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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
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How Ta'Niya Latson's reunion with Raven Johnson smooths transfer to South Carolina basketball
COLUMBIA — It's only been roughly two weeks of summer workouts and practices, but Ta'Niya Latson already knows at least one thing. "I got my point guard back," she said with a smile. Latson and South Carolina women's basketball fifth-year point guard Raven Johnson have history. The duo were dynamite in high school in Atlanta and played AAU together, but they were separated across two teams and two conferences until now. After three years at Florida State, the 5-foot-8 Latson has her former floor general, also 5-8, back by her side. How did that first assist from Johnson in practice feel for Latson? Great. "Me and Raven are just trying to build that chemistry again," Latson said. "Taking it day by day." Latson entered the portal on March 27, and Johnson wasn't shy about saying she would try to help recruit her to Columbia. Johnson didn't announce she was using her extra year of eligibility until Latson announced she was transferring to South Carolina. Johnson's social media message on April 8 was centered around finding success with Latson at the college level. For the two guards of mirroring heights who won three state championships together, something that has always clicked is reading one another. Anticipating the other's next move, knowing what kind of pass they want in a certain spot. It's a main point of their chemistry. Johnson will be without both Te-Hina Paopao and Bree Hall, who started on each side of her for the past two seasons. "We've been reading each other like that since high school," Latson said. "She knows my spots, I know her spots, and I know her confidence is getting back to where she needs to be, and also she's given me that confidence, too, to be myself." The Seminoles finished 24-9 last season and Latson averaged a nation high 25.2 points per game, with two teammates averaging 17 and 15 points per game. Latson isn't the only player who Johnson will look for this upcoming season, as coach Dawn Staley has a stacked roster filled with guards and post players who can dominate on offense. At times, the Gamecocks could have used a consistent go-to scorer like Latson last season. That said, they bought into the idea that any given night, any of Staley's players could've been the star or leading scorer, and it carried them all the way to the national championship game. Latson is aware she is coming into a different system in South Carolina, one with multiple offensive assets, but she knows some of her new teammates already, making some of the typical transfer portal rust nonexistent. GOLD MEDAL WINNER: South Carolina's Joyce Edwards wins gold at FIBA AmeriCup, 2 other Dawn Staley players win silver Sophomore Joyce Edwards, last year's leading scorer, played AAU with Latson, as did senior forward Ashlyn Watkins. "We were such a talented AAU team so when I went from that to Florida State, it was a big change for me," Latson said. "That was the biggest change for me, taking all those shots, honestly. But now I know what I need, and I know what the WNBA scouts want. I know how important it is to be under control, efficient, and also being able to spread the floor and get make good passes for my teammates." Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@ and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Ta'Niya Latson, Raven Johnson reunite at South Carolina women's basketball
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dawn Staley Sends Message to South Carolina Players' Major Life Update
Dawn Staley is staying busy this spring as she shifts her focus toward summer preparations with the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Hall of Fame coach has been active on the recruiting trail, diving into the transfer portal while also promoting her new book on tour. It's graduation season across the country, and many college basketball players are completing their degrees. Some are returning for a final season on the court. Advertisement Staley recently sent a heartfelt message to two of her players who graduated Saturday. One will return for another season with South Carolina, while the other is heading to a new destination for 2025–26. "THE @GamecockWBB GRADUATES! Congrats to @HollywoodRaven @SakimaWalker for finishing the academic race…degree them! I love this part more than anyone will ever know," Staley posted. Raven Johnson and Sakima Walker both earned their undergraduate degrees. Johnson is returning to play one more season with the Gamecocks, while Walker is transferring to finish her career with the California Golden Bears. Advertisement Johnson was part of the Gamecocks that won the title in 2022 and 2024, although she missed all but two games in the 2021-22 season due to a knee injury. In Columbia, she appeared in 114 games and started all 39 last season. A former Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Johnson starred at Westlake High School in Atlanta. South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Lee-Imagn Images Walker joined South Carolina after two under-the-radar seasons at Rutgers. In her two seasons with the Gamecocks, she played in 46 games and made one start. She averaged 1.8 points per game. As Staley heads into her 18th season at the helm, South Carolina remains a powerhouse in women's college basketball. Under her leadership, the Gamecocks have reached at least the Final Four five years in a row, with three appearances in the national championship game. Advertisement Related: Kentucky Guard Makes Life-Changing Announcement After Freshman Season Related: Kentucky's Mark Pope Sends Clear Message on 7-Foot-1 Transfer
