Jan 21, 2012
By Joe Szynkowski, Photos by Chris Kays
The days of sneaking up on opponents are long gone for Jerry Johnson, Jr. Meridian’s standout senior swingman is now a focal point of opposing defenses, which scheme game plans to squelch his improved scoring skills.
The added attention hasn’t slowed Johnson down a bit. “I work a lot,” he said. “I practice a lot on my own and really worked on my offense over the summer. I’m stronger on defense but not really too good on offense.”
Johnson may be underselling his skills with the basketball, possibly still trying to sell that underdog role. Meridian Athletic Director Mitch Haskins, who helps with the basketball program, has seen Johnson improve his offensive game by leaps and bounds.
“This summer, he worked really hard on his ball-handling and extending his shooting range,” Haskins said. “You can see obvious skill improvements over the course of the season so far. He’s a threat to shoot the ball, much more than he was a year ago.”
Numbers Game
The proof is in the numbers for Johnson. He averages 15 points and seven rebounds per game for the up-tempo Bobcats, who routinely put 70 points on the scoreboard.
His Eldorado Holiday Tournament statistics were even better – 17 points and eight rebounds per game – as Meridian defeated three 2A River to River Conference schools on its way to a third-place finish. He was named to the all-tournament team for the third straight season and reached 1,000 career points during the tourney.
As Johnson’s scoring stats continue to pile up, he is most proud of his 4.5 steals per game this season. “I really have worked on my timing,” Johnson said. “I try to anticipate what the other guy will do with the ball to help get steals. We do a lot of little drills in practice to help with that.”
“He’s a real defensive presence,” said longtime Meridian coach Jeff Mandrell. “He blocks a lot of shots and can intimidate with his aggressiveness and rebounding. It seems like whenever you need a key rebound, you look up and he’s got the ball.”
Meridian starting point guard Cameron Ballard says the Bobcats aren’t worried about getting burned by whoever Johnson is covering on game night. “He blocks a lot of shots,”
Ballard said. “You can see that a lot of players are discouraged about brining it inside against him. A lot of players stay away from him.”
Shooting for State
Johnson’s dependable rebounding and defense, coupled with a new emphasis on shooting accuracy, might give the Bobcats a boost in the postseason. Meridian is certainly battle-tested after last year’s surprise run to the 1A super-sectional championship game, which it lost, 50-41, to Woodlawn.
It was the Bobcats’ upset of Trico a game prior that really gave the squad momentum heading into this season. Meridian grabbed an early lead over Pioneers – then ranked fourth in the state – and used its length and full-court pressure to earn a spot in the title game.
Johnson scored 11 points in the win over Trico to help end Meridian’s nearly four-decade absence from the Elite Eight. The Bobcats are now focused on trying to make the state tournament for the first time since 1972. Meridian finished second that year under coach Jim Byassee, ending their 30-2 season with a 63-57 loss to Lawrenceville in the title game.
The Bobcats started this season by ripping off wins in 13 of their first 15 games, and were ranked fifth in the state in mid-January. They were well on their way to securing their seventh straight 20-win season.
“We’re trying to go as far as we can,” Johnson said. “I think we have more depth than in recent years and that pays off.”
Always a Bobcat
Johnson was destined to succeed as a Bobcat. His father, Jerry Johnson, Sr., played for Meridian and has now been an assistant for the team for more than a decade. His older brother, Marland, was a standout 6-foot-6 forward for the Bobcats who finished with more than 1,500 points in his career. He also served up plenty of growing pains for his younger sibling during many backyard brother battles.
“Oh, man. Playing against him helped me learn what it would take to guard bigger guys,” the younger Johnson said. “Marland is still a huge influence. He helps me a lot. He’s always calling with advice from things that he’s hearing about the way I’m playing.”
Johnson said he rarely hears comparisons to his older brother anymore, mainly because of their size difference.
There is one common trait that Meridian fans have surely recognized. “Aggressiveness. No matter what, he always played aggressively,” Johnson said of his older brother. “I really never had that part in my game but I’ve always tried to imitate the way he played. I try to take little pieces of him and his style and put them into me.”
Johnson has formed his own legacy at Meridian by shifting into a premier shooter. He has scored more than 20 points in a game multiple times this season.
“He will step out and hit the 3,” Mandrell said. “He’s not the primary ball-handler for us, but he is capable of scoring if he gets the ball on a fastbreak.”
Mandrell, who has coached at Meridian since 1998, says student-athletes like Johnson are what make his job so enjoyable. “He’s just a great kid to coach,” he said. “He shows up every day to work and does the best he possibly can. He’s one of those players that you feel fortunate to get the chance to coach.”
Haskins, who has been at Meridian for 20 years himself, calls Johnson a model student and ballplayer.
“Jerry is an outstanding individual with very high morals,” he said. “He works very hard at his game and is a very good student…he doesn’t waste any opportunity to gain from educational or extra-curricular activities, whether that’s in the hallways, on the baseball field or in the basketball court.”
Joe Szynkowski is a freelance writer for SISC. He can be reached at joeszynkowski@hotmail.com.
