Guru’s WNBA Report: Rookie Johnson’s 25 Keys Washington Win Over Atlanta

By ROB KNOX (@knoxrob1)

 

Stella Johnson helped the Washington Mystics get their groove back.

 

In helping the Mystics terminate a seven-game slide, the rookie guard from Rider made her first career start and shined brighter than the sun by scoring a career-high 25 points to help Washington defeat Atlanta, 98-91, at IMG Academy Wednesday night In Bradenton, Fla., near Tampa/St. Petersburg.

 

In the other two games on the nightly three-game card, the Minnesota Lynx 91-84 win over the Dallas Wings and the Los Angeles Sparks 83-74 win over the Phoenix Mercury, coupled with the Chicago Sky closing seconds win over the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday forced a three-way tie for second behind the Seattle Storm. 

 

Meanwhile, it took Washington’s Johnson a few seconds to realize she was going to be in the starting lineup in only her third game for the Mystics (4-7 overall).

 

“I was in the back of the room with my eyes wide open,” Johnson said after learning she was starting. “I couldn’t believe it and I was kind of in shock. 

 

“I had to zone in on the scout. There were a lot of things running through my mind. I just had to trust the process and I just played with the mentally. 

 

“I had to get that through my head that I am here on a WNBA court and I am here to play.”

 

Fueled by a fearless spirit, short memory, and motivational chats from her family, the passionate Johnson enjoyed an elegant performance to cherish in making a Mystic franchise rookie record six 3-pointers. 

 

She broke Keri Chaconas's rookie record of five for Washington in 1998. Johnson, the nation’s leading D-1 women’s leading scorer out of Rider last winter, was one 3-pointer off the WNBA rookie record and two points shy of tying the Washington rookie record, set by Nikki McCray in 1998.

 

In addition to Johnson, Myisha Hines-Allen, showcasing a new hairstyle, added 23 points. 

 

Ariel Atkins added 13 points, Emma Meesseman had 12 points and 10 assists, and Leilani Mitchell also scored 12 points to pace a balanced Mystics effort.

 

Those efforts were needed to offset a dynamite performance by Atlanta’s opponent-wilting duo of Rutgers product Betnijah Laney (35 points) and Courtney Williams (30). They couldn’t prevent the Dream from suffering their ninth straight loss. 

 

However, the night belonged to Johnson. 

 

She consistently showcased the character and resilience of a champion during her inspirational journey, always believing she would produce once she got an opportunity. 

 

All of the years of shooting in an empty Alumni Hall gym on Rider’s campus, the outdoor court down the street from where she grew up and the driveway in front of her house in Denville, N.J., paid dividends for the affable 5 foot, 11 inch guard. Those moments helped her navigate the temporary turbulence of being waived by Phoenix Mercury in training camp and the Chicago Sky last week. 

 

“You just have to stay positive and have confidence in yourself,” Johnson said to CBS Sports Network following the game. “Thanks to my parents, I stayed ready and I just kept working hard in the morning, afternoon, and night. 

 

“The best advice I got was don’t be fearful when you step on the court. You’re young and they’re going to attack you, but you can’t be fearful or else you won’t get anywhere in life.” 

 

A tattoo of a Zibu symbol behind her elbow provides a constant reminder of the strength she already has to be successful.

 

“It’s an angelic symbol that means to listen within,” said Johnson of her tattoo. “When you’re anxious, you have to listen within. God is in your heart and you have to listen to what he is saying to you and believe in yourself. I always had to work hard to get somewhere.”

 

In rebounding from the immediate adversity of firing an airball on her first shot attempt of the game, Johnson showcased Jersey grit and heart, qualities that don’t appear on scouting reports and rosters, to imbue the Mystics with confidence. 

 

Once she got comfortable, Johnson unleashed a pair of tsunami-like scoring bursts, resulting in 20 quick points and a mesmerizing momentum shift. In a little under eight minutes between the second and third quarters, the cool, serene and steady Johnson outscored the Dream, 20-15. 

 

By the time she finished scoring 12 consecutive points in the second quarter and eight of the Mystics’ first 11 points in the opening two minutes, 14 seconds of the third quarter, the Mystics had transformed a 28-26 deficit into a 56-43 bulge. 

