Raven Johnson Zeroes in on Scoring for Final Season with South Carolina
COLUMBIA — Raven Johnson didn’t hesitate when asked what she spent her offseason working on.
“Scoring,” Johnson said on Sept. 22. “I’m going to put that ball in the basket.”
Now entering her fifth and final year with South Carolina women’s basketball, Johnson will once again take the reins as Dawn Staley’s starting point guard. The 2025-26 season will mark her third year in that role — one that Staley repeatedly describes as the most important position on the court.
“Not only do we need her voice, we need her example of how to play the position and how to run our basketball team … I think she’s probably in the best physical, mental, just complete (shape),” Staley said. “We need her the most the way she is right now.”
Johnson has built her reputation as a strong passer and defender, but her offensive production dipped last season. She averaged just 4.9 points per game, down from 8.1 the year before, and took 54 fewer shots. For a team that reached the national championship game but struggled to match UConn’s depth of scoring options, her ability to add points is crucial.
“This offseason I was very much focused on details,” Johnson said. “Scoring, being consistent, looking for myself a little bit. I feel like if I look for myself a little bit more it will open it up for others, so I’ve been working on my shot. If people sag off me, I’m ready to knock down the shot.”
South Carolina’s addition of Ta’Niya Latson — the nation’s leading scorer last season at Florida State (25.2 ppg) — should also help. Johnson and Latson, former high school teammates and “best friends,” expect their natural chemistry to make the Gamecocks more dangerous.
Johnson already sits 10th in program history with 410 career assists, and with 97 more she’ll break into the top five. While her 108 assists last season were a career low, South Carolina also averaged fewer shots and points, which limited her opportunities. In 2023-24, when she dished 179 assists, the Gamecocks went undefeated at 38-0 — a reminder of how critical her playmaking is.
Still, Johnson says this year will be different.
“I feel a lot different,” she said. “I’m very excited about my progression and what I’m seeing for myself. I put in a lot of work this summer and it’s showing.”
Her résumé is already stacked: four SEC regular-season titles, three SEC Tournament championships, four Final Four appearances, and three trips to the national championship game.
And when asked how often the Gamecocks talk about chasing another national title?
“Every day,” Johnson said with a smile.
