July 27, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – Running sprints at practice can be punishing enough to a player, but when that player has to run with the knowledge that she will not get to step foot on the court during any games, it can be that much more punishing.

This is what faced South Carolina redshirt freshman women’s basketball player Melanie Johnson last season.

However, her big-picture outlook is what helped her through those trying times.

“I learned a lot as a redshirt last year, and now know how important execution is,” Johnson said. “If you open the door just a little bit for the teams in the SEC, they are going to jump on you. There isn’t too much room for mistakes. Every loose ball, every time out, everything matters, so you have to execute things the right way.”

Johnson starred at Barnwell HS during her prep career, as she was twice selected as the South Carolina AA Player of the Year and was a three-time all-state selection. Rated as a top-100 prospect nationally coming out of high school, she scored over 2,000 points during her prep career and averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds per game as a senior. Despite her lofty credentials, Johnson was forced to redshirt because of academic reasons. While redshirting, she connected with two of her teammates that were in a similar situation.

“Angie (Hunter), Lakesha (Tolliver) and I really bonded as redshirts,” Johnson said. Hunter joined her on the sidelines with an NCAA-mandated transfer redshirt after coming from Tennessee-Chattanooga, while Tolliver missed all but the first game of the season after tearing her ACL in practice. “It’s hard sometimes to motivate yourself to run when you don’t get to play, but we helped each other.”

Now that Johnson prepares for her first season of athletic eligibility, she has worked to improve her game.

“I am concentrating on my outside shot and taking the ball strong to the basket,” Johnson said. “My confidence level is really improving. I’m also working on my left hand and I can really see the results when I play pick-up games, but I will let November through March do the talking.”

The 6-2 forward said she can add to the South Carolina attack this year.

“Where I can help is with my rebounding and with my long arms,” Johnson said. “I have quick feet and can help the team by getting some steals.”

Johnson looks forward to helping the Gamecocks return to the NCAA tournament for the third time in the last four years, and said the team has come together during the summer.

“The chemistry is really improving,” she said. “Nobody wants to go through what we went through last year again, and we know what it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”