LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It has been a productive last month or so for Sacred Heart Academy sophomore Zakiyah Johnson.
First, there was an AAU national title with West Virginia Thunder in late July.
"The national championship, that was my first," Johnson said. "That was my first ever. It was very exciting. It was intense. It went four overtimes."
Then, she was chosen for the Under Armour Elite 24 in August, one of only four players from the class of 2025.
"Top 24 and see who got game," Johnson said. "It was fun."
And third, she made the USA basketball U17 3-on-3 team.
"I think I exposed myself a lot this summer," Johnson said. "I played against a lot of different people with different talents, and that just helped me prepare for the next level."
The next-level possibilities are growing. Johnson believes the college offer count is up to 38, which isn't really surprising for a player ranked No. 4 nationally in the class of 2025 by HoopGurlz. A handful of schools were represented at Sacred Heart's first open gym of the fall semester, including Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy and Louisville head coach Jeff Walz.
"It's kind of just unreal," Johnson said of all the offers from a who's who of women's college hoops. "Like, it's really crazy."
The 5-foot-11-inch Johnson said all the accolades and offers won't make her complacent.
"This is actually pushing me a lot harder," she said. "I know I've already got the offers, but you can easily get them taken away. This just helps me keep going. It's like my push."
"Z's just an incredible young lady," said Donna Moir, athletic director and head basketball coach at Sacred Heart. "Very mature. She's got a great head on her shoulders, a lot of parental support, a lot of family support. You know, people just want to see her succeed."
And there's more success likely at Sacred Heart, where Johnson and her teammates hope to build on the state championship they won in March.
"First game, I was shaking, literally shaking in the locker room," she said. "But just to win, that feeling is unmatched."
She said the goal is win three more, and, with several other starters returning, the Valkyries will be one of the teams to beat again this season.
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