How Ta'Niya Latson's reunion with Raven Johnson smooths transfer to South Carolina basketball
"I got my point guard back," she said with a smile.
Latson and South Carolina women's basketball fifth-year point guard Raven Johnson have history. The duo were dynamite in high school in Atlanta and played AAU together, but they were separated across two teams and two conferences until now.
After three years at Florida State, the 5-foot-8 Latson has her former floor general, also 5-8, back by her side.
How did that first assist from Johnson in practice feel for Latson? Great.
"Me and Raven are just trying to build that chemistry again," Latson said. "Taking it day by day."
Latson entered the portal on March 27, and Johnson wasn't shy about saying she would try to help recruit her to Columbia. Johnson didn't announce she was using her extra year of eligibility until Latson announced she was transferring to South Carolina. Johnson's social media message on April 8 was centered around finding success with Latson at the college level.
For the two guards of mirroring heights who won three state championships together, something that has always clicked is reading one another. Anticipating the other's next move, knowing what kind of pass they want in a certain spot. It's a main point of their chemistry.
Johnson will be without both Te-Hina Paopao and Bree Hall, who started on each side of her for the past two seasons.
"We've been reading each other like that since high school," Latson said. "She knows my spots, I know her spots, and I know her confidence is getting back to where she needs to be, and also she's given me that confidence, too, to be myself."
The Seminoles finished 24-9 last season and Latson averaged a nation high 25.2 points per game, with two teammates averaging 17 and 15 points per game.
Latson isn't the only player who Johnson will look for this upcoming season, as coach Dawn Staley has a stacked roster filled with guards and post players who can dominate on offense.
At times, the Gamecocks could have used a consistent go-to scorer like Latson last season. That said, they bought into the idea that any given night, any of Staley's players could've been the star or leading scorer, and it carried them all the way to the national championship game.
Latson is aware she is coming into a different system in South Carolina, one with multiple offensive assets, but she knows some of her new teammates already, making some of the typical transfer portal rust nonexistent.
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Sophomore Joyce Edwards, last year's leading scorer, played AAU with Latson, as did senior forward Ashlyn Watkins.
"We were such a talented AAU team so when I went from that to Florida State, it was a big change for me," Latson said. "That was the biggest change for me, taking all those shots, honestly. But now I know what I need, and I know what the WNBA scouts want. I know how important it is to be under control, efficient, and also being able to spread the floor and get make good passes for my teammates."
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Ta'Niya Latson, Raven Johnson reunite at South Carolina women's basketball
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