Web exclusive | Posted March 23, 6:45 p.m.
FRESNO, Calif. – As the women’s basketball team loaded onto its bus en route to Friday’s practice, each player walked past coach Kay Yow, smiled and greeted her.
Then came 6-foot-7 senior center Gillian Goring.
Goring looked at Yow and then took off her shades. Yow, who took the first seat on the front row of the bus, moved over and pointed for Goring to sit. The two talked the entire 15-minute ride about what Goring described as “a family talk.”
It’s the day before the biggest game of Goring’s career.
Out of high school, every media outlet and All-American team talked about Goring. ESPN The Magazine even highlighted her in a story titled “The Shaq-O-Lytes.”
She grew up in Trinidad and moved to the United States in high school. As one of the top-rated players in the country, she never wanted to do anything but play for coach Geno Auriemma and Connecticut. So she committed and signed with UConn — N.C. State’s regional semifinal opponent on Saturday.
But Goring just missed qualifying and then was forced to go elsewhere – deciding on the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. After redshirting her freshman season, she played at the junior college her redshirt freshman and sophomore year.
Goring then faced another decision. Go to UConn or look elsewhere?
She was upset that Auriemma hadn’t made contact with her during her entire time at Arkansas – Fort Smith. She felt disrespected. Goring went to her coach’s office at the University, sat down and made the call to Auriemma.
“We had that conversation and it was a little disappointing to them that I changed my mind,” Goring said. “They understood what was going on and they were a little upset. But they wanted the best for me as a person, not as a ballplayer, so I respect them for that.”
The two haven’t talked since.
Shortly after the Wolfpack’s press conference Friday, Auriemma had his for the Huskies. He answered a few questions about his team — then came the question about Goring.
“I always thought we were going to get her, and we did,” Auriemma said. “But at the same time, we never felt that she had it all together. There was always too many things missing.”
He said Goring never really knew what path she was following. She changed her mind a lot and never received much help in high school or at the junior college.
“You’re wandering around trying to find bits and pieces,” Auriemma said. “And you need a lot of guidance, and she wasn’t getting a lot of it.”
Yow said Goring’s goals changed a lot during her time at the junior college. After her third year in Arkansas, she started to get “everything settled.” She took a visit to Raleigh and left knowing where she would spend her final two years.
Goring said she’s happy to be playing for State. She said this is the best situation she could have ever found. She has always said playing for Yow provides her enough motivation, but she acknowledges that UConn still runs through her mind every now and then.
However, Yow hopes Goring doesn’t “press about that because that’s a long time ago.” Yow said she made it clear to Goring that no one from the current Huskies team was there when she committed.
It was more than five years ago that Goring decided she wanted to play for Connecticut. Now, in her final go-round, Goring gets a shot at the school she once dreamed about playing for.
It’s bittersweet really, but she couldn’t have drawn it out any better, she said.
While seniors Ashley Key and Sasha Reaves know Goring will use the game as motivation, junior forward Khadijah Whittington said she knows Saturday’s 9 p.m. game will be one where Goring will step up.
“GiGi’s going to come to play,” Whittington said with a smirk.
Before the game, Goring said she didn’t know if she would talk with Auriemma. She said she would be happy to speak with the coach and forget about the past.
“Oh I don’t know,” Goring said. “If it happens, I will [talk to him]. He’s a great person – it’s a great school. I would love to just give him a hug. That was my dream school – I’d just let him know everything is OK.”
