PITMAN, NJ – Rutgers-Newark senior guard
James Johnson has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after averaging 26.5 points a game last week.
NJAC Men's Basketball Players Of The Week (PDF)
The 5-foot-11 shooting guard hit nine of 16 shots from beyond the arc and made 16 of 17 free throws as the Scarlet Raiders (17-6, NJAC 7-4) downed Montclair State, 73-66, and New Jersey City, 57-39, to earn their fifth NJAC Championship Tournament berth in the last six seasons under head coach Joe Loughran.
He broke the 20-point barrier in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, making 50% of his shots from the floor while adding nine rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.
In Wednesday’s road win over Montclair State, he made five of nine shots from 3-point range and nine of 10 free throws to tally 24 points.
In Saturday’s victory over New Jersey City, Johnson poured in a career-high 29 points by making nine of 16 shots from the floor – including four of seven from long range – and all seven of his free throws. He topped his previous career-best total of 25 which was set in a double-overtime loss to New Jersey City on January 28, 2009.
On the season, Johnson leads Rutgers-Newark with a 14.5 scoring average while connecting on an impressive 45.4% (49-108) of his 3-point tries.
It was Johnson’s second NJAC Player of the Week honor in his career and he joins senior teammate
Phil Barnes as a recipient of the honor this season.