Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Johnson gaining confidence in new role
2/8/2018 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Junior guard averaging 12.6 ppg since entering starting lineup
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – With the regular season entering its final stretch, Middle Tennessee guard Antwain Johnson is rounding into form in a new role at the perfect time.
The junior Greenwood, Florida native has started the last five games and proven he can be a dynamic scorer on the wing, something MT has needed at times this season in its starting lineup.
Johnson was shooting just 37.8 percent from the floor before entering the starting lineup, but over the last five games has shot to the tune of 46 percent while scoring in double figures three times. His most recent outing featured a career-high 23 points against Charlotte.
"I think he's as talented as any guard in our league, and he had a great trip [against ODU and Charlotte]," Blue Raider head coach Kermit Davis said. "He scored at a high level and made some big plays down the stretch in both games. I can just tell his confidence level is growing and his play has really picked up."
It's hard to believe Johnson's best sport growing up actually may not have been basketball.
He was a dynamite shortstop and centerfielder at Malone High School, and could have played at a high level collegiately. But, Johnson decided during his senior year he didn't want to pursue baseball past high school.
That doesn't mean he doesn't still dream about the diamond, though.
"I mean, I'm probably rusty now, but I've been over to the cage and I can still hit," he said. "Baseball was my first sport and my first love, so I kind of miss it at times."
Once he decided as a senior at Malone that basketball was his future, Johnson just had to find the perfect college to utilize his talents. The problem was not many programs that fit the bill came calling.
He garnered a few Division I scholarship offers, but wasn't satisfied with any of them like he thought he should've been.
Instead of taking an offer he wasn't sure on, Johnson chose to attend Chipola College, a junior college close to his hometown in Marianna, Florida where 20 years earlier a young Davis made a three-year coaching stop in between jobs at Texas A&M and Utah State.
After averaging 15.9 points and 1.8 steals per game in his freshman season, more offers started rolling in for Johnson, including one from Davis and Blue Raiders.
From the minute Davis and his coaching staff contacted him, Johnson knew Murfreesboro would be his next home.
"I had a lot of people offer me, but Middle just seemed like the right fit," Johnson said. "A lot of people around Chipola knew what type of coach Coach Davis is and what type of person I am, and they told me I could be a perfect fit in his system."
Since arriving at MT, Johnson has showcased both a good shooting touch and an incredible athletic ability that's led to back-to-back wins in the preseason Murphy Madness dunk contest.
He's shown flashes of being a big-time scorer, pouring in 18 and his career-high 23 points in the Blue Raiders' last two games. He also led the team with 19 points in last year's NCAA Tournament Round of 32, at the time a career high.
It's not just Johnson's shooting and leaping abilities that will keep him in the starting lineup, however. He also has a 13:4 assist-to-turnover ratio in the last five games, and seven of his 13 steals this season came in that span.
"It's just a matter of me reaching my fullest potential and helping the team as much as I can," Johnson said. "At first, I was focusing more on scoring, but I'm trying to do the little things like grabbing rebounds and deflecting passes that help us win games.
"Since I've come here, I've had a different role, and it's just a matter of getting comfortable. I feel like I'm more comfortable and confident in the offense, and I'm picking my spots better."
Of course, cracking the starting lineup isn't the end goal for Johnson. He still has plenty of room to improve both during games and in practice.
"He has to be a more mature practice player," Davis said. "We talk a lot about coming into practice and using his time in the gym by himself to shoot game-like shots and getting good tempo."
If Johnson can keep performing in the starting lineup, Middle Tennessee will be that much more dangerous as the regular season closes. He could be just what the Blue Raiders need to get back into the NCAA Tournament, where he's shown he's at his best.
The junior Greenwood, Florida native has started the last five games and proven he can be a dynamic scorer on the wing, something MT has needed at times this season in its starting lineup.
Johnson was shooting just 37.8 percent from the floor before entering the starting lineup, but over the last five games has shot to the tune of 46 percent while scoring in double figures three times. His most recent outing featured a career-high 23 points against Charlotte.
"I think he's as talented as any guard in our league, and he had a great trip [against ODU and Charlotte]," Blue Raider head coach Kermit Davis said. "He scored at a high level and made some big plays down the stretch in both games. I can just tell his confidence level is growing and his play has really picked up."
It's hard to believe Johnson's best sport growing up actually may not have been basketball.
He was a dynamite shortstop and centerfielder at Malone High School, and could have played at a high level collegiately. But, Johnson decided during his senior year he didn't want to pursue baseball past high school.
That doesn't mean he doesn't still dream about the diamond, though.
"I mean, I'm probably rusty now, but I've been over to the cage and I can still hit," he said. "Baseball was my first sport and my first love, so I kind of miss it at times."
Once he decided as a senior at Malone that basketball was his future, Johnson just had to find the perfect college to utilize his talents. The problem was not many programs that fit the bill came calling.
He garnered a few Division I scholarship offers, but wasn't satisfied with any of them like he thought he should've been.
Instead of taking an offer he wasn't sure on, Johnson chose to attend Chipola College, a junior college close to his hometown in Marianna, Florida where 20 years earlier a young Davis made a three-year coaching stop in between jobs at Texas A&M and Utah State.
After averaging 15.9 points and 1.8 steals per game in his freshman season, more offers started rolling in for Johnson, including one from Davis and Blue Raiders.
From the minute Davis and his coaching staff contacted him, Johnson knew Murfreesboro would be his next home.
"I had a lot of people offer me, but Middle just seemed like the right fit," Johnson said. "A lot of people around Chipola knew what type of coach Coach Davis is and what type of person I am, and they told me I could be a perfect fit in his system."
Since arriving at MT, Johnson has showcased both a good shooting touch and an incredible athletic ability that's led to back-to-back wins in the preseason Murphy Madness dunk contest.
He's shown flashes of being a big-time scorer, pouring in 18 and his career-high 23 points in the Blue Raiders' last two games. He also led the team with 19 points in last year's NCAA Tournament Round of 32, at the time a career high.
It's not just Johnson's shooting and leaping abilities that will keep him in the starting lineup, however. He also has a 13:4 assist-to-turnover ratio in the last five games, and seven of his 13 steals this season came in that span.
"It's just a matter of me reaching my fullest potential and helping the team as much as I can," Johnson said. "At first, I was focusing more on scoring, but I'm trying to do the little things like grabbing rebounds and deflecting passes that help us win games.
"Since I've come here, I've had a different role, and it's just a matter of getting comfortable. I feel like I'm more comfortable and confident in the offense, and I'm picking my spots better."
Of course, cracking the starting lineup isn't the end goal for Johnson. He still has plenty of room to improve both during games and in practice.
"He has to be a more mature practice player," Davis said. "We talk a lot about coming into practice and using his time in the gym by himself to shoot game-like shots and getting good tempo."
If Johnson can keep performing in the starting lineup, Middle Tennessee will be that much more dangerous as the regular season closes. He could be just what the Blue Raiders need to get back into the NCAA Tournament, where he's shown he's at his best.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballMTSU Men's Basketball Recap vs Kennesaw State University
Friday, February 13
Nick McDevitt LIVE: Presented by The Boulevard Bar & Grille (Video) - 2.9.26
Monday, February 09
MTSU Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs FIU 2/4/26
Wednesday, February 04
Nick McDevitt LIVE: Presented by The Boulevard Bar & Grille (Video) - 2.2.26
Tuesday, February 03
