'Super proud': South Carolina's Dawn Staley praises former Gamecocks guard Saniya Rivers

CLEVELAND — North Carolina State's Saniya Rivers helped cut down the nets on championship night two years ago.

She was wearing a South Carolina uniform while doing so.

A win over her old team Friday at the Women's Final Four would keep Rogers on track for a second national title.

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"I would love to have two rings on my hand," Rogers said. "That would be really nice."

Rogers said her mother keeps the ring she won with South Carolina in 2022. She would love to see Rogers earn another another this weekend at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

"I might have to bring them both out if that happens," Rogers said.

Then Rogers quickly corrected herself.

"When that happens," she said.

Rivers played in 27 games off the bench as a South Carolina freshman in 2021-22. She transferred to NC State the following season.

Rivers did not want to talk about why she transferred. She speaks highly of Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, though.

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"She's a great person," Rivers said. 'We still talk to this day. She congratulates me on accomplishments, and I do the same thing. If it's her birthday, I wish her a happy birthday.

"She's the type of person you want to have in your corner for future opportunities even if she can't be your coach or I can't be her player. We're really excited about this matchup. We saw each other yesterday, hugged it out. First time I've seen her in two years. It's going to be a friendly battle."

Staley said she is "super proud" of Rivers. She often stays in contact with Rivers' parents.

"Once you're part of our family, whether you stay or whether you transfer, you're always going to have me as a resource," Staley said. "You're always going to have me as someone that wants you to do extremely well.

"I'm proud of Rivers. I really am. Obviously we knew she was a tremendous player. It's unfortunate that her talents aren't on display in a Gamecock uniform, but the most important thing is her talents will be on display at a Final Four. I do think her experience with us will help her navigate through that space because she's the only one on the team that's played at this level and really understands what it takes to win."

Rivers is enjoying her best collegiate season. The 6-foot-1 junior guard is averaging a career-best 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds. She scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a November game against Connecticut, another Final Four semifinalist.

"I've seen her game grow a lot," said South Carolina junior guard Bree Hall, who played with Rivers on the 2021-22 national championship team. "She's a really good point guard."

Rivers doesn't know if she would be the player she is now if she stayed at South Carolina. She believes her experience there had an impact on her progress.

"I learned a lot from Dawn while I was there," Rivers said. "I learned a lot from the point guards that were there.

"I feel like I have just developed my game here."

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: NC State guard Saniya Rivers faces former team in bid for second ring