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texas point guard Rori Harmon to return next season in bid to get Longhorns back to the Final Four
Texas point guard Rori Harmon to return next season in bid to get Longhorns back to the Final Four South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) shoots against Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) controls the ball against South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) controls the ball against South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) shoots against Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) controls the ball against South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas point guard Rori Harmon announced Wednesday she will return for a fifth season in bid to get the Longhorns back to the Final Four. Harmon has a medical redshirt season to use after a knee injury knocked her out of the 2023-24 season after just 12 games. Texas advanced to the Elite Eight that season. Texas made the Final Four this season for the first time since 2003. Advertisement Harmon announced her decision in a post on the team's social media accounts. 'Let's finish what we started. Hook'em," said Harmon, who averaged 9.3 points and 5.9 assists last season. She also was considered the team's top defender. Texas lost to Southeastern Conference rival South Carolina in a national semifinal. Harmon's return means the Longhorns will have three full-time starters back for next season, and will again pair her with All-American Madison Booker in the Texas backcourt. The Longhorns rose to their first No. 1 ranking 2004 this past season and made it to the Final Four for the first time since 2003. Texas won a share of the SEC title in its first season in the league. Advertisement Harmon is a graduate student and is pursing a master's degree. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: and
New York Times
06-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
South Carolina's ‘Seatbelt Gang' better buckle up for UConn in national championship
TAMPA, Fla. — South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson badly wants permission to strap in. So much so, she sent this writer on a mission: Ask Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, MiLaysia Fulwiley and Te-Hina Paopao if they've granted her admission. South Carolina, after handling Texas in the Final Four, had advanced back to the NCAA title game. Now was a perfect time for the sophomore from Albertville, Minn., to gain entrance into the Seatbelt Gang. Advertisement 'Oh yeah, Tessa's in it. Tessa's in,' Raven Johnson said. The ballhawk felt generous, handing out seatbelts to the whole team like Oprah Winfrey giveaways. 'I say everybody's in. It takes (player) one through 13.' It was onto Hall, South Carolina's best defender, who draws the toughest matchup every game, who coach Dawn Staley said is one of the five best defenders she's ever had in her 25 years of coaching. Hall, a 6-foot senior guard, is well attuned to Tessa Johnson's defense and how much she wants to excel. So, leading up to the Texas game, Hall poured into the underclassmen to build her defensive confidence. She talked with her about the Longhorns' tendencies and sent her encouraging text messages. And after she watched how her defensive pupil responded, Hall declared she now has permission to strap in. 'Yup, she sure does,' Hall said. 'She sure has earned in the Seatbelt Gang. She did a good job.' This special club embodies the Gamecocks' defensive mindset, especially on the perimeter. The proverbial members bring a special edge when defending by applying pressure on the offense, even if on an island with the best. Especially if on an island with the best. Big ole NOPE from @HollywoodRaven 😤 — South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 5, 2025 The Seatbelt Gang began at South Carolina — but on the football field. Israel Mukuamu and Jaycee Horn created a celebration to honor their prowess as defensive backs. They'd pull an invisible seatbelt across their chest, symbolizing how they strapped in a receiver, covering him so thoroughly as to be confining. Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington brought it to the hardwood. The WNBA first-team All-Defense selection — famous for her battles with rookie superstar Caitlin Clark — pulls out the gesture after clamping up a ball-handler. Advertisement Fulwiley and Raven Johnson brought it to the national champions. The Gamecocks had better come strapped on Sunday. UConn is different from most teams in its guard reliance. The Huskies thrive with shooting and penetration. They attack off the dribble to get inside instead of posting up. 