Pocy Coal/BDT - POW - Devon Johnson (Richlands) Jan 31st-Feb 6th

[tbgfan 856]

February 9, 2011

 

Monster week for Johnson

 

By BRIAN WOODSON

Bluefield Daily Telegraph The Bluefield Daily Telegraph Thu Feb 10, 2011, 12:19 AM EST

 

RICHLANDS, Va. — Thirty-seven points and 24 rebounds sounds like a week’s worth of statistics for most high school basketball players.

 

For Devon Johnson, that was one game, in a 10-point hard-fought loss for Richlands against Southwest District leader Abingdon.

 

“The game at Abingdon was just an unbelievable performance,†Richlands head coach Jimmy McGee said. “He was just a manchild down there, it was a lot of fun.â€

 

Add 20 points and 18 rebounds in a win over Graham, and another 10 points and 18 boards at Grundy, and no wonder McGee was amazed once he compiled the junior’s stats at the end of the week.

 

Add them up and Johnson scored 67 points (22.3) and grabbed 60 rebounds (20.0) in a span of three games. No wonder the Richlands junior was selected as the Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week.

 

“Devon, in the last three weeks, has solidified himself as not only an extraordinary football player, but he has shown what a tremendous athlete he really is,†McGee said. “The kid is just unbelievably strong, coachable, he does what you ask him to do, and he knows one speed, he plays really hard and aggressive.

 

“He is just so strong. I was just amazed at the stats that he puts up last week.â€

 

No one was more surprised than Johnson, especially the morning after the hard-fought loss at Abingdon.

 

“I don’t really try to worry about (the stats), I don’t go ask about it, I usually find out the next day,†Johnson said. “I was surprised, I didn’t think I had that much. When you are in the game, you are just there to play and have fun.

 

“When I heard my scores and rebounds the next day at school, I was like, ‘Oh my God’, I couldn’t believe it.â€

 

While Johnson is more known for football, but he’s proven to be more than capable on the court.

 

“I have played all my life, just like I did football,†said Johnson, who transferred to Richlands with two brothers and a cousin prior to last school year. “I have got the same passion for it. Football will always be my sport, but I love basketball too.

 

“When I was little and I first touched a basketball and started shooting, I just started liking it. I played little-bitty basketball and after those games I just started falling in love with it. It was just another game for me again.â€

 

McGee is like many who speak highly of Johnson, who was selected as the Four Seasons Country football player of the year, and he has also verbally committed to play football at Marshall starting in 2012.

 

“It is not very often that you get a 6-3 kid that weights 220 pounds and that runs a 4.5 40 (yard dash),†McGee said. “Not only do you have the size, you have got the strength and you don’t lose any speed.

 

“It is pretty amazing when you look at him, he is just a special athlete, a special kid, you don’t get these types of kids very often.â€

 

In recent seasons, Richlands has been a halfcourt team, trying to find open looks for talented shooters like Ben Mulkey and Gunner McGee. That offense has now changed, and the Blues will now run from the start to the end of games, led by guards Austin Johnson and Sean Overton.

 

“I love that kind of game,†said Johnson, whose point guard is his brother, Austin, while his younger brother, A.J., is another a contributor for the Blues. “We do it in practice all the time, the coaches get us in there and make us run. We run all practice so in the fourth quarter we can hopefully tire the other team down.â€

 

While Johnson is aggressive on the football field — look at his three sacks and two tackles for loss in the first half of the state title game loss to Poquoson — he’s much the same on the court, no matter whether it’s scoring points or pulling down rebounds.

 

He showed that against Abingdon, dominating the boards and then beating the Falcon down the court for baskets.

 

“They pressed us, and when they did that press I would inbound the ball and Austin would throw it back to me,†Johnson said. “I would just use my speed to get by them and go down there and lay it in.â€

 

Johnson used that size, strength and speed to his advantage, much like he has done on the gridiron.

 

“It comes from football and just that power I have got to use over people because I don’t have that much height,†said Johnson, who combines with 6-8 James Patton and 6-4 Mason Taylor for a lethal inside attack. “I am only 6-2 or 6-3, I just try to use my power to get the rebounds..

 

“I don’t have a lot of height, but I have the power and I just use it to go inside and score. I just try to be aggressive and just work hard for the team and get some points and get some rebounds.â€

 

He’s been doing that for three seasons. Johnson is a three-year starter, playing as a freshman at Big Creek, and the last two seasons at Richlands. Yet, it’s been over the last few games that he’s surged into a standout on the court.

 

“I think the last 10 or 12 days has really come into his own,†McGee said. “He is just now getting his basketball reflexes, he has developed a real soft touch around the basket, and he has started knocking down his free throws.â€

 

Being so strong — Johnson’s exploits in the weight room at Richlands are growing in legend — it can be difficult for him in terms of being too aggressive and being called for fouls. McGee tells him to play all out, and let him worry about that situation.

 

“Everything he does is within the limitations of how basketball should be played,†McGee said, “He is a good kid, there is nothing he does that is out of bounds, he plays hard and he plays clean.

 

“Having the strength that he has makes it difficult for the most of the kids that play against him because he is just so strong.â€

 

His exploits have continued this week. Johnson scored 21 points in a win over Tazewell and another 20 in a loss at Twin Valley. Yet, his sole motivation isn’t stats or awards. It is all about winning games.

