Stella named MAAC Player of the Year
Stella Johnson added her name to a short Rider women’s basketball list.
Then she went out and showed everybody why she became just the second player in program history to be named MAAC Player of the Year.
Johnson had 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists to help the second-seeded Broncs rally past 10th-seeded Iona, 54-46, in the MAAC Tournament quarterfinals at the Times Union Center in Albany.
Earlier on Friday, Johnson joined Robin Perkins as just the second Rider women’s player to earn the conference’s top honor.
“Robin got it my freshman year and that really inspired me to get it,” Johnson said. “My teammates really helped me all this season and pushed me when I had some hard days on the court.”
The junior guard from Denville averaged a leaguebest 18.6 points per game and was second in assists (4.5) and 3-point percentage (39.1). She also lead the conference with 2.7 steals per contest.
The Broncs (19-11) nearly found themselves headed home early after they got off to a slow start against the Gaels (5-26) and trailed by 15 at halftime.
Then Johnson took over as Rider out-scored Iona, 20-4, in the third quarter to lead by one heading into the final 10 minutes. Overall, the Broncs won the second half, 38-15.
“When I see that we need a spark in the game and I need to be that spark, that’s when I need to take that big shot, get that big steal, get that defensive stop,” Johnson said.
Coach Lynn Milligan thinks the best is still yet to come.
“In order for players to develop, it has to go through the player,” Milligan said. “Stella is committed to excellence, she’s committed to being great. It’s something she set her sights on a really long time ago. She knows she has more to do and more to give, but the best thing is she’s willing and able to do that.”
Rider returns to action on Sunday in the semifinals against either third-seeded Marist or sixth-seeded Manhattan.
Quinnipiac’s Tricia Fabbri was named the Coach of the Year after guiding the Bobcats to an 18-0 record in the MAAC. With their quarterfinal victory over Fairfield, they have have 50 straight games over MAAC opposition.
On the men’s side, Quinnipiac’s Cameron Young was named Player of the Year and Iona’s Tim Cluess was Coach of the Year.