CLEVELAND — South Carolina was struggling. In a game where it needed to punch first, and punch heavy, it was spitting out teeth like Tic Tacs after Iowa scored the first 10 points.
The bench is thin, but productive. The older players weren’t getting it done.
Dawn Staley summoned MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson, and 30 minutes later, the Gamecocks were national champions.
“Not necessarily telling us to switch things around, just play how we play,” Johnson described as Staley’s instructions. “Seeing that me and Lay were on the bench, obviously in the beginning of the game, and no one was really attacking.
“Her game is about attacking. I attack when I need to attack.”
That mentality is why USC is holding a trophy.
Johnson, the freshman known for her rainbow 3-pointers (The “9 To 3”), scored a team-high 19 points in Sunday’s 87-75 title win over the Hawkeyes. That was also her season-high.
She hit three 3-pointers but was also darting into traffic, popping jumpers and getting to the rim. It concluded an immense NCAA Tournament; after she scored zero points in the opener against Presbyterian, she hit double figures in three of the final five games.
Johnson’s performance was so good that it could have earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors (there were votes, plural, for her). It went instead to Kamilla Cardoso, while Johnson was on the All-Final Four team.
“Kamilla got that,” Johnson said, a nod to her native Minnesota-nice all the way. “Kamilla got that.”
It was the kind of showing that simply reinforced what USC has shown all year — it does not have a singular star. It is the sum of its parts, and all of those parts can play extremely well, and often did.
“Tessa was due for a breakout game. When to do it better than on a national stage?,” said Te-Hina Paopao. “For her to do that on such a big stage, I'm so proud of her. Her confidence has grown so much.”
Cardoso is (for now) the only confirmed departure of this year’s team. Johnson’s role will increase next year because as Staley says, “you play well, you play more.”
But even if not, she’s learned how a team-first effort can bring home a championship. If she has to do that again, fine by her.
“We’re a young team, we’re a new team, it says a lot for our future,” she said. “I’m going to take this moment in as long as I can, but obviously there will be a moment where we have to do it against next year.”
