The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

STEPHON Johnson is in the process of a defining season at Champagnat Catholic School and continues to be a leading force for the Lions as a senior.

Johnson scored a career-high 44 points in his team’s finale of the Adidas Holiday Slam in Miami, Florida.

The Lions eventually lost 98-96 to St Brendan in double overtime in the seventh-place game of the event’s “Dame Bracket.”

The Lions are 2-4 on the year and will return to regular season play January 8.

Champagnat has been a major pipeline for Bahamian basketball talent at the high school level, and Johnson - the latest product of the Hialeah, Florida institution - is now in his second year with the programme.

As a junior, he was recognised for an outstanding season and received state tournament honours for the Lions at the conclusion of their 2016-17 campaign. He is one of two Bahamians on the Lions’ roster along with former junior national team member Michael Cartwright.

Champagnat suffered an 80-71 loss to Trinity Christian in the Class 3A state semi-final.

Johnson made an immediate impact in his first year at Champagnat. The 6’0” point guard was named to the Class 3A all-state tournament second team. He scored 13 points in the final against Trinity Christian.

He starred locally for Kevin Johnson’s CI Gibson Rattlers before their move to the United States.

Several Bahamian players have matriculated through the programme most recently, Nashad Mackey of Stony Brook, Jaron Cornish of Embry Riddle, Braithe Ferguson of ASA College and Denzel Jenoure and Oswald Parker, both of Broward College.

Champagnat Catholic finished the regular season at 23-6 and entered the FHSSA state tournament ranked No. 3 in Class 3A in the FABC/Source Hoops poll.