Edison High School guard Tierra Johnson has become one of the top players in the Greater Middlesex Conference. Last winter she led the Eagles to a state sectional championship. To watch Edison junior Tierra Johnson confidently handle the ball and shoot it with effortless grace, you’d never know this is an individual who never thought she would be considered among the best players in the Greater Middlesex Conference.
But Johnson is just that and, more important, her scoring, court leadership and defensive tenacity have enabled the Eagles to not only develop into a good GMC team, but one of the best.
“Tierra has grown a lot since she arrived here two years ago,” said her coach, Amy Hansen. “Now that she is going to be a senior, she has a wonderful opportunity to prove to herself what a great leader and competitor she has become.”
The Eagles return the nucleus from a group that was the surprise of the GMC by finishing with a 22-6 record including the North Jersey II Group IV sectional title by topping Bayonne, 68-53. The season ended with a 73- 50 loss to perennial power, Paterson Kennedy, but that defeat did not tarnish the luster on what was a great season, one that heralded the Eagles as a team to be reckoned with this year.
Johnson is the primary reason Edison should challenge for the Red Division crown and threaten to at least duplicate their state tournament run.
“We talked after that loss to Paterson Kennedy,” Johnson said, “and believe we’re capable of repeating what we accomplished if not more.”
Johnson led the Eagles in scoring with a 20-point average but it has been her ability to take advantage of her quickness that has made Tierra a more complete player. Using Johnson as the primary catalyst, Hansen incorporated an aggressive press that led to numerous turnovers and sparked a transi- tional fast break. Even catching Johnson for a few moments to talk about herself and her team proved to be a challenge with her whirlwind schedule that included participation in a weekend tournament in Syracuse, N.Y. Asked to explain how she competes on the court, Tierra prefers to let her play answer the question.
“People think it’s about her speed,” says Hansen, “but Tierra has developed an all around game which contributes to making the rest of the players better.” Even though she was blessed with natural ability, it’s been her commitment to work during the off-season that has elevated Johnson to the level where she is considered a college prospect.
Tierra’s initial exposure to basketball was as an eighth grader at the Franklin Middle School in Somerset. But it was after spending a lot of time with an uncle who “played the game his entire life,” that Johnson became a serious student of the game.
“He told me I should stick with it because he saw something in me when I picked up a ball and started dribbling and shooting. That encouragement was important because it motivated me to stay focused in school. I realized I wouldn’t have a future in basketball if I didn’t apply myself academically.”
Johnson moved to South Brunswick but, after playing for the high school freshman team, the family picked up stakes and arrived in Edison. Her sophomore year was a season of transition as is often the case when somebody is challenged by new surroundings. But Tierra’s junior year was her—and as it turned out, the team’s—coming out party.
“I feel my game is a perfect fit for how we play [at Edison],” Johnson says. “I have great teammates and a great coach. If there is one aspect of my game I’d like to improve, it’s my jump shot.”
If it’s a matter of hard work, there is little doubt Tierra Johnson will reach her goal.