Diamond Johnson Puts Together Impressive Showing as NC State Defeats UNC Pembroke

RALEIGH NC – Diamond Johnson put on an excellent performance on Wednesday night as the #5 NC State Wolfpack WBB defeated the UNC Pembroke Braves 92-36 in an exhibition matchup. For coach Wes Moore, he was relieved and excited to finally get back out on the court in front of the fans. 

“It was really good to get in front of fans, hearing popcorn being popped and being in full uniform. We have South Carolina next week, so we still have a lot of things to clean up and have a long way to go.”

It marked the first time the Pack hit the court as a unit in 2021 and was Johnson’s debut in an NC State uniform. Johnson, a Rutgers transfer, was on fire, filling up the entire stat sheet. 

In her lone season with Rutgers in 2020, she was an absolute star as a freshman appearing in 19 games, averaging 17.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. The successful campaign is a significant reason she was immediately implemented into a substantial role in a talented rotation. 

Like any other season, Johnson’s mentality does not change. Even coming to a prestigious program like NC State, she remains to have the exact expectations for herself as a player.

“I set the same expectations for myself every year, just being me and being the same player that I am and just trying to keep growing and getting better and learning. I kind of have the same expectations as last season and just want to keep growing.”

She finished the contest with 18 points (game-high), 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in 17 minutes. Johnson went an insane 7-12 (58.3%) shooting and was perfect from the free-throw line making both attempts. Additionally, she shot the ball well from downtown going 2-5 (40%). 

The 5 foot 5 guard showed great promise and should be a key asset for the Pack all season long. She got off to an encouraging start to her new collegiate basketball journey, to say the least. The sophomore distributed the basketball exceptionally well to find the open player when she wanted to and is a crafty dribbler while having an above-average jump shot.  

The Pack will open up the regular season against #1 South Carolina at James T. Valvano Arena for a heavyweight battle. Tip-off will take place on Tuesday, November 9th, at 5:00 PM.