One of B’More’s Best Heading to Prep School

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Higgins soaking up instructions during the Charlie Weber Spring Fling

May 24, 2006 – In any metropolitan area, a two-time state champion junior guard capable of starring at the point and shooting guard positions should be well known and respected in and out that locale. That’s not totally the case for 6’2”, 185lb junior, Johnny Higgins, a versatile guard who despite leading Randallstown High School to back-to-back state crowns, sometimes gets lost in discussions regarding the best players in Baltimore, let alone the Mid-Atlantic area. The folks, who lose sight Higgins, need to find him.

Playing for Kim Rivers at Randallstown in Baltimore County, Higgins led that school to a 3A title the year before last, and after a state athletic reclassification, a 2A crown this year. In both cases he was a linchpin of the team’s success, averaging 15.5 points, 5.2 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per contest in 2004-2005, while notching 27.8 points, 6.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.2 steals a game in 2005-2006.

Higgins warming up for Randallstown at the Maryland state tournament

Many times statistics don’t tell the story of a player, but in Johnny’s case they do – the young guy has worked tirelessly on his game – which is witnessed by his statistical increase over the last two years, in all categories. Higgins expounded on his recipe for improving, by sharing “You have to keep working, no matter what people say. You are always going to have haters. You just have to keep working.

At the recent Charlie Weber Spring Fling, Higgins shared he is presently improving “My weak hand, my left hand. I want to make it stronger”. To achieve this, Johnny shared “I’m going to go straight left, all left” in some AAU games, thereby improving those ball handling skills. Additionally, the young man is striving to tweak his shot mechanics, stating “My elbow is not in, it’s out” during shots, and increase his court vision.

That floor generalship is something Johnny has strived to improve while playing for Cecil Kirk AAU. While always possessing the confidence that allows him to believe “I can play whatever position they put me at”, his true migration from a shooting guard to more of a lead man started “early last summer”, under the tutelage of Cecil Kirk AAU’s founder and head coach, Anthony Lewis.

Cecil Kirk's Anthony Lewis, who has taught the game of hoops to B'More kids for over 20 years

Lewis likes the development he sees in Johnny, indicating during a recent phone interview “He’s doing well”, and that as with all his charges, he wants the young man to “get better and stronger”. This long time developer of B’More hoop talent has taught a slew of players the finer points of the game, and is doing the same with Higgins. For instance, Johnny shared that to improve his ability to run a ball club and court vision, Lewis challenges him by throwing “different defenses at me in practice”. These include “1-3-1 and 2-3” sets, which force the young guy to set up the best course of attack – just as is demanded during game situations.

If his performance in this year’s state semi-final tilt with Potomac High School is any indication, Johnny’s progress with court vision and team leadership is progressing quite nicely. During that 63-42 victory (click here for i95Ballerz.com coverage), Higgins put on a virtuoso-like performance that saw him supply 15 points, 6 assists, 11 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal, while delivering what had to be the individual play of the tournament.

Late in the third quarter, Johnny was leading a fast break, and found himself presented with several obvious options: He could have gone directly to the cup, or passed off to a player filling a wing lane. Higgins executed the play most can’t see, much less make, which was deftly dropping a no look, between the legs pass behind him to fellow Cecil teammate Lyndon Jones on the secondary break, who promptly flushed the ball. Fans of both teams erupted afterward.

Next season, Higgins will attend Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, MA. Johnny, who leaves for that institution in August, opined “It will be a nice experience” academically and athletically. Lewis concurs with that sentiment, stating “I think it’s going to help him a lot”.

While at Notre Dame Prep, a hoops powerhouse and college recruiter magnet, it is safe to assume the list of schools Higgins indicated have recruited him – “Illinois, VA Tech, Clemson, Virginia”, will expand. But given the school’s distance from the Charm City, his popularity with colleges may not translate into getting his ‘propers’ in Baltimore.

If you poll the guys who have played with him, they all believe he’s one of the best in B’More. Players like DaJuan Summers and DiShawn Bradshaw will readily attest to that fact. Higgins for one takes the oversight in stride. “I’m right there with them (the best in the area)” he said. “I can play with the best…The publicity, it will come”.

Don’t get caught jumping on the Higgins bandwagon in a year. He deserves his respect, right now.