On April 7th, 2024, the NCAA women’s championship game was scheduled to begin in Cleveland, featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes and the South Carolina Gamecocks. The final score of the game was 89-75 in favor of South Carolina, who won the national title and secured their third championship. With an impressive undefeated season, the team has now made its way into the record books.
Observing the game closely, I must acknowledge the outstanding performance of the #5 South Carolina 6″1 Freshman Guard Tessa Johnson, who played a pivotal role in South Carolina’s victory over Iowa. Johnson contributed 19 points and it played a significant part in South Carolina’s bench outscoring Iowa’s bench with 37 points versus 0. Although I was cheering for Iowa to win, witnessing Johnson’s remarkable performance during the National Championship game was truly remarkable.
After the game, Tessa was asked, “What was it like on your first couple of three-point shots?” She replied, “Well, I wanted to win, and so did our team. My teammates were always encouraging and had my back, telling me to play how I wanted to play.”
Also during the interview, a reporter asked Johnson how she managed to stay calm and focused during the game. Tessa replied, “ I don’t feel pressure because the team that I have and the culture that I have they’re like no matter if I make a mistake they’re never going to let me give up on myself”.
During an interview, Tessa was asked, which was, “How is it that all of you are so unselfish that no matter whose night it is, that’s okay?” To this, Tessa replied, “The culture that Coach Staley built, the atmosphere, and the environment that we are in, all of us are unselfish people, and that’s how we win.”
Lastly, during another postgame interview, Tessa was praised by a reporter for her impressive leadership skills as a freshman. When asked how she managed to find the confidence to lead in challenging situations, Tessa looked back at her past experiences and explained that she made it a point to understand her teammates’ requirements and did everything in her power to assist the team in achieving success.
As a senior at Saint Michael Albertville High, she scored 27 points to help her team win the state championship a year ago. This was her first victory in a collegiate championship.
Even though South Carolina had to replace all five of its starters from the previous season, they have come to heavily rely on their bench players, including Tessa Johnson, a native of Minnesota. Her legacy at Saint Michael Albertville High School lives on through the halls of the school, allowing everyone to witness the greatness she exhibited during her time there.
As a Freshman during the 2023-24 season, she scored an average of 6.6 points, with 1.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists, shooting 44.7% from the field.
“I only watched Tessa Johnson during the college championship game, but I was impressed by her skills and how she carried herself as a person. I am looking forward to watching more of her games and highlights in the future of her college career.”
