LONG BEACH, Calif.
— Long Beach State men’s basketball coach
Wayne Morgan announced the signing of Ron Johnson, a 6-1 point guard
from Helix High School in San Diego today. The signing of Johnson completes
the 49ers’ recruiting for the upcoming season.
Johnson led the Highlanders
to a 25-5 record and the championship game of the CIF San Diego Section
Division I playoffs, where they were upended by Rancho Bernardo HS. Johnson
led Helix in scoring with 17 points per game and averaged 5.1 rebounds
and 7.2 assists, and was named the Grossmont South Conference Player of
the Year. He was also named First Team All-CIF San Diego Section and First
Team All-County by the San Diego Union-Tribune, after scoring in
double digits in 27 of the team’s 30 games.
“We are very happy to
have Ron as a part of our program,” said Morgan. “We feel we have added
a quality person as well as a quality player, and are confident he will
have a bright future at Long Beach State.”
Johnson’s high school
coach, John Singer said, “everything about Ron is top-notch. He’s
a good person and an outstanding player, one who’s very coachable. You
watch him play two to three times and you really appreciate what he can
do on the court. He does what he needs to do, and he’s very good on the
defensive end.”
Helix was 48-11 over
the last two seasons, and 64-23 in Johnson’s three years as the starting
point guard. The Highlander lineup in 1997-98 featured only one player
taller than 6-2.
Johnson is the final addition to the 49ers’
1998 recruiting class, joining guards Allan Gomez (6-5, Jr., East Los Angeles
CC) and Charles O’Neal, (6-2 1/2, Jr., Florida CC-Jacksonville, Florida),
and frontliners Ugonna Onyekwe, (6-8, Fr., Mercersburg (PA) Prep Academy),
Mate Milisa (6-10, Jr., Pensacola (FL) JC), and Richie Smalls (6-8, Jr.,
St. Catherine JC, St. Catherine, Kentucky). Redshirt transfer Ramel “Rock”
Lloyd (G, 6-4, So., Syracuse University) will also join the 49er
roster this fall.