Johnson Steps Up For Broncos

By Gabe Taylor

Freshman Denzel Johnson has emerged as a much-needed bright spot in a dwindling season for the men's basketball team. Following Kevin Foster's arrest and subsequent punishment, Johnson  has  stepped up to fill the void left by Foster. The freshman capitalized on 34 minutes of playing time against the University of San Francisco on Jan. 26, when he erupted for an efficient 26 points on 12-18 from the field. 

After a postseason tournament championship last season, expectations were high for the Broncos. Foster was coming off of his best season. A month ago, it even appeared as though the success was carrying over into this season, with victories over recognized programs New Mexico and Villanova.

Despite losing last season's leading rebounder Marc Trasolini to  an injury over the summer, no one even considered a 0-10 conference start to be plausible, or that Foster would face a drunk driving charge. 

But even with all of the negative outcomes, this season hasn't been all bad, thanks to the experience that Johnson and this youthful team is loading up on. 

After all, basketball is in his blood. His brother, Brandon Johnson, plays at Division II Kentucky Wesleyan and former National Basketball Association superstar Gary Payton is his uncle. 

"Once the shots started going down, I kept attacking," said the California native Johnson, adding later that his in-game decisions were based on "whatever the team needed to be in a position to win."

Broncos' Head Coach Kerry Keating has been confident in the player that he recruited to come play at Santa Clara.

"We certainly felt that he could be that player all along," said Keating.  

Keating noticed Johnson's transformation three weeks ago during practice, prompting him to claim that Johnson looked like the best player on the floor. 

"In all likelihood you're going to play like you practice," said Keating.

And Johnson has done just that. In Santa Clara's last game on the road against the University of San Diego, Johnson posted 20 points, going 8-12 from the field. 

Since earning Foster's minutes, Johnson is shooting a noteworthy 58 percent as a two-guard. His 18 points per game in the previous four contests tops Foster's 17.8 season average. 

"Anytime you have a guy like that you just want to put him in the starting lineup, and he has taken that role very well," said Keating. 

Before Foster was arrested, Johnson was limited to bench minutes. During those games, he struggled to find a rhythm. 

"The more time you're out on the court the more confident, the more comfortable you are," said Johnson. 

On the season, he is averaging 13 minutes per game, even when factoring in his time as a starter. 

"He certainly is taking advantage of the situation right now to benefit himself and also to benefit the team," said Keating. 

When Keating first saw Johnson compete in high school, he recognized the poise of the soon to be Bronco. 

"He had a great feel for the game; a great demeanor," said Keating, praising his knack for getting in the lane and understanding when and how to use his strength. 

Johnson credits much of his success as a Bronco to his upper-class teammates, and their ability to lead by example.

With a young team, that relationship between rookies and veterans is crucial. Robert Garrett's progress throughout the season has been significant. Brandon Clark came out of the gates with little to no hesitation when driving to the hoop. Yannick Atanga's rebounding (5.3 per game) and sheer athleticism are much-needed assets in the frontcourt. 

"(There are) a lot of bright spots in that freshmen class of six that give you great hope for the future," said Keating. 

Foster is expected to be withheld from tonight's road game against USF, giving Johnson yet another chance to torch the Dons. 

Contact Gabe Taylor at gtaylor@scu.edu or (408) 554-4892.