By Steve DiMiceli
Sean Johnson got off the blocks sprinting this past season. Problem is he forgot the season is a long one. I think a big part of Duquesne's late season struggles had to do with Sean's productivity drop off. Of course, he was not the only one.
What he did well
Sean played the role of zone buster fantastically. He was a big reason no one went 2-3 on us this year and when they did, he made them pay. He became a better three point and FT shooter He might be the only returning Duke who has proven he can create for himself off the dribble. Defense seemed somewhat better this season.
What he didn't do well
Johnson didn't always play like a guy heading into his senior season late in the year. He was still prone to making dumb fouls on both sides of the ball, many out of frustration. Johnson still has not found a shot he doesn't like and needs to be more patient rather than forcing something. He needs to trust his teammates will get him the ball. His assist to turnover ratio actually got worse his junior year. Needs to improve consistency at both ends.
Outlook
This coming season will really depend on which Sean Johnson comes to play. If he improves on last season and averages 16-17 points like I believe he is capable, we should be in better shape than I think many believe we are. I suspect he will benefit from a new coach I really hope a new teacher can help turn him into the player he is capable of being. I think the potential is there for him to take over games. He has the want to but he has to make better decisions. If he steps forward, we'll be ok. If he Tony Taylor's, we'll be looking in the face of a 3 or 4 win Atlantic 10 season.
