Cincinnati Recruiting, Seton Hall Recruiting, St. John's Recruiting, West Virginia Recruiting

GO (BIG) EAST, YOUNG MAN

Mt. Zion forward Karron Johnson plays at IS8, looks at Big East

by Zach Smart

It looks like the kid from a rich, traditional basketball breeding ground down south might be headed east. Karron Johnson, an electrifying, athletic 6-foot-7 forward, has pegged Seton Hall as a favorite. He’s getting more and more interest from Cincinnati and West Virginia, as well.

When we last left off, Johnson was seriously considering Kansas and Memphis. Some recruitment measures taken by the both schools, however, have allowed him to shift his focus to up north.

The Big East schools have come calling for Johnson’s services, and in a conference that’s underscored by guards (not a knock on Hasheem Thabeet or Luke Harangody), he could find a new hardwood home in the Big East landscape.

Johnson made a statement with an earth-shattering dunk with 3:10 remaining in the first half of the Juice All-Stars’ wild, 85-78 victory over New Heights in Saturday’s IS8 Fall Tip Off semi-final game. This pivotal bucket gave Juice a nine-point edge it wouldn’t squander. Ten seconds later, he jetted down the floor, in wind-sprint fashion, revving up the crowd with an eye-popping block. He’s a top-flight forward that jumps out of the gym and boasts some good mid-range life as well.

Johnson has been an instant staple in the starting lineup, ever since he established a New York pipeline with AAU Coach Wayne “Tiny” Morton, who is the head basketball coach at Lincoln High School.

He’s spent much of his fall season away from home, adapting to the high-horsepower, New York brand of basketball and getting acclimated to his new teammates’ style of play. He’s become a favorite target of highly-touted guard Lance Stephenson. The past two games, the tandem have hooked up for a number of momentum-rolling alley-oops.

Both Johnson and his family like the Seton Hall program, and maintain close ties with some of the coaches there.

The game you saw Saturday was the game that Oklahoma State, Memphis and a laundry-list of others are all in the market for.

Johnson hit his high-water mark and garnered the attention of these first-class schools this summer.

Teaming up with Stephenson and running through the New York hoop landscape it has allowed West Virginia, Cincinnati, St. John’s (where he made an unofficial visit this fall), and Seton Hall more of a chance to show interest in his skills.

He said if he had to pick today, there’s no way he could throw out a potential final four.

“It’s a slow process,” Johnson explained. “A real slow process. You definitely don’t want to pick somebody just because you think they’re somebody that they’re not. So, I’m just taking my time and going over every option.”

“I’ve got another visit to Oklahoma State that we’re planning, it should be coming up very soon.”

James Shange Black, a mentor and family advisor to the young man, said the presence of coach Bobby Gonzalez and a revamped recruiting class might be two major factors that could sway Johnson in the direction of Seton Hall. Black and Johnson also maintain a good relationship with coach Derm Player.

They know Player through Jeremy Hazell, the Harlem native who played alongside Johnson at The Patterson School in North Carolina.

The Johnson and his support system have yet to visit the New Jersey campus, but they like the chances of Johnson emerging as a Pirate.

Right now, the college search is an afterthought to Johnson. He is using these off-season tournaments as a launching pad to success when the regular season arrives and like’s the chances of his current school, Mt. Zion Christian Academy.

Mt. Zion has produced a boat-load of top-flight players. Not to light the hype TNT paraphernalia off early, but the next big time player might be on his way.

See our ‘Donate to NBE’ page for more details on our site donation drive!

Be Sociable, Share!

•