THE BALL CLANGS off the back of the rim as the buzzer sounds, and Aliyah Boston‘s hands fly to her head in disbelief. She’s hit this shot 1,000 times — a little putback just over the front of the rim. But when she wanted to hit it most, in the last moments of the 2021 Final Four to send South Carolina to the national championship game, the ball bounces off metal instead of dropping through the net.
Boston turns her back to the basket, and squats low. She presses her palms flat against the hardwood; she bows her head into her jersey as her teammates collapse all around her. Boston feels like she’s let them down, like she didn’t show up when her team needed her. And there are no more games, no redos. It’s just over.
After pushing herself back into a standing position, Boston takes a couple steps before doubling over with emotion. South Carolina assistant coach Fred Chmiel wraps Boston…
