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Date Posted: 10:17:17 02/21/02 Thu
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: Tim Johnson Article

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Originally Published Thursday, February 21, 2002
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Tiger is determined to set up a big senior season

By Bob Highfill

Record Staff Writer

There was a Tim Johnson sighting last week at Spanos Center.

The 6-foot-10 redshirt junior center for University of the Pacific threw his body around with an abandon seldom seen this season in games with UC Irvine and Long Beach State.

''My minutes haven't been there because a lot of other guys are playing well,'' Johnson said. ''But when I get in there, I play hard, whether it's four minutes or 40.''

Johnson came off the bench, as he has all season, and tied his season high with six rebounds and helped contain UC Irvine's 7-foot center Adam Parada in the Tigers' 73-61 victory on Saturday. Last Thursday, in a 77-63 loss to Long Beach State, he scored two points, grabbed a rebound and had an assist against Travis Reed, one of the top post players in the Big West.

The Tigers (15-9, 7-7 Big West) will face another productive group of inside players this week, beginning at 5:30 p.m. today at Cal State Fullerton (4-19, 3-11) and continuing Saturday at UC Riverside.

The Titans' pair of titans, 6-11 center Babacar Camara and 6-10 forward Pape Sow, are long and athletic, and 6-8 center Vili Morton of UC Riverside is the conference leader in rebounds and field-goal percentage.

Obviously, depth inside will come in handy the next two games, as it did when the Tigers knocked the Anteaters out of first place on Saturday.

''They played great; as well as they have all season,'' Pacific coach Bob Thomason said. ''They were physical, and I thought they nullified (UC Irvine's) inside game.''

Johnson, starting center Mike Preston, reserve center Ross Mills and starting forward Mike Hahn combined for 23 points and 21 rebounds against UC Irvine. The foursome averages 24.6 points and 13.4 rebounds per game.

Johnson, who has been the third option at center much of the season, isn't happy with his numbers -- 2.3 points, 2 rebounds and 7.7 minutes per game -- but he's a little older, a little wiser and better equipped to handle his disappointment.

''I think it's because of my maturity and experience,'' Johnson said. ''I know things can change.''

Johnson's role has changed drastically since his freshman year, when he started all but one game and blocked 31 shots, the ninth-most in one season in

school history. He made 14 of his last 18 shots and was looking forward to his sophomore season when a stress fracture in his foot required season-ending surgery.

He returned last season, started in 27 of 30 games, and blocked 24 shots. But inconsistency at both ends of the court, and a habit of getting into foul trouble, cut his minutes. In the latter stages of the regular season, he was a starter in name only. His scoring average, rebounding, free-throw percentage and minutes were lower than his freshman year.

''Last year was hard because I spent a lot of time worrying about how I played and my minutes and all of that,'' Johnson said. ''This year, I decided to play the way I wanted to play, and if I get the minutes, I get the minutes.''

Johnson fell behind Mills on the depth chart earlier this season when Mills put together a string of solid performances, while Johnson was in Oregon attending the funeral of his paternal grandfather, Johnny Johnson. Mills has continued to play well, and Johnson has continued to bide his time on the bench, not wanting to rock the boat with complaits.

''I got squeezed out of the lineup, but it happens,'' Johnson said. ''Ross stepped in and has played well. There are no hard feelings. I just have to work hard and try to get my minutes back.''

Next season, Preston, Mills and Hahn will be gone.

''I'm not trying to think about it a whole lot, but I'm planning on starting next year and playing a lot of minutes,'' Johnson said. ''If things work out, and I stay out of foul trouble, I'll make my own minutes. I'm looking forward to next year.''

The Tigers hope Johnson isn't finished contributing this season.

* To reach reporter Bob Highfill, phone 546-8299 or e-mail bhighfil@recordnet.com

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