By Paul Meyer
www.rmucolonials.com
Oct. 13, 2009 

Meyer on Morris Link

Moon Township, Pa. - Russell Johnson didn't play for Robert Morris last season, but he did GO to Robert Morris.

That exposure to college life and peripherally to the Colonial basketball program should help the 6'6" forward this season when he begins his much-anticipated college career.

Johnson, who helped Chester win the State Quad A championship in 2008, sat out last season to concentrate on his academics. He couldn't practice with the Colonials, but he'll finally be able to do just that Friday when RMU begins practice for the 2009-10 season.

Coach Mike Rice can hardly wait.

"Russell is an extremely gifted athlete who should [have] an impact on our program,'' Rice said. "It's going to be exciting to watch his career develop.''

"Watch'' was all Johnson could do last season as he sat and cheered for the Colonials, who won their second consecutive Northeast Conference regular-season championship and played in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1992. But that watching and waiting probably helped Johnson prepare for this season.

"He was around the players, so he knows how hard they worked,'' Rice said. "He's more mature. College is not new to him. Classes are not new. He has an edge [over the four true freshmen on the roster] because he's been in college for a year.''

Johnson's new teammates haven't seen a whole lot of him on the court since he scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Chester's 81-77 victory against Norristown in that state championship game.

But they've seen him play in pickup games and shoot arounds.

"Russell's a ball of energy,'' junior guard Gary Wallace said. "He's very athletic.''

Wallace paused, then laughed.

"I always say he's always talking, but he brings a kind of edge to the game with his personality,'' Wallace said. "I think if he can really buy into coach's system and the way we play defense, he'll fit into the system quite well.''

Senior guard Jimmy Langhurst, a co-captain this season along with Rob Robinson, agrees.

"He's athletic. He can rebound,'' Langhurst said of Johnson. "He can do a lot of little things for us. He's so active around the basket. Again, he's going to have to buy into the system and play defense, but he's going to be a big guy for us this year.''

Velton Jones, a redshirt freshman who will back up Langhurst at point guard, has more of an edge than does Johnson. Jones did practice with the Colonials last season.

"Having that year under their belt, [Johnson and Jones] know what to expect,'' Wallace said. "But it's different when you're watching and when you're out there actually doing it [in games]. Those two do have an edge, though. That helps us as a team because if we might be slipping up they can go, 'Come on, pick it up. This is what we need to do, so let's get it done.'''

Jones, from Philadelphia, should get some quality minutes while giving Langhurst relief. Those minutes could be something to see.

"He's another dynamic player,'' Langhurst said. "He can penetrate. He can dish. He's probably one of our best penetration players. He looks to get people open.''

"And Velton's an awesome competitor,'' Wallace said. "He doesn't like to lose.''

Of the four true freshmen, guard Karon Abraham and forward Brad Piehl likely will play the most minutes.

Abraham, a 5'8" dynamo from Paterson, N.J., who will back up Wallace, could become a defensive whiz - much like Bateko Francisco, who was the NEC's Defensive Player of the Year last season.

"Karon's a little feisty kid,'' Wallace said. "It's funny. On defense, he kind of reminds me of Bateko. It's so tough to get by him. That's a big name - comparing him to Bateko - but I think he really has the ability to defend the ball. He's very aggressive. He's not afraid to get in the lane and take [a charge]. He's going to be a key asset to this team.''

And maybe really open some eyes with his leaping ability.

"He can dunk,'' Langhurst said, seeming a bit awestruck. "He won a dunk contest in New Jersey.''

Pretty impressive for a 5'8" guy.

"He's real athletic,'' Langhurst said. "He's explosive. He can shoot the ball. He's quick. He can get in the gaps.''

"He's the best at getting his own shot off the bounce on our whole team -- better than any of our upperclassmen,'' Rice said.

Piehl, from tiny New Knoxville, Ohio, is a 6-8, 215-pounder who raised his college stock by doing well in AAU basketball.

"He blew my mind,'' said Langhurst, a fellow Ohioan. "He's really good. He can shoot the mid-range jumper. He's a big body. He likes to mix it up a little bit. He's a great fundamental guy. He doesn't have much bounce in his legs, but he's a smart post player. He's going to be good for us.''

"He's a real interesting kid,'' Wallace said. "He doesn't say too much, but when he gets out there he has very good skills for his size. Once he gets a little tougher and he gets a little bit more comfortable and continues to be aggressive I think he'll be just fine.''

Rice seems very impressed with Piehl.

"He's come along the quickest,'' Rice said. "He had the furthest to go, but he's come the quickest offensively. He has more skills than any of our players. I like his feel for the game. He's not bad at shooting the three. He's a back-to-the-basket player, but he'll step out. He's a versatile offensive player and getting better.
"He's got to get better with being more physical and using what he has - his size, his strength - but I like him. He's different than what I've had [in the middle] as far as being a passing, skilled center.''

The other two true freshmen - Coron Williams and Lijah Thompson - could wind up being redshirted so they can hone their skills, but they also show promise.
Williams is a 6-2 shooting guard from Midlothian, Va.

"We call him 'Ratchet' because when you leave him open, he knocks it down,'' Wallace said. "He has an unbelievable confidence in his shooting ability, and that's going to help for the future.''

"He's strictly a shooter,'' Langhurst said. "He has great form. He needs to work on defense, but he's talented.''

"Coron Williams is a shooter,'' Rice said. "He runs and he jumps and he shoots, but he doesn't pass or defend or dribble.''

Perhaps, then, Williams is a good candidate to be redshirted.

Time will tell about Thompson, a bruising 6-7, 200-pounder from Philadelphia.

"He's been our best rebounder, our most aggressive inside player,'' Rice said.

Still ...

"He has a lot of room for improvement,'' Wallace said. "But he's a pure athlete and relentless on the boards. He goes after everything. You think you have him boxed out and he's jumping over you, catching a follow-up dunk or grabbing two or three straight offensive rebounds. He's just relentless. I think that's something we're going to value a lot this season.''

Or next.

"He's another explosive player,'' Langhurst said. "He's kind of like a Rob Robinson in the making. He can dunk. He's going to alter people's shots. He's going to block shots. He's going to make it tough for the offensive team. He can't really shoot right now, but he's going to do little things for us right now - rebound, dunk. That's basically all he has to do.''

Bottom line?

Rice is excited about this group of six new players who have yet to play for his Colonials.

"Do they all have their warts? Yes,'' Rice said. "Karon Abraham has never had a screen set for him in all of his life, other than a ball screen, so he doesn't know how to use them. And Coron Williams, his left hand is as bad as Jeremy Chappell's. They all have their flaws, but they're all, I think, ahead of where maybe Jeremy Chappell or Tony Lee [were] their freshman years.''

Considering that Lee (2008) and Chappell (2009) each wound up being the NEC Player of the Year in his senior year, that's far from faint praise.