OPPONENT SPOTLIGHT: Johnson is the atypical Tiger

In his 27-year tenure at Princeton, coach Pete Carril has taken many young players under his wing. And over the course of their careers, he has helped them develop into mature Tiger hoopsters. In the past, freshmen sat on the bench and watched intently as the experienced seniors ran the Princeton offense to perfection. Players spent their first year learning the patient, methodical Tiger system, and often didn't see much playing time at all. But freshman guard Sydney Johnson isn't a typical Princeton player. And he hasn't spent much of his inaugural season riding the pine. "People definitely have a stereotype of Princeton players," Johnson said. "They possess basic skills and aren't flashy. But just like at Penn, there have been great players here. That's all that counts, and I just want to be a good player like the rest." Johnson, a three-time Ivy League Rookie of the Week, has started all 11 Ivy contests for the Tigers and is averaging 11.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He also chips in 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. He has clearly established himself as a serious threat on the offensive end and is a key component in Princeton's program. But in typical Carril fashion, the Princeton mentor downplays Johnson's immediate impact. "He's coming along," Carril said. "He plays half-way decent defense and he shoots the ball OK. He's still learning how to play and he's doing a good job." Penn basketball fans were introduced to Johnson during the first half of the Quaker-Tiger matchup January 29. The 6-foot-3 guard was the sole bright spot for Princeton in the opening stanza as he tallied 12 points on perfect 5-for-5 shooting. His shooting was a little more than "OK," and he finished the evening with 17 points, despite being closely guarded by Penn's Jerome Allen throughout the night. Even though he has enjoyed initial success, Johnson knows he still has a lot to learn. He's young and makes occasional mistakes due to his inexperience. Carril likens Johnson's situation to Allen's first action in the Ivy League. Allen emerged as a force in the Ivies, but sometimes struggled as he made the adjustment to college basketball. "I was surprised when coach told me I was going to start," Johnson said. "Over the summer I worked on my game just so I could contribute to the team. I'm definitely happy that I'm starting and I think I've done well so far, but it's been a hard adjustment." Johnson rose to the occasion against Penn, and has displayed his talent against other Ivy foes as well. He has also been impressive in nonconference games. He connected on all four three-point attempts while notching 14 points against Providence, and he chipped in 23 points against Washington & Jefferson. In the month of January, he shot 64.3 percent from behind the three-point arc and received the AT&T; Long Distance Award for the nation's best three-point field goal percentage. "On the bench, you don't feel like you have much responsibility," Johnson said. "But when you start, you must get it done from the jump ball to the buzzer. The mental toughness and competitiveness have definitely been hard adjustments." Sydney Johnson occupies a position not often found in Princeton's system. He's just a freshman, but is being called upon to bear a significant portion of the offensive and defensive responsibilities. Although he is young and has made some mistakes in his first season, Johnson has quickly become an integral part of the Tiger squad.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.