Recruiting Report: James Johnson (2017)
Recently, 6’6” forward/wing James Johnson (2017) picked up his first scholarship offer. The Roger Bacon senior was offered by Urbana.
“They say that I would fit their system well. Because they do a lot of ball-screens and stuff with their fours, get them a lot of open shots … I’m considering it,” Johnson said.
Johnson, who will play in the Division III State Semifinal against Archbold, is actually leaning towards a Division III program that happens to be right down the street from Urbana.
“Wittenberg is still my top choice right now,” Johnson said.
“I like that it’s a nice campus, small so I feel like I will get to know people more. And I like the basketball program,” Johnson said.
Johnson would also prefer staying close to home, so Wittenberg checks the boxes for him.
Wittenberg will have some competition for Johnson though. He identified Malone, Lourdes, and Alderson Broaddus (WV), as three schools that are a visit away from extending an offer.
“They want me to visit first before they make it official,” Johnson explained.
“I plan on visiting Lourdes, Urbana, and Malone, but things can change. I plan on committing in the next month or so,” Johnson said.
Wilmington, an in-state Division III program, is another school that would like to have Johnson on their team next season.
Whoever welcomes Johnson into their program is gaining a versatile, strong 6’6” forward that plays with great energy. He’s a prospect that doesn’t need the ball to effect the game. In fact, when asked about his strongest qualities, he didn’t even touch on scoring much.
“I’d say my best skill is either my rebounding or my versatility, playing in and out,” Johnson said.
As we alluded to earlier, Johnson is very effective when used to set on-ball screens. He can either roll and finish with physicality, but the pop/fade option is there because of his outside shooting.
Johnson has been a mismatch for Roger Bacon opponents this season. He’s definitely been one of their key players on this current post-season run.
With the Final Four approaching quickly, he’s confident in their chances. It’s just a matter of them sticking to their game-plan, according to Johnson.
He says you can expect him, individually, to just play hard and take shots when they’re open. There’s also a decent chance that he’ll be assigned to defend Archbold’s best player, regardless of position.