Boys’ basketball: ‘I got nothing to say’
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High school sports is about learning lessons and gaining maturity. Xavier Johnson, the standout junior basketball player from Santa Ana Mater Dei, clearly has some learning and maturing to do.
On Tuesday night, after his team’s 60-58 loss to Corona Centennial, Johnson walked into the media room with several of his teammates and promptly announced, ‘I got nothing to say.’
He was bolting to the exit when the Southern Section representative, Thom Simmons, got him to stay.
His coach, Gary McKnight, soon showed up, sat down at a table and answered questions with dignity and class.
Yes, Johnson was frustrated. He was limited to three points in the second half and his team lost in the 1AA semifinals. But dealing with defeat is one of the requirements to having a long and successful sports career, let alone being an adult.
Right now, Johnson isn’t ready for the next level despite all the fawning from the Internet recruiting gurus. Hopefully, he learned something from watching his coach.
-- Eric Sondheimer