Michigan Basketball: Brandon Johns Jr. should be a starter
Michigan basketball was in trouble early in a matchup with No. 10 Oregon until bench play evened the game. Brandon Johns Jr. especially stood out and should earn a starting spot.
Brandon Johns Jr. was mostly an afterthought last season during his freshman year. He averaged a little over four minutes per game and neither he nor the staff could figure out what position he should be playing. Last night, Michigan basketball learned where Johns Jr. fits after a dominating second half that should earn Brandon a look at a starting role.
To recap, John Beilein began a war for the backup center spot that featured Colin Castleton, Austin Davis, and Johns Jr., which ended with Colin earning the role with a slight edge. It wasn’t anything that Johns Jr. did incorrectly, it was more that he didn’t appear comfortable at the five and fit in better at PF.
That is until Juwan Howard unleashed the beast that is Brandon Johns Jr. against the Oregon Ducks to try and find any semblance of offense. Brandon and David DeJulius took over and tied it up after a 16 point deficit with Brandon at C, and a lineup that typically included Franz Wagner, Isaiah Livers, and Zavier Simpson with the occasional sprinkle of Eli Brooks.
“Brandon gave us some great minutes. It’s always next-man-up mentality, stay ready so you don’t have to get ready,” coach Howard said. “That’s how Brandon and all of our players approach the game. You’ve just got to always know when your name is called, and Brandon delivered.”
Brandon delivered nine rebounds, eight points, two assists, and two blocks in his 22 minutes on the court which is only two fewer minutes than Jon Teske was given.
While his performance against a top ten opponent might have been surprising to some, it will surprise most Wolverine supporters that Johns Jr. had the second-highest ranking out of high school for the entire team.
247 sports ranked Brandon 70th overall for the 2018 class with four-stars and a 9734 composite rating. He’s got the talent to be one of the best on the team, but he just has to find his rhythm.
“You’ve got to look at the situations and what’s best for your team. Looking at time and possession and then looking at it overall what you need to make an adjustment in order to give your team a spark,” Howard said. “Brandon was that guy who I trust that when he got in the ballgame he would do something special for us. He’s been doing that throughout the year and today wasn’t no surprise.”
Slowly but surely, Brandon has become a go-to guy much like Livers was a season ago. Through 11 games, Johns Jr. is averaging 14 minutes, four points, and four rebounds. Behind DeJulius, Johns Jr. sees the most time on the court for a bench player.
Missed dunks
It’s tough to look past the three dunks Brandon whiffed on early in the first half, but if his second-half production and aggressive style of play continue, he should earn more minutes as the season goes on and potentially earn a spot on the starting five.
Here’s the lineup with Brandon as a starter:
- Zavier Simpson
- Franz Wagner
- Isaiah Livers
- Brandon Johns Jr.
- Jon Teske