 

“I just wanted the team to have that win (at Abingdon), and I played for my team and I just wanted to see them happy and I just tried my best to get the win,†Johnson said. “I like seeing the numbers, but more importantly is I wanted to see my team smiling with a win.â€

 

Richlands has posted a 10-8 record this season, with a lot of thrillers along the way. The Blues are 6-3 in games decided by three points or less, and they’ve been in plenty of buzzer-beater type decisions.

 

“It really is exciting. We know that we have to buckle down and make these shots and make the free throws on the line,†Johnson said. “It is just real exciting, we get a good lead and then we will lose it there at the end, but we will come out with the win.â€

 

McGee added, “The thing that blows my mind, there have been 12 games that have been decided under 10 seconds, the last six to eight seconds. To win eight of those says something about those kids.â€

 

Especially for Johnson, who continues to prove that he’s more than just a football player. Just look at those stats, and this award. Few area athletes have won player of the week honors in football and basketball. Johnson is one of the few.

 

“It is a good award, but I would never think I would win player of the week for basketball,†Johnson said. “I don’t try to think of stuff like that, I just try to go out there and work hard and play hard.â€

 

He’s does it too. His best effort comes out in every game, no matter what the sport.

 

“I just think it says a lot about him as an athlete, I think it says a lot about him as a person because it definitely shows character and work ethic,†McGee said. “He’s just a joy to be around and a tremendous young man.â€

 

Those numbers will be hard to beat. 67 points and 60 rebounds in three games? Those are stats of still has McGee shaking his head.

 

“You just look at the week as a whole, the numbers are just unbelievable, it’s just mind-boggling really,†said McGee, who is also describes glowingly the intangibles that Johnson brings to the court. “It is just amazing what the kid can do.

 

“I think he has got that special ability, I don’t think the end is anywhere near for him. I think the sky is the limit for that kid, it really is.â€

 

—Contact Brian Woodson

 

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

 

 

 

Honorable Mention

 

(Jan. 31-Feb. 6)

 

Bland County (2-1): Asher Dillow, 43 points; Darryl Clark, 23 points vs. Northwood, 12 points v s. Graham; Chase Hankins, 12 points vs. Northwood.

 

Bluefield (1-2): Joe Woodrum, 20 points, 12 rebounds vs. Poca; Lykel Collier, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists vs. Poca, 11 points vs. Wyoming East; Kyle Harris, 13 points vs. Poca, 15 points vs. Princeton; K.J. Manns, 12 points, 10 boards vs. Princeton.

 

Graham (2-1): Euneke Diaz, 48 points; Jordan Bryan, 35 points; Trey McDaniel, 22 points, 11 rebounds vs. Marion, 10 points vs. Richlands; Aaron Davidson, 11 points vs. Marion.

 

Grundy (0-1): Ben Rife, 13 points; Travis Lester, 12 points.

 

Hurley (1-0): Tyler Cooper, 34 points, 1,000 for career; Dustin Waynick, 15 points; Tanner Charles, 10 points.

 

James Monroe (0-2): Andrew Evans, 34 points; Mark Dixon, 25 points; Micah Deskins, 14 points vs. Mount View; Keith Hunter, 12 points vs. Mount View.

 

Mercer Christian (2-1): Jamie Beckner, 62 points (40 vs. Seneca Trail); Chris Buchanan, 45 points; Chris Sweat, 45 points.

 

Montcalm (0-3): Matthew Pennington, 24 points, 12 boards vs. River View, 9 points, 3 blocks vs. Meadow Bridge; Matthew Pennington, 10 points, 7 assists vs. River View.

 

Mount View (1-1): Teddy Hazzard, 30 points, 18 in fourth quarter vs. James Monroe; Maurice Brown, 35 points. Antoine Calloway, 24 points.

 

Narrows (0-1): Ben Thompson, 16 points; Brock Lusk, 12 points.

 

PikeView (2-1): Tommy Symns, 40 points; Will Webster, 40 points; David Keen, 12 points, 5 boards vs. James Monroe, 14 points vs. Independence; Robby Samosky, 14 points vs. Mount View.

 

Pipestem Christian (2-0): Aleks Lane, 41 points; Bret Lane, 18 points; Austin Peyton, 11 points vs. Mercer Christian

 

Princeton (2-0): O.B. Pannell, 15 points; Nick Branson, 18 points vs.

 

Bluefield.

 

Richlands (2-1): James Patton, 20 points, 17 rebounds, 8 blocks vs. Grundy, 8 points, 10-plus blocks vs. Graham; Austin Johnson, 12 points vs Graham; Sean Overton, 19 points vs. Abingdon.

 

River View (2-1): Cody Underwood, 52 points, 19 assists, 30 points vs. Montcalm, game-winning 3 vs. Lincoln County; Cody Jackson, 40 points, 33 rebounds; Leshon Benton, 12 points, 7 rebounds vs. Lincoln County.

 

Summers County (0-2): Taran McKinney, 51 points, 18 rebounds.

 

Tazewell (0-2): Brad Rhudy, 39 points, 28 rebounds; John Walker, 38 points; Blake Hash, 27 points; Jalen Jordan, 21 points vs. Abingdon.

 

Twin Valley (1-0): Shannon Adams, 15 points; Chance Moore, 12 points.

 

 

 

Life has many choices---eternity two

[Irishman 30]

Congratulations Devon!!!!