It’s clear Gilbert Highland point guard Matt Carlino is the real deal when you watch him play for just a few minutes, but the player that will make or break the Hawks’ season is backcourt mate Nick Johnson.
Johnson has every physical tool to be an elite player. He’s a lockdown defender, a capable shooter and one of the most athletic players in the state. The knock on him has been that he sometimes lacks intensity, but that wasn’t evident in the game I watched him play on Friday night in the Arizona Basketball Challenge at Mesa Mountain View.
Johnson scored at will and had some nice assists to his brother, Chris Johnson. Still just a sophomore, it’s easy to see why many big name colleges are after him. If Johnson brings that sort of fire to every game the rest of the way, Highland will be very tough to beat.
