"[Melissa's presence] was definitely on the pro side of my list of pros and cons," Sarah said. "I didn't let [her being here] decide for me, but it was definitely a major benefit. And now that I'm here, it's more of a benefit than I thought it would be--just having family close by. I haven't gotten homesick yet."

With Sarah, Coach Delaney-Smith can rest easy knowing that she will have a prominent low-post player after Melissa's departure. Her older sister, however, does not just see her sibling as her replacement.

"Sarah is better than I was when I was as a freshman," said Melissa. "No question about it.

Landing the Johnson sisters signifies a huge step for Harvard in terms of recruiting. Without being able to offer athletic scholarships, Harvard is limited in its ability to entice the big-time high school players. Melissa and Sarah, however, say they can foresee Harvard evolving into a major force in women's basketball.

"This is just the beginning," Melissa said. "Our freshman class is so strong. And the recruits we're looking at for next year are all blue chip recruits. We are going to definitely be more and more a team that does well in the NCAA tournament, and becomes more of a nationally-known team."

Proving the Skeptics Wrong

The quest to attain those lofty goals begins in less than two weeks when Harvard takes on Stephen F. Austin in its season opener in Texas. Although the preseason Ivy League polls pick the Crimson to finish fourth in the league, Melissa and Sarah aim to help prove the so-called experts wrong.

"I think [the fourth-place ranking] is laughable," Melissa said. "But it doesn't bother me. All it does is motivate us. We have been working so hard, and every girl on the team has come back better than they were [a year ago]."