Click here to see our girls basketball player of the week.
Lake Highlands’ Tre Johnson
What he did: Johnson averaged 26 points, 6.5 rebounds and two steals per game as Lake Highlands went 2-0 in Class 6A playoffs. Johnson scored 28 points while adding eight rebounds and three steals as Lake Highlands upset previously undefeated Plano 58-56 in an area playoff Friday at Loos Fieldhouse. He scored 24 points with five rebounds and two assists in a 69-47 bi-district playoff win over Arlington Bowie on Tuesday at South Oak Cliff.
Who he is: A 6-6 sophomore guard, Johnson is receiving recruiting interest from many colleges, including UCLA, Kentucky, Arkansas and Oregon.
The stats: Johnson is averaging 23.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals. He has helped Lake Highlands — ranked No. 5 in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 6A area rankings and No. 8 in the TABC’s 6A state rankings — compile a 32-4 record. Lake Highlands will face Arlington Martin (26-7), ranked No. 8 in the area and No. 17 in the state, in a Region I quarterfinal Tuesday at Lancaster.
He said it: “My favorite play in the Plano game was when our big guy, Samson Aletan, got a dunk in the third quarter. That was a game-changer. The play I was involved in I liked the best was an and-one drive to the basket in the second quarter. … Since last year I’ve worked on my ball handling and moving without the ball. I’ve worked on being a better point guard, and if I had to be point all the time I feel like I can do it. To me, there’s not much of a difference between point and shooting guard.”
Coach said it: “What I liked most about Tre against Plano was his toughness and composure. Plano plays really good defense, and they worked really hard to keep him from getting the ball. Tre had a couple of big putbacks that showed how tough he is. … Tre has worked hard on being a leader on the team, and he has a remarkable work ethic. He works with his father [assistant coach Richard Johnson] all the time for at least an hour after practices.” — Joe Duffield
Did you know? Johnson’s full name is Richard Earl Johnson III. Tre is short for ‘the third.’ His father played college basketball at Baylor and Midwestern State. … Johnson started taking basketball seriously when he was in the third grade and attending Couch Elementary School in Garland. … Johnson’s favorite course in school is art, especially involving pencil sketches. … Johnson’s favorite meal is chicken nuggets with fries and iced tea. … Johnson’s favorite athlete is Basketball Hall of Fame and former Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan because of Jordan’s mentality.
Honorable mention
| Player | School | Class | Pos. | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalil Brown | Dallas Christian | Sr. | G | Avg. 29.5 points as Dallas Christian went 2-0 in TAPPS 5A playoffs. |
| Zuby Ejiofor | Garland | Sr. | C | Avg. 22.5 points as Garland went 2-0 in Class 6A playoffs. |
| Cydd Ford | Arlington Martin | Sr. | G | Avg. 14.5 points as Martin went 2-0 in Class 6A playoffs. |
| Ryan Holland | Duncanville | Jr. | F | Avg. 19.0 points as Duncanville went 2-0 in Class 6A playoffs. |
| Coleson Messer | Highland Park | Jr. | F/C | Avg. 20.0 points as Highland Park went 2-0 in Class 5A playoffs. |
| Drew Steffe | Frisco Memorial | Sr. | G | Avg. 19.0 points as Memorial went 2-0 in Class 5A playoffs. |
| Karson Templin | Lovejoy | Jr. | F/C | Avg. 17.0 points as Lovejoy went 2-0 in Class 5A playoffs. |
| Cason Wallace | Richardson | Sr. | G | Avg. 23.0 points as Richardson went 2-0 in Class 6A playoffs. |
| Chendall Weaver | Mansfield Timberview | Sr. | G | Avg. 25.5 points as Timberview went 2-0 in Class 5A playoffs. |
| Ant Williams | Prosper Rock Hill | Sr. | G | Avg. 22.5 points as Rock Hill went 2-0 in Class 5A playoffs. |
Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.