COLUMBIA, S.C. —
The chemistry on the court was evident right from the start.
Tanya Latson drove in and passed the ball to Raven Johnson, who had a clear shot for a 3-pointer, but it didn’t go in. Later, on South Carolina’s next offensive play, Johnson had a defensive rebound and sent it up the court to Latson for an effortless layup.
“She just makes everything easier. Honestly, my instinct is to look for her,” Johnson remarked about Latson. “She brings out the best in me and drives me to play harder.”
Johnson had felt a connection with Latson for years. Maybe it seems like they’ve played together before because they actually have, at Westlake High School in Atlanta, Georgia, where they were teammates on two state championship-winning teams.
After that, they went their separate ways for a bit. Johnson joined the South Carolina Gamecocks, where she watched the team claim a national title in 2022 from the sidelines due to an injury. Meanwhile, Latson wrapped up her high school career in Florida, earning recognition as the top player in the state. She went on to shine at Florida State, winning the USBWA Tamika Catchings Award as a freshman and leading the nation in scoring her junior year. Johnson, on the other hand, claimed the starting point guard position for the Gamecocks, helping secure their third national title in 2024.
While Latson had impressive stats at FSU, Johnson experienced a notable victory on a huge platform. Despite all her accolades in Tallahassee, Latson yearned to be part of a championship-contending team.
Even though Florida State made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances while she was there, they weren’t seen as a true national championship contender. During Latson’s three years, the Seminoles peaked at 12th in the AP Top 25 poll and never made it past the first weekend of March Madness. Florida State, despite being an ACC powerhouse, often felt overlooked in the broader landscape of women’s college basketball, drawing minimal attention or coverage. In fact, the average attendance during her time there never exceeded 2,500 fans.
On Monday night, in her debut for South Carolina, Latson could feel the buzz of the Colonial Life Arena crowd. She scored 20 points and dished out four assists, as the second-ranked Gamecocks beat Grand Canyon 94-54. That evening turned out to be one where it felt like she had it all—competing in front of more than 15,000 fans, racking up stats, and finally being on the court with Johnson again in a meaningful game.
Johnson, the most seasoned player on the Gamecocks roster, appeared cool and excited during the season opener. She made three 3-pointers, matching her single-game career high, and finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
“It’s like there’s this invisible connection out there. We just find each other, and we always look for each other. The chemistry has been there since high school,” Latson expressed about Johnson. “I’m really proud of her. I just want her to succeed this season. We’re doing this together.”
Winston Gundy, in his first season as Grand Canyon’s coach, previously worked as an assistant at South Carolina for two years. He understood Johnson’s significance to the Gamecocks’ success and was tasked with devising a game plan to counter her.
“She’s a winner. You can’t contain her because she impacts the game in multiple ways,” Gundy commented. “Her offense boosts everyone else’s. Her vision, pace, and tempo—she’s someone every team will want.”
Tessa Johnson also had a solid performance, putting up 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists, showcasing the kind of fluidity and control that could land her a first-round pick in the WNBA Draft.
The Gamecocks’ results and stats may reflect the style they need to adopt to succeed this season. Dawn Staley, a former star player, has focused on strong post play over her coaching tenure at South Carolina. The program has produced talented centers and forwards like A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Camila Cardoso. Traditionally, the offense has revolved around them, with their presence supporting the defense.
Even in recent years, South Carolina benefitted from talents like Sania Feagin, Ashlynn Watkins, and Chloe Kitts down low. However, Feagin is now playing professionally, while Kitts and Watkins are sidelined for the season due to injuries.
Staley has welcomed Madina Okot, a transfer from Mississippi State, and brings back SEC All-Freshman selection Joyce Edwards. There will be crucial moments this season when the Gamecocks need them to step up in controlling the boards and attacking the rim, but the backbone of the team’s skill and experience lies in the backcourt trio of Johnson, Johnson, and Latson. This trio, with a name almost like a law firm, isn’t in the courtroom; rather, they shoot three-pointers and make clever passes.
Staley realizes that relying heavily on guard play represents an adjustment for both her and the team. At one point during the game, they had to switch to a four-guard lineup due to foul troubles affecting their posts. Although Staley mentioned that this wasn’t something they practiced, she acknowledged that it might not be the last time they resort to it this season.
“Teams will go small against us, so we have to adapt,” Staley noted. “I’ll have to adjust to that.”
Okot scored 12 points and grabbed four rebounds in her South Carolina debut, having averaged a double-double in SEC play last season. Edwards added 13 points and five boards over 27 minutes.
While Staley is confident in her guard trio, she also recognizes that her post players need to step it up.
“Madina needs to dominate, that’s undeniable. We won’t get far unless she contributes more,” Staley stated. “It’s all new, so it may take time, but we’ll push her to reach that level. I hope she wasn’t satisfied with her performance tonight.”
She added, “Good guard play can take you far, but eventually, you need your bigs to show up.”
Until then, the focus on guard play has proven to be a good offensive strategy for South Carolina. They sank nine 3-pointers and had 19 assists against Grand Canyon—accomplishing those feats within just five games last season.
With four new starters and effort to get Okot integrated, Staley finds comfort in the existing bond between Latson and Johnson, alongside Tessa Johnson stepping up her game.
“We can make this work as a team,” Staley shared. “But we need to start connecting more. Building that chemistry, especially defensively, will take time. This isn’t our usual style, but sometimes you have to adapt to the situation.”
After a post-game press conference where Latson praised Johnson, they exchanged smiles and huddled together, with Johnson wrapping her arm around Latson. Their camaraderie is genuine, and it could very well be the catalyst for South Carolina’s return to the peak of women’s college basketball this season.
