When the madness begins in the month of March, each and every year, Temeka Johnson’s motor goes into full drive.
Just ask the Lady Volunteers from Tennessee.
In Sunday’s Southeastern Conference Championship game against the Lady Vols, Johnson scored 24 points, hauled in nine rebounds and passed out seven assists to garner the Most Valuable Player selection as LSU won its second ever SEC Tournament title.
Johnson successfully penetrated the Tennessee defense and had defenders reading “Johnson” on the back of her jersey the majority of the contest.
“My mindset tonight was to just come out and play hard, and scoring just came easy,” Johnson said. “Everybody likes to play us in a zone, and I guess Tennessee being stubborn likes to play us man. That gets me motivated.”
Head coach Sue Gunter said Johnson achieves things that most think are impossible at 5-foot-3.
“She just amazes me everyday,” Gunter said. “You look at that kid and there’s no way she should be able to do all the things she does. I don’t know why it keeps surprising people or me because she does it day in and day out. She gets the job done. Somebody forgot to tell her that she isn’t 6-1. When she’s on a roll, she can dominate a game. Her quickness, it’s tough to stop.”
Success in the tournament is nothing new. In the 2002 SEC Tournament the sophomore Johnson led a shorthanded LSU squad, which was playing only six players, to a stunning 81-80 upset of No. 3 Tennessee in the semifinals.
Johnson had 18 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and four steals in that game.
While she has had much success on the court, Johnson did endure difficult times. She was not eligible for the first year and a semester, and during that time she was not able to practice with the team, per NCAA rules.
“When I first got back on the court, I sucked,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to become mentally focused when you’re in the gym on your own and you’re like ‘man, I’ll come back and do this tomorrow.'”
Gunter remembers how difficult the period was for Johnson when she could not play nor even practice with the team. To just play basketball, Johnson would often go play pickup games at the Student Recreational Center.
“That was gut-wrenching for someone that’s as competitive as she is,” Gunter said. “What really impressed me so much about her was she never complained. That whole year she was out, I don’t think she missed three practices. She came and watched. Then that semester [Fall 2001], she had her notebook and spent every practice taking notes; she was at every film session.”
Johnson finally did get on the court Dec. 16, 2001, against No. 14 Michigan. She scored two points and recorded seven assists, but it was not easy for her.
“It felt like I had run forever,” Johnson said. “I was so gassed. When I first got back on the court, I was questioning myself. Should I have comeback and all that. It was a lot of negative [thoughts]. But through the grace of God, I was able to showcase the talent he provided for me.”
When Kisha James went down with a torn ACL, Johnson was thrust into a starting role despite adjusting to playing the sport at a competitive level.
“People got to see who I was after sitting out for 18 months, but that wasn’t my main concern,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t worried about people knowing who I was.”
SEC Freshman of the Year forward Seimone Augustus said she was playing in the high school playoffs last year when LSU was playing against Tennessee in the epic 2002 contest. She watched a tape of the game and came away impressed.
“Playing with Temeka is a lot of fun,” Augustus said. “She’s a very competitive player, even in practice. She motivates everybody else and she works very hard.”
Added Gunter: “I think [the Tennessee game] put her in the spotlight. I think everybody took a look and a whole different perspective of her ability.”
As the floor general for one of the top teams in the nation, Johnson is hoping to extend the madness until the Final Four in Atlanta.