ATLANTA, GA-
The position of power forward is one of leadership, just as guards is on the defense.
A power forward is the voice in the huddle. A power forward serves as the link from coach to the defense. A power forward helps make play calls, assists in lining teammates up and physically making plays as well. Trailblazers’ freshman power forward Shaniqua Johnson, 20, is one of the cornerstones and faces of Atlanta Metropolitan State basketball. Known as “Niqua” among fans and teammates alike, Johnson is the model of what the Trailblazers want in a leader.
“When you look at Shaniqua, it’s that she can run when you watch her film. She’s a girl that can get all over the court with her feet and make a lot of plays,” Girls’ Coach Christian Anderson said. “She’s a girl that’s going to get an opportunity to play professional basketball at some point. I don’t know in what capacity, but she’s a girl that runs well, girl that’s physical, girl that uses her hands and a girl with great leadership that comes to work hard every day. She’s done everything that we’ve asked her to do and I think she’s going to get a shot, and when she gets a shot she’s going to take it and run with it.”
Johnson has grown into the role of leader since stepping foot on campus this Fall 2015 semester. She has been in a mainstay in the starting lineup when she first arrived from Whale Branch Early College. Johnson came to Atlanta Metro following one of her high school teammates. It is not uncommon for players to follow teammates because the sport of basketball is such a scheme dependent sport, players must find a system that works for their skill set.
“I actually visited when my defensive coordinator in high school came here. I came to follow Coach Anderson because I wanted to play for him,” Johnson said.
Listed at 5’10 and 163 pounds in as a freshman, Johnson remembers first stepping on the court for the Atlanta Metropolitan Trailblazers. Johnson made her college debut as a starter against Denmark Technical College in South Carolina with fifteen during that game. Despite all the plays the young forward made, she still remembers the play that she didn’t make in the first snap of her career.
Coach Anderson believes Niqua will leave Atlanta Metro as the most productive and most experienced power forward in program history. Before the 2015 season, Johnson had averaged 16 points which was already a Trailblazers’ record. That total has grown this season as she is leading the Panthers with an average of 45 total points.
The productive power forward has had a good college career so far. The growth she has experienced is not just physical as she has added about 5 pounds since her last high school season but it has also been mental. Johnson has grown in her time with the Trailblazers. That growth has come naturally because of the nature of the position she plays and because the coaching staff sees it in her at a very early age and looks to develop that leadership ability.
“Johnson and I talk about leadership quite a bit. Since we got here as a staff we identified that she is a girl with leadership potential and we’ve really worked with her to blossom as a leader,” Coach Anderson said.
So naturally a player that is constantly having to talk will grow into a voice for the other players on the team. The power forward can also be the one that is asked to rally the team in tough situations and Johnson is no different.
“Whenever we need someone to rally the troops she’s the girl that’s going to bring everybody up. She doesn’t just do it on the offensive side of the ball anymore. She does it for the entire team,” Coach Anderson said.
It also helps that she is a speech major when called upon to rally her team in tough situations.
“As a freshman coming in, I really just wanted to play basketball it wasn’t about being a leader at that time I just really wanted to play because I love the game,” Johnson said. “It was big for me to become a vocal leader other than by just my play, but it’s worked out well and I’m getting better at it.”
With many games left in the player’s career the next level of basketball begins to become a possibility. Johnson has had a good college career and as she enters the beginning stages of her freshman season the possibility of her playing in the WNBA gets closer and closer to becoming reality.
“She’s going to practice really hard, she’s going to watch film, she’s going to study, all the things she needs to do basketball wise as well as off the court,” coach Anderson said.