'We rely so much on our outside, our perimeter game,' Huskies coach Geno Auriemma said, 'and not as much on our interior game.' At the tip of the attack is arguably the best player in the nation. Paige Bueckers, 23, is a seasoned playmaker. She has a fluid handle, a midrange game and court vision. She can drop 40 points or pick a defense apart. Azzi Fudd is a knock-down shooter who broke out of a slump in Connecticut's rout of UCLA. Sarah Strong is a 6-foot-2 forward who can groove like a guard. As an offense, they move the ball and play unselfishly. The Huskies, ranked eighth nationally in offense, are averaging 87.8 points per game this tournament. The last time these teams met, South Carolina held Bueckers to 3-of-12 shooting, and the Gamecocks still gave up 87 points. It might be too much to ask South Carolina to get into a shootout with UConn. Disruption figures to be the Gamecocks' best chance at upsetting the venerable Huskies. An ultimate test for a team with a mentality groomed for such a challenge. 'We're like gnats,' Raven Johnson said. 'And when you drive into the paint, we've got bigs blocking shots. We've got guards blocking shots. … Honestly, it's hard against us.' The defending champions are noted underdogs, thanks in part to their 29-point home loss to UConn on Feb. 16. It's apropos that South Carolina's hopes for victory require tapping into its underdog tenacity. The grind born from being doubted. The edge sprouted from the personality of Staley. This is a job for the Seatbelt Gang. Advertisement 'Defense,' Bueckers said when asked what she expects from Staley's teams. 'Coach Dawn, just the way she really emphasizes defense and how that is important and will lead to everything. You expect her team to be extremely disciplined. She's one of the best coaches in the game. She holds her team accountable, they hold each other accountable. They're extremely well coached, extremely disciplined, extremely motivated. She's a great motivational speaker as a coach. You just expect that team to be great.' Tessa Johnson wants to be part of that culture. A bona fide bucket from Minnesota, she wants some defensive credibility to complete her game. Especially after watching Paopao get knighted as a member following her four-block game against Indiana. Not just a shooter 😤 @tehinapaopa0 — South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) March 23, 2025 So when Tessa Johnson was inducted and Hall granted her permission, a smile broke across her face. But she wanted to get in legitimately, so she still wanted permission from Fulwiley. 'Almost. She's gonna need, like, a five-steal game to be in the Seatbelt Gang,' Fulwiley said. 'Pao was promoted because she got four blocks. But Tessa, she's honorable mention, for sure. … We came in together. She's my sister. I look up to her. 'She's not in yet. Not yet. She's got to earn that, man. I'm sorry.' Fulwiley has seven games this season with at least three steals, including a five-steal game and back-to-back four-steal games. Even more impactful in her decision, Fulwiley knows what it feels like to be on the other end. 'When I first got here, Breezy, she kind of locked me up,' Fulwiley said. 'I was like, dang. I need to get in the gym. I couldn't score. It was like, wow, this is what college feels like. Y'all strong. It starts in practice, and we have a lot of competitiveness.' Advertisement Not even the glee of a Final Four victory could get her to lower the bar for her homie. She'd rather push Tessa Johnson, whom Fulwiley described as a killer. She said that's what they do: Push each other. So, no charitable entry from Fulwiley. The last one was Paopao, who wasn't in the locker room. But after she finished the mixed zone with media, she was asked about Tessa Johnson's entry on her way to the locker room. Maybe three out of four is enough, if only Paopao vouched for her. 'I don't think so,' Paopao said with a sheepish smile. 'Nah.' For Tessa Johnson to enter the Seatbelt Gang, she's going to need a monumental defensive performance. Against UConn, she could certainly earn her strap. (Photo of Bree Hall: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
South Carolina's Raven Johnson brings energy in March Madness beatdown of Tennessee Tech
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina guard Raven Johnson is in her prime in this NCAA women's Tournament. Johnson, once again, produced on the game's biggest stage as the top-seeded Gamecocks thoroughly routed No. 16 Tennessee Tech 108-48 on Friday. The 5-foot-9 junior scored 8 points and added 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the win, which sent the Gamecocks to a second-round matchup against No. 9 Indiana on Sunday. Joyce Edwards led all scorers with 22 points with MiLaysia Fulwiley adding 15, Tessa Johnson chipping in 11 and Chloe Kitts putting up 10. Last year, Johnson netted 14 points in the Sweet 16 and 13 points in the Final Four en route to the Gamecocks wining their third national championship under head coach Dawn Staley. Statistically, Johnson has had a down year in terms of point production, averaging just 4.9 points in the regular season. But that has not stopped her from being one of the most critical pieces of the Gamecocks' game plan. 'My mindset is we just have to win,' she said before Friday's game. 'I have got to help my team win by any means necessary. I don't start, so I get to see a lot of things happening before I get in.' Early in Friday's game, Tennessee Tech had no idea what hit them as Johnson, on back-to-back plays, ripped shots out of the hands of Tennessee Tech shooters before finding Kitts under the basket on otherworldly passes. 'We got pieces, we got threats, we got guards that actually get down. I feel like we do all the little things," Johnson said. "We do whatever it takes to win." Andy Mathis is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Carolina women's basketball goes beast mode in March Madness win
