JOHNSON’S NCAA BASKETBALL DETOUR WORKING OUT JUST FINE
Central star went to Buffalo for football, but he’s become key part of hoops squad
If you haven’t filled out your NCAA men’s basketball bracket just yet, you might want to rethink one selection.
If you’re looking for a local team to cheer — aside from Michigan or Michigan State — you might want to consider the Mid-American Conference champion Buffalo Bulls where Catholic Central high school product Dominic Johnson is playing for the No. 13 seed in the South Region.
“Dom has been an outstanding addition to our program and he has been a huge reason for our success this season,” Bulls head basketball coach Nate Oats said. The only problem is that Johnson was never supposed to be part of the basketball program at Buffalo. While Oats did scout him in high school, it was Bulls football head coach Lance Leipold who offered Johnson a football scholarship to play quarterback at the school in 2016.
“He (Oats) recruited me, but the situation back then was if I grew, I could be a four (power forward) and if I was faster, I could be a three (small forward),” the six-foot-six, 215-pound Johnson said. “I was sort of in the middle.”
But Johnson got a strange call from Leipold after the football season wrapped up.
“I got a call from the head football coach after the season was done,” the 19-year-old Johnson said. “Coach Oats was down seven guys with injuries and stuff and wanted me to come hoop. I went to talk to him and it went from there.”
Johnson made his debut with the Bulls basketball team on Dec. 7 and has been with the squad ever since.
“When I was recruited for football, I saw the basketball team was doing well and had gone to the NCAA tournament one or two times,” Johnson said. “I planned, if I was going there, I would go watch and support them, but I was not expecting to be on the team. That’s sort of mind boggling.”
While he was focused on football, Johnson still found time for a pickup game of basketball. “I would keep hooping, because I still loved basketball,” Johnson said. “It was a little weird at first. I was so focused on football and putting on weight and changing my body for football rather then playing forward or wing. I was comfortable in that I missed basketball.”
He’s appeared in nine games and hasn’t put up monster numbers, but Oats has kept him around even after his roster got healthy again.
“He has knowledge of the game that is unmatched and he is not afraid to step up and be a vocal leader on this team,” Oats said. “I am so proud of the steps he has taken since joining us in December and look forward to him continuing to be a huge asset throughout this NCAA Tournament.”
The road ahead won’t be easy for the Bulls, who won the MAC Tournament on Saturday with a 10-point win over Toledo. While Buffalo is playing in the tournament for the third time in four years, the Bulls will face No. 4 seed Arizona in the first round on Thursday in Boise, Idaho. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 6:40 p.m.
Buffalo (26-8) has never been higher then a No. 12 seed and has lost its previous two appearances in the first round. Arizona (27-7) is not only a nine-point favourite, but also boasts seven-foot-one freshman centre Deandre Ayton, who could be the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft. “Throughout the season, when injured guys came back, coach said he wanted to keep me around,” Johnson said.
“I just want to bring positive energy.”
As it stands, Johnson will have a quick turnaround with spring football camp just weeks away from starting. “Football’s still my scholarship sport and I’ll continue to play,” Johnson said. “I’ll do both as long as I can play both and contribute. I’m just going with it for now.”