Bobcats endure turmoil on way to top
SAN ANTONIO — Texas State interim coach Terrence Johnson peeked down from the upper levels of Strahan Arena and saw the Bobcats sitting in a circle at the center of the court. At least he could tell they weren’t fighting.
On what could have been the first day of practice, Texas State’s players were instead meeting with Hillary Jones, a doctor of psychology from the university’s counseling center.
The Bobcats’ offseason was tumultuous, with head coach Danny Kaspar resigning in September following a university investigation into allegations he directed racially insensitive comments at players. Texas State was also grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, which last March ripped away the team’s opportunity to play in the Sun Belt conference tournament.
As the start of preseason practice neared, Johnson said the players were “at each other’s throats,” caught up in their feelings and not listening to each other. Johnson canceled the first few days of practice, instead inviting the players to talk their issues out with Jones.
“She wanted to provide a safe environment for our guys, and she wanted them to express themselves,” Johnson said. “I went upstairs, and I just prayed. I said, ‘I feel like this is what we need, and I hope, at the end of the day, this is the game-changer.’ It ended up being that.”
Through low expectations and preseason turmoil, Texas State surged to a 12-3 record in the Sun Belt, clinching the program’s first regular-season conference championship since 1999. The Bobcats hold the No. 1 seed in the West and begin Sun Belt tournament play at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Pensacola Bay Center in Florida.
Junior guard Mason Harrell said the first few days of quiet meetings galvanized the Bobcats, helping them chart a path forward after weeks of worrying about the coaching situation.
“We were finding ourselves. We had mixed emotions,” Harrell said. “We got to talk about everything that’s been going on, and that helped, for sure, and got us all on the same page and really focusing on one goal.”
Harrell said the Bobcats felt counted out before the season began. With Sun Belt Player of the Year and Texas State all-time career scoring leader Nijal Pearson graduating following the 2019-20 season, the Bobcats were picked by the league’s coaches to finish fifth of six teams in the West division.
Junior Caleb Asberry said Texas State’s biggest hurdle was a 61-58 home loss to Our Lady of the Lake on Dec. 12 — a setback that became a turning point.
“We weren’t super close at the time. We weren’t super locked in,” Asberry said. “TJ helped us get together, and that’s what really brought the best out of us.”
Texas State closed the regular season with six straight wins to solidify the Sun Belt title, but Johnson was forced to watch the team’s final three games from home after contracting COVID-19.
Johnson said he was cautious through the pandemic, wary of how the virus might interact with his asthma and chronic sinus problems. He believes he contracted COVID-19 when he and his assistants visited Sam’s Club about two weeks ago, looking to secure food and supplies for players who were without power and water as a winter storm rolled through San Marcos.
At the height of his symptoms, the feelings of nausea were more severe than anything he had experienced before. But when Texas State secured the Sun Belt title with a win against Louisiana-Monroe last Friday, Johnson was still part of the celebration.
First, Harrell FaceTimed Johnson from the court, carrying the phone up the ladder as he cut down the net at Strahan Arena.
Searching for a way to share the moment with the rest of the team, Johnson decided to get in his black Jeep and drive to the arena’s loading dock.
Associate head coach Bennie Seltzer told the Bobcats a surprise was waiting for them outside. When they emerged to find Johnson, the players rushed over to the vehicle, leaping onto the hood or pressing against the windows as Johnson leaned into the horn.
A video clip of the celebration posted to the team’s Twitter account was picked up by an array of national outlets — including ESPN — and garnered more than half a million views.
“It was amazing, and something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life,” Johnson said. “I don’t doubt that my team loves me.”
Harrell said Johnson earned a role in the celebration by propelling the Bobcats to that moment, believing in them when few others did. Harrell and Asberry both said Johnson “deserves” to drop the interim tag and become the team’s permanent head coach.
Johnson, though, said he hasn’t broached the discussion with Texas State’s administration during the year.
“My focus has been just on the season. I’m not really good at compartmentalizing that stuff, so I let those people deal with that,” Johnson said. “As long as I’m still here and we’re still winning, I think we have a good chance. … I trust this administration is going to do the right thing and see that we’re the right coaching staff for the job.”