Shawnee State University’s women’s basketball team has been off to a fire start this season with a 7-1 record, and a big reason for their success is upperclassmen players on the team like Jada Johnson, senior guard from Nashville, Tennessee. Known for her ability to score from all three levels, Johnson has shown that she can heat up fast and score in bunches. Even in games where she plays limited minutes, she has found ways to reach double figures, proving to be an electric offensive weapon for her team. In the Bears’ most recent game against Division ll Cedarville, Johnson only played 11 minutes but still managed to score 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Her quick-scoring ability has been a huge asset to the Bears’ offense this season.
Last September, Johnson tore her ACL, which required surgery and a six-month recovery. She explained how tough it was mentally and physically on her to be sidelined for an entire season, but she also explained how thankful she is for the path God put her on, saying it’s made her tougher.
“I tore my ACL back in September last year,” she said. “I ended up having surgery in October. The recovery was six months. It honestly feels great to be back at 100%. It was very hard not playing and working back to healthy, but I am forever thankful for having God on my side through it all, and this almost made me who I am today and helps me take on any situation with a positive outlook. I am in a way better state of mind now than I was six to eight months ago. It was a very hard time being away from the game and just my body always aching.”
Sitting out could have taken a bad turn for Johnson, but she decided not to let herself fall completely behind and found ways to help improve her game. Sitting out for a while gave her a chance to work on the details and the basic parts of her game like her form and IQ. She’s come back with better court vision and improved shooting. While seeing some improvements can be good for her, she’s also starting to have some struggles to get back to her pre-injury self.
“With having torn my ACL last season, I feel like sitting on the side allowed me to see the court better and gain a better understanding of where people are on the floor and just really seeing the game better,” she said. “I’ve gained better court vision and can make better passes. For a while, all I could work on was shooting because of my leg, so I had to do a lot of form-based workouts and just really focus on the details while I wasn’t able to move around, so my shooting has improved.”
Like most players coming off a severe injury, Jada still feels a little off in some areas.
“But on the flipside of the improvements, I’ve seen some decreases in my game since being back. I feel a step slower on defense and offense, kind of just trying to get my feet back under me and get a good feel, but it feels like people can just get right by me right now.”
Johnson has contributed significantly to Shawnee State’s success, despite the fact that she is still recovering to full strength.
“Since my injury was so severe, I’ve taken a kind of lesser role for the time being to get back to 100%, but it has fit well with the team,” she said. “I think as I continue to grow and get closer to 100%, my role will become more vital and will give our team another sort of boost. But I’m satisfied with what I have so far, considering I am just about one year post-surgery. So, my biggest thing right now is finding myself again and finding a role to keep helping the team.”
Johnson is a dangerous player on the court because of her ability to score points fast and effectively. As she regains her athleticism and confidence, she will be an even more valuable asset for Shawnee State. Her role will only grow in importance as the team continues to win, and her comeback story is one to watch.
