South Carolina women's basketball: Tessa Johnson commits to Gamecocks
South Carolina Women’s Basketball: News • Recruiting • Schedule • Roster • Stats • SEC • Polls • Scholarships
South Carolina got its second commitment in the past week when Tessa Johnson committed to the Gamecocks Wednesday morning.
Johnson is a 5-10 guard from Albertville, MN. She is the 27th-ranked prospect in the class of 2023. Johnson suffered a broken femur as a sophomore that coast her the entire season and made her something of an unknown. She has fully healed and made a name for herself in a state that has embraced women’s basketball.
Johnson announced her decision during a ceremony at her school. She chose South Carolina over Minnesota and Baylor. There was significant pressure on Johnson to stay home and play for the Gophers, especially after top-ten recruits like Paige Bueckers, Maya Nnaji, and Olivia Olson all chose to leave the state.
Special: Get a year of Gamecock Central for $10!
Johnson visited South Carolina the weekend of September 24. She kept her recruitment low-key and did not announce any of her visits at the time.
South Carolina has between four and nine open scholarships for next year, depending on who among the seniors decides to use a covid year. Laeticia Amihere, Brea Beal, Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke, and Olivia Thompson are seniors who have the option of returning for next season.
Garnet Trust: Support and connect with USC student-athletes
Staley does not like to carry a full roster because it is hard to keep everyone happy, plus it is prudent to have a couple of available scholarships for the transfer portal. That suggests South Carolina would like to sign two or three more players, however, they wouldn’t turn away any of their remaining targets.
Johnson joins Sahnya Jah in South Carolina’s 2023 class. South Carolina’s remaining targets are Aalyah Del Rosario, Malaysia Fulwiley, Chloe Kitts, and Judea Watkins.
