Barrie Day School graduate Brandon Johnson seriously considered extending his basketball career at three different schools, including Division I Hampton University, but family ties prevailed in the end.
By choosing Division III Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., the 6-foot point guard became the fifth generation of Johnsons to attend the small southern school. In fact, Fisk's basketball gymnasium is named after Johnson's great grandfather, Tubby Johnson.
"It's a pretty big legacy," Brandon Johnson said. "It's a great accomplishment [to play at Fisk], and I feel I have a lot to accomplish."
He certainly achieved plenty during his two-year career at Barrie after transferring to the small private school from basketball powerhouse DeMatha. As a junior, Johnson helped establish the Mustangs as the team to beat in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference as they rolled out to a 13-1 league mark, but the inadvertent use of an ineligible player ended the team's season prematurely and left it with a 6-19 record.
Under the direction of first-year coach Jack Mitchell and alongside numerous inexperienced and young teammates, Johnson helped Barrie finish with a respectable 9-15 record last winter, which included a late victory over Takoma Academy.
"We had a really young, strong squad," Johnson said. "We came together at the end of the season, and it ended on a very good note, a lot better than I thought we would."
Along the way, Johnson, a second-team All-Gazette selection, averaged 22 points, seven assists and five rebounds a game. He poured in 18 or more points against the best teams on the schedule, including Good Counsel and Notre Dame Academy (Va.).
"The coaches on the Fisk staff followed and recruited Brandon this season and were `extremely happy' to have what they feel is a legitimate Division I student-athlete fall into their hands," Mitchell said. "This season, Fisk had a big win against Division I opponent Tennessee State. I'm sure that over the next four years, Brandon will help lead this program to even more significant wins. I think that Brandon will truly be an example of a big fish playing in a small pond."
Fisk won the Great South Athletic Conference title in 2003 and is coached by Larry E. Glover, who is also the athletic director at the school. Last season, Fisk reached the conference tournament semifinals before falling to LaGrange, 101-81.
|
