South Carolina’s Cooke, Beal, Amihere enter 2023 WNBA Draft

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina lost threemore players Tuesday when Zia Cooke, Brea Beal and Laeticia Amiherejoined three-time All-American Aliyah Boston in entering the WNBAdraft.

Cooke, Beal and Amihere announced their decisions on socialmedia. All three could have returned for a fifth year because ofCOVID-19 canceling their NCAA Tournament as freshmen in 2020.

The Gamecocks have lost their entire starting lineup. VictariaSaxton and Kierra Fletcher finished their eligibility.

Cooke, a 5-foot-9 senior from Toledo, Ohio, started all 137games she played in the past four seasons, leading the team thisyear with 15.4 points a game.

Beal, a 6-foot-1 guard from Rock Island, Illinois, was adefensive stopper for the Gamecocks.

Beal started 137 of 138 games in her four seasons. She helpedthe Gamecocks win three Southeastern Conference tournament titles,reach three Final Fours and win the national championship in2022.

Beal averaged 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds this season. She wasalso second on South Carolina with 100 assists.

Amihere is a 6-4 fourth-year senior who was part of the 2019recruiting class that was ranked No. 1 in the country. Boston, alsoamong the newcomers with Cooke, Beal and Amihere four years ago,entered the draft on Saturday and has signed with anagency.