It’s no accident Zayden Johnson has contributed to the East Chicago Central boys basketball team’s success in his freshman season.
From the 5-foot-9 guard’s perspective, it has been a collaborative effort.
“It took a lot of focus from my parents, me, my coaches,” Johnson said. “I’ve had to be disciplined and put the work in. You have to put all the partying and all that stuff aside.
“The seniors push us every day, make sure we go hard. They make sure we’re disciplined and not doing the wrong things out there and just focusing.”
That approach has helped Johnson and the Cardinals (15-12) win their second straight regional title. They knocked off Mishawaka Marian 78-74 in the Class 3A Michigan City Regional, setting up a Logansport Semistate semifinal against Columbia City (23-4), which is ranked No. 6 in 3A in the USA Today state poll, at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Against Marian, Johnson made the most of his lone shot in the game, scoring his only points late in the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals a 73-71 lead they didn’t relinquish.
“That speaks to how fearless he is as a player,” East Chicago Central coach Alaa Mroueh said.
Johnson embraced the moment.
“I’ve been wanting to play varsity ball my whole life, just go out and play in front of big crowds and show them what you can really do,” he said.
“Coming in as a freshman, it’s really big. We jumped from eighth grade all the way to varsity, playing against bigger and stronger players. We really had to get used to it.”
Johnson has adjusted rather quickly. He’s averaging 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals this season.
“He’s been a huge spark for us,” Mroueh said. “We’ve given him many different responsibilities this year. He’s started some games. He’s come off the bench some games. He’s been willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. He’s a confident player, and his upside is through the roof over these next three years.
“Everything is going to be centered around improvement for him, getting stronger, gaining a more consistent jump shot and just overall working on his game. He’s a big part of our backcourt for the next few years alongside guys like Juell Bryant and Mekhi Gillis. Zay’s just really good to be around. He comes from a great family, and he’s just been tremendous for us this year.”
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Gillis, a freshman guard who is part of a potential-rich class that also includes guard/forward Naji Meux, hasn’t been surprised by Johnson’s performance.
“He’s a very good guard,” Gillis said. “He’s been working out the whole summer, all season. So coming into the season, I knew he was going to be great.”
This has been a great recent run for the Cardinals, who had already won two straight sectional titles with all-time leading scorer Dominique Murphy before this season. After Murphy’s graduation, there were questions about the team’s ability to maintain that high level.
“A lot of people thought we weren’t going to make it this far,” Johnson said. “But we really did, and we’re still reaching for more. It feels amazing.”
Johnson also noted another senior from last season.
“Keontaye Bell, his game is similar to mine,” Johnson said before continuing with a smile. “I had to steal a couple moves from him.”
The Cardinals hope to keep moving forward. Their last semistate title came in 2007, when they won the 4A state championship.
“I’m really excited for what’s in store this Saturday,” Mroueh said. “Zay’s going to have a great day alongside his teammates. He’s going to have a great career at East Chicago Central.
“There’s been games where he may have scored four or five points, and there’s been some games where he’s scored 17 or 18. He’s just taken on multiple responsibilities, and it’s translated to winning.”