Boston racks up statistics

South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston is leading the topranked team in the country in multiple categories, and now her coach is saying she should be considered the best player in the country.

Boston averages 17.1 points (fifth in the SEC), 11.9 rebounds (second) and 2.9 blocks (second). Her 54.7% field goal percentage is the conference’s best. The 6-5 junior is on track to eclipse career highs in assists, blocks and steals. The Gamecocks are 23-1 overall and have won 11 straight games.

“I think when we look at what Aliyah has done over an entire basketball season, there is no doubt,” South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley said on Feb. 9. “There wouldn’t even be a question mark if it was somebody else. We’re the number one team in the country. Hopefully, we will stay that way for Aliyah’s sake, because it seems like any little crack and anything can be used against her. Aliyah Boston, by far, if she continues what she’s done [and] what she’d been doing, is women’s basketball’s national player of the year.”

Boston has tallied 17 straight double-doubles in a streak dating to a game against Elon on Nov. 29. If she records double-doubles in the Gamecocks’ next two games against Auburn on Thursday tonight and Tennessee on Sunday, Boston will tie Sylvia Fowles’ SEC record 19 consecutive double-doubles at LSU.

Boston, who was one of four finalists in last year’s player of the year race, is considered a front-runner for this year’s honor, but Iowa sophomore Caitlin Clark has also emerged as a top candidate. Clark leads the country with 27.2 points per game, including eight games with at least 30 points and five triple-doubles this year. She became the first college basketball player to drop consecutive 30-point triple-doubles this season.

(AP/John Bazemore) South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston (4) leads the team in multiple categories and her coach said she should be considered the best player in the country. “I think when we look at what Aliyah has done over an entire basketball season, there is no doubt. There wouldn’t even be a question mark if it was somebody else,” Coach Dawn Staley said.