A Tyler Johnson dunk

Former St. Francis High star Tyler Johnson, now a freshman at Fresno State, made a spectacular play the other night and paid a heavy price -- head here.

Tyler Johnson POY plus the all-area and all-league squads

St. Francis' Tyler Johnson is the Mercury News Player of the Year:

Boys basketball player of the year: Tyler Johnson
Dennis Knight
Mercury News
4/06/2010

A teammate still remembers seeing St. Francis Tyler Johnson for the first time.

"He was this little, short kid with a 'fro," Lancers senior Patrick Crowley said of that moment four years ago at a St. Francis basketball practice. "People underestimate him, but he has that quick first step and can jump so high. I couldn't guard him then, and I can't guard him now."

Not many players could guard the St. Francis senior guard. Johnson isn't an intimidating presence — he's 6-foot-1, 165 pounds — but when he has the ball, he attracts plenty of attention...

Go here for the remainder.

Here is the Mercury News' First Team.

Here are various other honors.

Here are further selections from the Mercury News.

The Mittys triumph

Before he is done in high school, Aaron Gordon is going to surpass brother Drew as a baller. Please note this is not a knock at the latter but simply praise for the former.

Archbishop Mitty wins CCS Division II boys, girls titles
Dennis Knight
Mercury News
3/06/2010

It was a banner night at the Leavey Center for the Archbishop Mitty basketball teams Friday as the boys upset red-hot St. Francis 56-50 to win the Central Coast Section Division II championship after watching the girls roll to a 53-37 victory over Presentation to win their 22nd CCS title.

The boys ended the Lancers' 19-game winning streak. St. Francis (27-3) had run the table during West Catholic Athletic League play and then won the league tournament. The Lancers had beaten Mitty in three previous meetings, but the Monarchs came through with their best game of the season to win their sixth CCS title in school history.

Freshman Aaron Gordon and senior Stephen Meade delivered big time performances for Mitty (20-9), which took an 11-10 lead midway through the second quarter and never trailed again...

Go here for the remainder.

Tyler Johnson and St. Francis

Here is a kid and a school not receiving that much attention:

Start to finish, top to bottom, St. Francis is a title contender
Mitch Stephens, Special to The Chronicle
February 19, 2010

St. Francis boys basketball coach Mike Motil often tells the story of how his team's lone Division I-bound player, Tyler Johnson, missed a layup in his first game on the freshman team.

And how he cried.

"Real tears ... on the bench," said Motil, who was then the freshman coach. "I told him if he didn't stop crying I couldn't put him back in. Ever."

Motil likes telling the tale of Johnson's humble beginning, not to embarrass the 6-foot-2 guard, who will play at Fresno State next season, but to illustrate two points:

One, Johnson is a tremendously passionate player.

And two, at St. Francis, it's not about where you start, but where you finish...

Go here for the remainder.

Tyler Johnson and his LOI

St. Francis backcourter Tyler Johnson is still bound for Fresno State next season -- the delay in his letter-of-intent signing is explained by Dennis Knight/Mercury News:

"...St. Francis senior Tyler Johnson has orally committed to play at Fresno State, but he didn't sign Wednesday. Johnson's mother is in the military and currently away from home. Johnson said Wednesday he wants his mother to be part of his signing day, and he is still committed to the Bulldogs..."