Garnet & Black Add European Tower to Roster
South Carolina coach Lamont Paris has struck again in the transfer portal, landing 6’10” forward Aleksas Bieliauskas from Wisconsin. The Lithuanian-born big man averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds for Zalgiris II last season and helped Lithuania secure silver at the Under-20 EuroBasket, ranking second in rebounds. In his freshman year with the Badgers, Bieliauskas appeared in 35 games, averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 boards in 20.2 minutes per outing. Known for his 34.6-percent three-point shooting and 43.1-percent field goal mark, he’s the Gamecocks’ third portal addition following Camden Heide and Kory Mincy.
Coach Paris is clearly building a roster like a fast-food combo: one European fry, two domestic nuggets, and a dash of “we’ll surprise you.” Bieliauskas might bring international flair, but Gamecock fans are already preparing for his secret weapon: Lithuanian suplexes at halftime. Rumor has it the team uniform now comes with built-in knee pads and a translator for Lithuanian-to-American locker-room slang. Expect preseason hype videos featuring Aleksas dunking on cornfields and high-fiving live turkeys. After all, nothing says “SEC ready” like a guy who once led a small European league in rebounds and occasional bewildered tourism pamphlet photos.
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