred to Texas.Bianca Cuevas-Moore, Doniyah Cliney and Tiffany Davis are returning guards who have experience under Staley. Davis, though, redshirted last season with an injury and played just 16 games the previous year.Cuevas-Moore played all but one game last season, averaging 18.1 minutes. In her two seasons, she has 127 assists -- but 124 turnovers.Transfers Allisha Gray (coming from North Carolina) and Kaela Davis (Georgia Tech) should give the guard play a substantial boost. Both juniors were with the program last year, which helped get them ready for big roles this season. As sophomores at their previous schools, the 6-foot-2 Davis averaged 19.2 points per game, and the 6-foot Gray 15.2 PPG.Allisha is in midseason form now; she is the outside threat that can replace some of what we lost, Staley said. As for Kaela -- I dont know if theres a more versatile player in the country who can play 1 through 4 like she can. Its going to take some time for us to mesh as a unit, though.South Carolina also has three freshman guards in Tyasha Harris, Araion Bradshaw and Victoria Patrick. The fourth rookie is 6-2 forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, who made a good first impression with 23 points and 11 rebounds Sunday in the Gamecocks 120-49 exhibition victory over Benedict.The foundation of the team is expected to be the local products, 6-5 Wilson and 6-4 Coates, who first started playing together in AAU basketball in Columbia when they were around 12 and 13 years old. Their influence on the program has been profound. They try not to dwell much on how last season ended -- a regional semifinal loss to Syracuse -- but its there.I think about it almost every day, Wilson said. Its one of the games that I have not watched yet. I dont think Im ever going to watch it.But its a motivator -- going from being in the Final Four your freshman year to being out in the Sweet 16 your sophomore year. You know what it takes to get to the Final Four, so being stopped is kind of a heartbreaker.Wilson, the SEC player and defensive player of the year last season, is high on the list of candidates for national player of the year. Over her first two seasons, she averaged 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds.Coates could be a lottery pick in the WNBA draft next spring, and maybe even the top selection. Shes averaged 11.8 points and 8.9 rebounds in her three seasons with the Gamecocks, and shot 63.9 percent from the field.With that kind of post production, the Gamecocks know what their proverbial bread and butter is -- same as last year.There is a lot of logic in pounding the ball inside when you have those kind of targets. But Staley also wants the rest of the team to play to its strength. She hired former Vanderbilt coach Melanie Balcomb specifically to help; her title is director of coaching offensive analytics.Some shots that five years ago I would go ballistic on now are part of our game, Staley said, resigned to perhaps ceding a little more control to players on-court instincts. I dont mind taking a jump shot in transition, if thats what a player does and shes accurate in that.Lets not go crazy; lets embrace it and look at the numbers. If shes efficient in that spot, we cant be mad at it.And so the Gamecocks, who are close enough to the peak that they can see it, are still working out the best way to actually get there. Admittedly, it can sometimes seem like the most frustrating part of the journey. But it just depends on how you look at it. Because it took a lot to get this far, and that should be relished, too. Jace Sternberger Super Bowl Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Brett Favre Super Bowl Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. http://www.packersonlineteamstore.com/raven-greene-jersey.html . Newcastle dominated in the early stages but City weathered the storm and then raised its game in extra time. Negredo broke the deadlock from close range after a simple move in the 99th minute before Dzeko took the ball round goalkeeper Tim Krul to seal the victory in the 105th. Tramon Williams Super Bowl Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. Bart Starr Super Bowl Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. 2016 PRE-SEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM(Total points earned in parenthesis)(331 total voters)OFFENSEFirst-TeamQB Chad Kelly, Ole Miss (321)RB Leonard Fournette, LSU (329)RB Nick Chubb, Georgia (308)WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama (318)WR Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (223)TE O.J. Howard, Alabama (294)OL Cam Robinson, Alabama (315)OL Dan Skipper, Arkansas (228)OL Greg Pyke, Georgia (171)OL Alex Kozan, Auburn (165)C Ethan Pocic, LSU (188)Second-TeamQB Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee (313)RB Jalen Hurd, Tennessee (278)RB Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt (151)WR Malachi Dupre, LSU (167)WR Fred Ross, Mississippi State (139)TE Evan Engram, Ole Miss (214)OL Martez Ivey, Florida (152)OL William Clapp, LSU (143)OL David Sharpe, Florida (138)OL Alphonse Taylor, Alabama (137)C Brandon Kublanow, Georgia (121)Third-TeamQB Brandon Harris, LSU (25)RB Stanley Boom Williams, Kentucky (60)RB Jovon Robinson, Auburn (55)WR Ricky Seals-Jones, Texas A&M (78)WR Drew Morgan, Arkansas (49)TE Jeremy Sprinkle, Arkansas (65)OL Avery Gennesy, Texas A&M (120)OL Jashon Robertson, Tennessee (119)OL Braden Smith, Auburn (118)OL Javon Patterson, Ole Miss (113)C Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama (101)DEFENSEFirst-TeamDL Jonathan Allen, Alabama (301)DL Myles Garrett, Texas A&M (286)DL Carl Lawson, Auburn (253)DL Derek Barnett, Tennessee (171)LB Reuben Foster, Alabama (265)LB Kendell Beckwith, LSU (231)LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee (223)DB Eddie Jackson, Alabama (293)DB Jalen Tabor, Florida (249)DB TreDavious White, LSU (221)DB Cameron Sutton, Tennessee (213)Second-TeamDL Montravius Adams, Auburn (167)DL Bryan Cox, Florida (105)DL Davon Godchaux, LSU (105)DL Charles Harris, Missouri ((103)LB Tim Williams, Alabama (196)LB Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt (178)LB Jarrad Davis, Florida (160)DB Jamal Adams, LSU (193)DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama (188)DB Tony Conner, Ole Miss (146)DB Dominick Sanders, Georgia (145)Third-TeamDL Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss (102)DL Deatrich Wise, Arkansas (95)DL Cece Jefferson, Florida (85)DL A.ddddddddddddJ. Jefferson, Mississippi State (84)LB Lorenzo Carter, Georgia (92)LB Richie Brown, Mississippi State (84)LB Arden Key, LSU (76)DB Marcus Maye, Florida (139)DB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama (120)DB Johnathan Ford, Auburn (105)DB Armani Watts, Texas A&M (74)SPECIALISTSFirst-TeamP JK Scott, Alabama (252)PK Daniel Carlson, Auburn (198)RS Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (214)AP Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (240)Second-TeamP Johnny Townsend, Florida (124)PK Adam Griffith, Alabama (174)RS Evan Berry, Tennessee (163)AP Alvin Kamara, Tennessee (152)Third-TeamP Trevor Daniel, Tennessee (97)PK Elliott Fry, South Carolina (91)RS Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia (100)AP Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia (112)NOTES:* - The top vote-getters in 2016 were Leonard Fournette (LSU), Chad Kelly (Ole Miss) and Calvin Ridley (Alabama).* - Since 2000, Arkansas Darren McFadden (Arkansas) is the only unanimous selection to the SEC Media Days First Team at his position, collecting all possible votes that year.* - Alabama had the most first-team selections this season with seven. Since 1992, the most players on a first-team is nine by Alabama in 2011, followed by eight by Alabama (2010) and Florida (2009). ' ' '