Johnson Sees Competitive Hoops Team

FARMINGTON — By the excitement in coach Brad Johnson one couldn’t tell the core of Farmington’s 2012 state runner-up girls basketball team have all graduated.

The graduation of Tiffany Rhame and Rene Scheyder and a decision by the Blackburn twins, Lauren and Lindsey, not to play basketball in their senior year has depleted the roster of experience. Yet, those facts have not diminished Johnson’s exuberance about the upcoming school year and girls basketball season.

While Johnson admits the absence of the Blackburn twins will impact Farmington’s depth, he said other kids have stepped up their game.

The team has played 30 games over the summer at camps and Johnson and the coaching staff have endeavored to identify team strengths and weaknesses. The team will have a couple of weeks of down time leading up to the start of school which Johnson is eagerly anticipating.

“I’m anxious for the first week of school when we can start doing some team stuff.”

Two starters return for the Lady Cardinals, who finished second in the conference and second at district last season before a disappointing opening loss at the Regional tournament ended their season. Johnson has experience at guard in Haley Maxwell and forward in Tachina Scales. Post player Kristi DuChanois, another remaining component from the 2011 state runner-up team, has torn an ACL with surgery set for Aug. 12.

Johnson said DuChanois will take on a leadership role as she goes through rehab.

“We’ve had a lot of younger kids really improve their game.”

Johnson said Maria McPherson is a very athletic kid, good defender, an active player who runs the floor well and the Lady Cardinals will need to be able to take advantage of her athleticism.

“I think the competition at every position will be a lot of fun to watch. It only makes the entire team better,” Johnson said.

“They’ve been a real joy to coach. We’ve always worked hard in the summer but this bunch, they’ve taken it to another level.”

Even when no practice or open gym was scheduled, Johnson’s cell phone has been buzzing.

“There’s still not a day goes by that I’m getting

“We’ve played really hard, the kids have shared the basketball.”

Brad Johnson Farmington basketball coach

multiple text messages. These girls are wanting to get in the gym on their days off.”

For Johnson coaching is akin to riding a roller coaster. He said the highs are really high and the lows can be devastating, yet in the environment at Farmington even after a tough loss Johnson likes coming back to work every day to be with the kids.

The enthusiasm, unselfishness and enjoyment of the game cherished by the girls competing for a roster spot on the varsity is rubbing off on their coach as they have attended various summer camps.

“We’ve played really hard, the kids have shared the basketball,” Johnson said.

Johnson said normally during summer there are glaring weaknesses on display and coaches get an idea of the type of things which the team needs to work on but not this summer.

“It has been a lot of fun. It’s been a very, enjoyable summer for us watching these kids compete and play at a high level.”

Is there such a thing as too much basketball practice or too many camps?

Johnson thinks there is a fine line when it comes to coaching between working the kids hard and overwhelming them.

“You don’t want to overwhelm them,” Johnson said. “The kids across the board have really maximized their summer and improved. Overall, we’ve had a really, really productive summer.”