Her junior season is the biggest one of Tessa Johnson’s South Carolina career so far. After coming off the bench for two seasons, Johnson is now the team’s starting small forward, rounding out the starting lineup next to Raven Johnson, newcomer Ta’Niya Latson, Joyce Edwards, and Madina Okot.
Tessa Johnson has adapted well to her new role, emerging as the Gamecocks’ third-leading scorer three games into the season. She may not be the team’s top star, but her 3-point shooting will be crucial to any success South Carolina finds this season. Johnson is the only true volume shooter on the team and complements Ta’Niya Latson and Joyce Edwards well on the offensive end.
South Carolina needs Johnson’s 3-point shooting
South Carolina has been on fire from three so far this season. Every player who attempted over one 3-pointer per game to kick off the season converted at least 40% of their shots. However, of those five players, only three averaged more than two attempts per game and only Johnson has emerged as a true volume shooter from behind the arc. She has already attempted a total of 15 threes and made seven of them.
Her skills from three and the floor spacing she provides will be invaluable to maximizing Latson’s and Edwards’ talent. Edwards and Latson are the team’s top scorers and biggest stars. Both do most of their damage inside the 3-point arc.
Edwards is currently averaging 13.3 field-goal attempts per game. Over 12 of those attempts are two-point shots. Latson, who excels at getting downhill, averages 9.7 field-goal attempts with eight coming in the two-point range. Agot Makeer is the only player other than Johnson who took about half of her shots from three in the first few games of the season.
Johnson is on track to have a breakout season
Going into the season, it was no secret that Johnson could light it up from three. She shot over 40% from three in both of her first college seasons at South Carolina. She just didn’t have an opportunity to play as many minutes as she will see this season.
In the 2024-25 season, Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson, and Bree Hall started at the two guard spots and the small forward position. Johnson averaged the most minutes of any guard coming off the bench, filling a bigger role than in her freshman season.
Now, Te-Hina Paopao and Bree Hall have moved on to the pros. Paopao plays for the Atlanta Dream, and Hall had stints with the Indiana Fever and Golden State Valkyries. This offseason, both will play in Athletes Unlimited. Their absence opened up a bigger role for Johnson, and, if she continues to play as well as she did in the first three games, she is on track to have a breakout season.