NJAC ALL-CONFERENCE RELEASE
PITMAN, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...New Jersey City University freshman power forward ISAIAH JOHNSON (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) has been voted the 2009-10 New Jersey Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Rookie of the Year. A four-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection this season, the 6-foot-3 freshman proved to be a consistent performer who earned a starting role midway through the season and eventually started the final nine games of the regular season for the Gothic Knights (13-12).
Johnson's selection marks the second consecutive year that an NJCU player has been tabbed the league's top new player; Rashawn Smalls claimed the award in 2008-09. It's the third time in school history that NJCU has won the award in consecutive years, something also achieved in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, after first being accomplished in 1982-83 and 1983-84. Overall, Johnson is also the seventh NJCU player to receive the award since the 1982-83 season.
Johnson earned NJAC Rookie of the Week honors in weeks 4 (December 14), seven (January 11), eight (January 18) and 12 (February 15).
The well-rounded Johnson averaged 7.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.7 assists and 0.6 blocks in 23 games (14 starts), shooting 49.3 percent from the field (67-136) and 61.1 percent from the free throw line (44-72), in 21.6 minutes of action per game.
For the season, he tallied 178 points, 149 rebounds (63 offensive, 86 defensive), 18 steals, 15 assists and 14 blocks in 496 minutes.
He reached double figures in scoring seven times and rebounds four times with two double-doubles. He had a high of 18 points in a loss at York College on February 12 and 17 rebounds against The College of New Jersey on January 9.
Johnson led NJCU in rebounding and ranked ninth in the conference. Also among the NJAC leaders (as of February 25), he ranked fifth in offensive rebounding (2.74/game), 15th in defensive rebounding (3.74/game) and tied for 16th in blocks.
While playing in 12 of NJCU's 13 NJAC games, he was second in offensive rebounding (3.17 per game, 38), fourth in rebounding (7.7 per game), seventh in defensive rebounding (4.50), 15th in blocks (0.67) and 39th in scoring (7.3).
“I was expecting big things from him and he did a good job for us this year” said third-year head coach MARC BROWN. “He's a good player who was overlooked coming out of high school and we knew he'd fit our system well. He just needed an opportunity and hopefully this is the beginning of great things for him. He's a really good rebounder, which is what I expected, but he's a better scorer than I thought he'd be. He showed that he's more than just a defensive player.”
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
