Recruitng Report: Keith Johnson (2018)
After earning MVP honors in a loaded field at our Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo last September, Dubuque, Hempstead 2018 Keith Johnson has been plenty revered by us. And that admiration too is starting to come in the form of…
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Continue ReadingAfter earning MVP honors in a loaded field at our Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo last September, Dubuque, Hempstead 2018 Keith Johnson has been plenty revered by us.
And that admiration too is starting to come in the form of recruitment for the 6-foot 5 combo-forward.
“Winona State in Minnesota, Augustana (SD), Sioux Falls, all those colleges are looking at me right now. And some colleges in North and south Dakota are recruiting me, I’m not exactly sure which ones,” said Johnson.
“I’m planning to taking visits to some of those colleges this summer, just to see what the campuses are like and how college actually goes.”
Still, with the rest of his junior season ahead (which could go well into March on his loaded Hempstead squad), and then his 17U grassroots season after that, Johnson has plenty of time to see his recruitment materialize.
“I’m going to stay humble. I would like a scholarship to a college to get an education; if that’s a full-ride scholarship or a half scholarship to a Division II, whatever that would be I’m keeping my options open and staying humble,” said Johnson, who says he’ll play with Tri-State Steam again this summer.
“I’m definitely expecting to play wit the Steam again, that’s a very good program and Coach Carlos (Pittman) has helped me a lot over the past few years, and I have to stick with him.”
Johnson added: “Over the years I’ve played up with Steam, and I’ve gotten used to playing guys that are a year older, so that will help with matchups and experience-wise and stuff like that.”
A very long and athletic forward with a versatile skill-set, Johnson has all the tools to succeed at the next level.
He’s started to become dominant at the high school level season, and is averaging 11.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.8 steals per game during his junior season.
“I think my defense is still pretty good like it’s been. But I think on the offensive end I’ve gotten a lot better at reading screens and with my footwork; shooting is something I’ve improved on a lot from this year to last year especially,” said Johnson.
“I could still work on ball-handling, and that’s something that I work on everyday.”
Johnson added: “My role on offense, being one of the top three scorers on the team, has increased a lot. And rebounding has improved a lot this year, they really ask me to make the grit plays and hustle plays that not a lot of people are willing to make.”