College-bound guard leads E.D. White

A lot of talented high school athletes play their senior seasons without knowing what their athletic future will hold.

But not E.D. White senior guard Kevin Johnson.

For Johnson, the goal was simple: commit to a school, sign a National Letter of Intent, then commit 100 percent to the Cardinals quest to win the State Championship.

Johnson signed with Nicholls State University this past November during the NCAA’s early signing period – the first local player to commit to the school since it hired Richie Riley this past spring.

The Cardinals guard said he prayed heavily about the decision and felt Nicholls was the place for him. He added that he sped up his timeline intentionally so that nothing could take his mind away from his senior season.

“I signed early to get it out of the way and focus on the task at hand – to be a senior to the guys on my high school team and to try to lead us to another great season of success,” Johnson said this week. “It’s a blessing to be able to continue my career at a Division I college, but I wanted to make sure I made the most out of my senior season, as well.”

So far, so good.

Things are going pretty smoothly at E.D. White, and Johnson is a huge part of the team’s successes.

At press-time, E.D. White is 7-5, and they’re unbeaten in two district games, owning wins over Kaplan and Franklin in the young district slate.

Johnson is heavily involved in all of it.

The senior guard has been an offensive power for the Cardinals this season, owning several 20-point games and routinely positioning himself as the top scorer in a given game.

What makes Johnson special is the tools in his arsenal. He loves to attack the basket – sometimes above the rim.

But when opponents sag off him and take away the drive, Johnson is also capable of shooting the 3-ball.

When opponents chase him off the line, but still clog the paint, he’s also capable of stopping and popping from mid-range – a true multi-faceted offensive weapon.

“He’s a special player,” E.D. White coach Jonathan Keife said during Johnson’s signing ceremony. “He’s coachable and he’s willing to put in the time. I think those are all assets that Kevin has. We’re proud to have him in our program.”

Johnson’s diligence is paying off in the 2016-17 season, and he’s hungry for more, citing a desire to win the district championship.

But Johnson is also quick to point out that he’s not alone in deserving credit for the Cardinals successes.

Johnson said his teammates deserve as much of the spotlight as he does, stating definitively that the Cardinals have one of the most complete teams in the area.

He’s right.

In addition to Johnson, the Cardinals utilize post Rafe Blades, who is probably one of the most underrated players in the area.

Blades is long and lanky, but can jump out of the gym.

Johnson agreed that his teammate doesn’t get the credit that he deserves. The guard said Blades is one of the best in the entire state – not just the Houma-Thibodaux area.

The Cardinals also enjoy the leadership of seniors Eli Lasseigne and Hayden Tortorich.

“Rafe is so much underrated,” Johnson said when asked about Blades. “He is a great all-around player and he can do it all. He can score in the post and he can shoot the ball. His presence on the court helps us a lot by being able to score from every area of the court.”

So with the complete mix of inside and outside play, Johnson said the focus is now on winning some trophies.

The senior said his No. 1 goal for the season was to eclipse 1,000 points for his career – an honor he earned earlier in the season.

With that out of the way, Johnson said he wants to focus on earning a championship season for he and his teammates.

“We want to win a district championship and then, of course, a state championship,” Johnson said. “That’s our goal. That’s why we put so much work in over the summer – so that we could be successful in the winter and spring and compete for a championship.

“I think we can do it. I feel like we have a complete team. … It’s great to be on a team like this.” •

Kevin Johnson

Follow Casey on Twitter for more. 

https://twitter.com/casey_gisclair