Coach Dawn Staley awaits Olympics, focuses on South Carolina

NEW YORK (AP) — Coach Dawn Staley would be prepping the U.S. women’s basketball team for the Tokyo Olympics this week if not for the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead, she’ll hold a Zoom conference call with players who are vying for a spot on the roster in 2021, if the postponed Olympics are held next year. Staley says they’ll say hello and get a virtual hug.

Staley’s focus these days involves getting her South Carolina women’s team back on campus in a safe environment. Her team finished No. 1 in the last AP poll and won the SEC Tournament before the NCAA Tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus.

Some players will return in mid-July, but they won’t get on the basketball court until August.