Kyle Johnson has been quietly improving his overall game this season on Long Island for the Blackbirds and has been coming up big when it counts, like this week. Helping his team to a pair of much needed wins in a very tight race in the Northeast Conference, Johnson has been named this week's Can Ball Report NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.
Player of the Week
Kyle Johnson (Ajax, ON) – Jr., Long Island University
Ajax, ON’s Kyle Johnson has been a capable of putting up the big numbers since he stepped on the floor for the LIU Blackbirds three years ago. This week, he helped his team to two much needed conference wins and in the process averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and an assist and earned himself The Can Ball Report’s NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.
In the Blackbirds’ 68-62 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on February 18, Johnson went off for his fifth double-double of the season putting up 16 points to go with ten rebounds. He also added two assists and a steal in 38 minutes of game time.
Three days later, Johnson scored 20 points and added six rebounds in the 83-74 win against struggling Monmouth. In his 33 minutes of action, Johnson was 7-of-12 from the floor, including 3-of-7 from the behind the arc, and a perfect 3-for-3 from the line.
For the season, Johnson as played in every Blackbird game and is averaging 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds which are both good for second and first on the team. He is also averaging 1.2 assists and a steal while shooting 38.6% from the floor, 35.8% from the three and 78.1% from the free throw line. He is the team leader in 3PT attempts (173) and makes (62) this season as well. Johnson currently sits on a few conference season leader boards where he is ranked in the top 15 in scoring (12th), top 10 in rebounding, offensive and defensive rebounds per game (8th), top 15 in 3PT% (15th) and top 5 in 3PT made per game (5th).
Honorable Mention: Maurice Joseph, Vermont: 18 pts, 4 rbs, 2 asts, 11-of-23 FG, 2-of-8 3PT FG, 12-of-13 FTs, 33 mpg in two games.
Line of the Week
Andrew Nicholson (Mississauga, ON) – Soph., St Bonaventure
It’s pretty amazing that despite being the sole focus of opposition defenses in the post that Andrew Nicholson has still been able to have the season he’s been having. On a team that plays largely with a four guard offense for the most of the game, his numbers become even more impressive. But I bet he can impress you again. Battling against La Salle this past Sunday in Philly, Nicholson had a very good game scoring 24 points. See, a good game right but let’s breakdown how good. Nicholson saw 27 minutes of floor burn in the game. In those 27 minutes, he managed to put up 24 shots, that’s a shot every 1.13 minutes. Of his 24 total points Nicholson scored 18 in the first half. It seems he took it a little easier in the second and still had 24 points, five points off his season high. Can you imagine if he really turned in on in the second half? Oh yeah, the Bonnies won the game.
Honorable Mention: Andy Rautins, Syracuse: 26 pts, 6-of-11 shooting, 5-of-9 3PT shooting, 9-of-11 FTs, 7 rbs, 3 asts, 2 stls and a blk in 36 mins vs. Georgetown Feb 18. Those numbers against a Top 10 team, yikes!