SANTA CLARA — In his quest to become a better basketball player, Craig Johnson prepared for his senior season at Santa Clara University with fervent dedication, not wanting to let any idle moments slip into his regimen.
"He spent more time on the basketball court in the off-season than any player in the United States," Santa Clara Coach Dick Davey said.
After participating in regular workouts through July, Johnson kept going. And going, and going.
More than a month later, he accomplished his goal of shooting 20,000 free throws, making nearly 18,000.
"I'd shoot anywhere," he said. "Parks, any gym I could find."
Shooting up to 750 free throws a day might not be everyone's idea of fun. But for Johnson, who played at Notre Dame High, it was a way to keep his mind on the game.
With renewed focus, he has helped Santa Clara (14-3) get off to its best start in 20 seasons--since Kurt Rambis played for the Broncos.
The 6-foot-4 guard leads the West Coast Conference with an average of 2.1 steals per game and is on pace to break the school single-season record. He has increased his scoring average by four points from last season, to 11.1. He leads WCC guards with a 5.6 rebounding average.
And, perhaps most importantly, he's matured into a team leader.
"He realized a few shortcomings and tried to change them," Davey said. "Two years ago, he was only concerned about where he was going."
A team co-captain, Johnson's top priority is to help Santa Clara win a fourth consecutive WCC title and reach the NCAA tournament. The Broncos are in first place in the conference with a 5-0 record.
Santa Clara's defensive pressure, keyed by Johnson, has resulted in the Broncos forcing an average of 19.2 turnovers a game and leading the WCC with a plus-six turnover ratio.
"He's been one of, if not our best, defender this year," Davey said. "He goes aggressively to the ball and he anticipates really well. He's quick enough to help [teammates] in a hurry."
Johnson played a typically steady game against Pepperdine last Friday. He scored 11 points on four-of-five shooting, grabbed seven rebounds--five on the offensive end--and helped hold Gerald Brown, the Waves' leading scorer, to nine points and two-of-nine shooting before fouling out in the second half of Santa Clara's 77-71 victory.
Johnson smiled after the game when told of Brown's shooting numbers, but exhibited no trace of self satisfaction.