 

“I kept hesitating when I was shooting the ball,” Johnson said. “I heard coach Thibault tell me to stop hesitating. So, I shot the ball without thinking. I started to loosen up a little more, breathe, and relaxing. I was in my head a little bit. My teammates were like just shoot, you’re here to shoot and be aggressive.”

 

In addition to showcasing her dynamic 3-point shooting, Johnson attacked the basket with fury, finished deftly around the basket over clusters of bigger and stronger defenders, and finished the game with a pair of key free throws in the final minute to keep the Dream at a safe distance.

 

“I told my veterans walking in the locker room after the game, that it was nice to have a rookie player who’s not afraid,” Washington head coach Mike Thibault said. “She may have been nervous, but she wasn’t afraid. 

 

“Stella’s practiced well the last couple of days and she’s getting a better feel for the team. She’s a good shooter. Having her in the starting lineup, I felt we could sub better and have a little more balance to our team.”

 

Meanwhile, former Temple star Shey Peddy, who was waived earlier this week was signed by Phoenix to a seven-day contract while Jacki Gemelos, waived by the Connecticut Sun, was inked to a seven-day deal by Washington.

 

Minnesota Tops Dallas While Los Angeles Downs Phoenix

 

The Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks hooked into a three-way tie with the idle Las Vegas Aces for second off a pair of wins Wednesday night.

 

The Lynx rallied and held off Dallas (4-8) while the Sparks beat Phoenix as the second-half of the shortened 22-game schedule of the WNBA regular season impacted by the Covid-19 virus got under way.

 

The combo of events allowed the red hot Seattle Storm (11-1)  to open a two-game lead over the trio of challengers, who themselves are just a half-game in front of the Chicago Sky (8-4), who was idle.

 

Phoenix (6-6) is two back of the Sky in sixth and a game in front of seventh-place Connecticut (5-7), which at the moment is a half-game ahead of the Indiana Fever and Washington, who are tied in the last playoff slot at eighth just a half-game ahead of Dallas.

 

Atlanta and New York finish bringing up the rear.

 

In the Lynx win (8-3) win over a non-NBA affiliated independent squad in terms of front office leadership, Minnesota got 21 points from rookie Crystal Dangerfield fueled by five three pointers, while reigning rookie of the year Napheesa Collier got 18 points.

 

Both players are former UConn teammates one year apart.

 

Dangerfield with six assists became the fourth newcomer in team history to have a game with 20-plus points and minimum five assists joining Collier, former Tennessee star Tonya Edwards and former Louisiana Tech star Betty Lennox.

 

Overall, the Lynx were 14 of 23 from beyond the arc.

 

Damiris Dantas and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan each scored 10 points.

 

Dallas (4-8), in a crowded group fighting for the last playoff spot got five threes and 22 overall points from Alisha Gray, while Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 points, Kayla Thornton had 14 and 14 rebounds, while Marina Mabrey scored 16.

 

The Wings had an early eight-point lead in the third period before Minnesota rallied for a 30-19 lead in the fourth quarter.

 

In the late game, like the Minnesota affair, one featuring West only opponents, former Tennessee standout Candace Parker had 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists for Los Angeles, while Diana Taurasi helped Phoenix close the gap in the final period shooting four three-balls over a three-minute stretch that brought the Mercury within a basket at 73-71.

 

But that was it until a Taurasi foul shot.

 

Parker reached her 5,500^th career point and Chelsea Gray and Brittney Sykes also scored 16 points each.

 

Taurasi had 19 for Phoenix and Brittney Griner scored 13.

 

Looking Ahead

 

On Thursday’s card, Connecticut bangs into the late game on CBS Sports facing Phoenix at 10 after Chicago opens the night’s action at 7 facing New York on CBSSN followed by Seattle against Indiana on a game screened by facebook at 8 p.m.

On Friday, Vegas meets Atlanta followed by Washington and Dallas before Phoenix faces Minnesota.

Continuing into Saturday, Seattle and Las Vegas play at 3 on CBS followed by Chicago and Indiana and concluding with New York and Connecticut.

The weekend concludes Sunday with Atlanta vs. Minnesota at 4 p.m. followed by Dallas and Vegas at 46, and concluding with Phoenix and Washington at 8.

The Guru contributed to this report.