Tavari Johnson provides spark in Akron Zips men's basketball win over Central Michigan
University of Akron men's basketball player Tavari Johnson is ready to work.
Johnson sees how hard Akron seniors Greg Tribble Jr., Enrique Freeman, Ali Ali, Mikal Dawson, Sammy Hunter and Kaleb Thornton train during their final season.
"All of the guys that I have seen here — and not just Greg, Rique, Ali, and X [Xavier Castaneda] last year — I have seen them work," Johnson said Tuesday night after Akron's 68-47 win over Central Michigan.
"Seeing what they put in and how much they love the game, and it is not just basketball, it is off the court. It is with the film. It is with the personnel and knowing how to be in the right spot on the court. Seeing how mature they are and how serious they take this basketball stuff here at Akron is really motivating and it is something that I am going to carry on for the rest of my career."
Johnson, a 5-foot-11 guard, is in his second year of college and is one of Akron's top reserves.
Johnson made both of his 3-pointers Tuesday and finished with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes as the Mid-American Conference-leading Zips (18-5, 10-1) dispatched the Chippewas (13-10, 8-3).
"My teammates made it easy for me," Johnson said. "When I check in every game, my guy right here, Greg, tells me to be me and to be confident, so that really makes it easy for me out there. They trust me and I trust them, so the plays that I make are really because of them. You can't really see a lot of it, because we are in the middle of a play, obviously, but they really help me a lot out there.
"... They have helped me with defense and learning how to take the little things more serious. They all believe in me on the offensive side. They always tell me that I am very gifted on the offensive side. They have been on me to lock in on the defensive side and give it my all on that side. They help me a lot when it comes to film and when it comes to knowing the plays. Greg is there for everything, [same with] KT [Kaleb Thornton] and the older guys. It is a blessing to have them here."
More minutes were available Tuesday with Hunter and sophomore Nate Johnson sidelined. Akron coach John Groce said Hunter was out with a knee injury and hopes to be back Saturday at James Madison, and the team remains optimistic that Nate Johnson can return at some point from a broken hand.
"This is twice now, right, where we have had bodies down," Groce said. "At Kent, we had Greg down and Nate down. Tonight, we have Nate and Sammy down. Both times, Tavari steps up huge against two really good teams. Obviously, a tremendous environment over there [at Kent]. Today, playing for first place, I thought he was really good offensively and I thought it was one of the better defensive games he has played as well. I think he is getting better. I love his disposition, the way he prepares and his mentality."
Freeman described Tavari Johnson as "so shifty" and said he is "able to finish at three levels."
"I always tell him every time he gets into the game, like he said, I tell him to just be him," Tribble said. "Obviously, I practice with him every day and I see the work he puts in. I know what he is capable of, and you know we don't need anybody out there to be timid. When he is just out there being himself he brings another dimension to our team. That is another person they gotta worry about. He obviously has a high basketball IQ for his age."
Enrique Freeman, Greg Tribble Jr. keep Akron atop MAC standings
Akron separated from CMU with a 13-0 run to start the game. Freeman started the surge with a bucket in the paint and a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Thornton made a 3-pointer and Johnson made a layup and a 3-pointer to make it 13-0 with 14:50 remaining in the first half.
"We really were locking in on defense and our scheme to what our coaches game-planned," Tribble said. "The rest took care of itself."
Freeman added: "We really executed the stuff that we wanted to on defense."
Akron held CMU well below its 68 points per game average. The Chippewas shot 30.8% from the field (16 of 52), 16.0% from 3-point range (4 of 25) and 73.3% from the free-throw line (11 of 15).
"I thought defensively it was one of our better performances of the year," Groce said. "I thought this was the first time that we have had Greg's energy, conditioning, voice, athletic pop — a couple of those verticals he had, good Lord — since pre-Kent, before he got sick and missed the Kent game. It has taken a little bit of time to get his wind back to where he has the same pop and able to play 30 minutes as hard as we need him to play at both ends.
"I could tell right from the beginning he had it, and Freeman, obviously, had great energy early. I thought our defense was super locked in. Thornton made good plays defensively and Ali is so good on defense. ... He is an elite defensive player."
Freeman recorded his NCAA-best 20th double-double of the season with 17 points, 15 rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes.
Tribble finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 31 minutes.
Freeman and Tribble combined to make 13 of 23 shots from the field, 3 of 5 from beyond the 3-point arc and 5 of 7 from the foul line.
Ali totaled eight points and five rebounds. Thornton contributed six points and three assists and Dawson had six points and five rebounds.
Sophomore Aidan Rubio paced CMU with 12 points and junior Jemal Davis had 11 points.
"I have got a lot of respect for [CMU coach] Tony [Barbee] and the job he has done with his team, winning eight out of nine coming in here," Groce said. "... Their effort level, their multiple efforts, their physicality, their toughness — they take on his personality. I really like their team. Obviously, they were without (Jevon) Harden tonight and we were without Sammy and Nate, so neither one of us were completely at full strength. I thought our defense was great early in the game and set the tone. We got off to a tremendous start, obviously. We did a great job taking care of the ball and I thought we were really active on the glass."
Akron held an edge in rebounds (50-31), assists (12-4) and turnovers (5-7). The Zips shot 35.7% from the field (25 of 70), 28.1% from 3-point range (9 of 32) and 75% from the free-throw line (9 of 12).
"The defense carried the day," Groce said. "... We didn't make 3s. I thought we had great looks, great shots and didn't make them. We will."
Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Tavari Johnson plays key role in Akron men's basketball win over CMU
