Aztecs Welcome Johnson : Center’s Return Carries SDSU Over New Mexico

Steffond Johnson stood in the middle of San Diego State’s locker room Thursday night, rubbing his head that had been bald since the afternoon.

“I think we’ll all have one of these Saturday,” Johnson said. “We’re doing a promotion for Cabbage Patch.”

His teammates laughed in unison. The 6-foot 8-inch powerfully built center was back, and with him had come a 71-68 victory over New Mexico in front of 1,909 fans at the Sports Arena.

For Coach Smokey Gaines, it was redemption. Repeatedly, he had been telling people that the Aztecs would be a much better team with Johnson.

“Like I said all year long, we’d be a different ballclub with him,” Gaines said. “He gives us that other force we need. He makes people change their shots and intimidates them. It has been very difficult for us to win with four or five guards.”

Johnson had missed the previous 12 games with a herniated disc and stress fracture in his lower back. Admittedly, he once thought his SDSU career was over when the doctor said he probably wouldn’t come back.

But when Johnson returned, the Aztecs went from being intimidated to being the intimidator. They even outrebounded New Mexico, 39-32, the second time in 15 games they outrebounded the opposition.

Johnson and teammate John Martens each had a team-high seven rebounds. Martens also scored a team-high 19 points, hitting 7 of 9 field-goal attempts and 5 of 6 free throws.

When Johnson was sidelined, the 6-8 Martens had been switched from his natural forward position to center. But the return of Johnson enabled Martens to go out on the wing, where he made two 15-foot shots in a game for the first time in a long time.

“I had a lot more freedom to roam in the key and go outside,” Martens said. “Steffond was in there rebounding and creating a lot of second shots by tipping the ball out. His aggressiveness really sparked the team.”

Johnson’s statistics were not particularly impressive. He made 3 of 7 field-goal attempts for 6 points in 23 minutes and turned the ball over three times.

However, his presence for the first time since November was impressive enough to make a difference for the Aztecs, who are 3-2 in the Western Athletic Conference and 4-11 overall.

“Steffond gave us what we had been lacking,” Anthony Watson said. “We just haven’t had the big fella in the middle. It has put pressure on guys to do things they’re not used to doing. After games, my back has been killing me from going against bigger guys.”

Even with Johnson, the 6-3 Watson started at forward. Watson did not have one of his better nights, making 5 of 17 shots from the field and scoring 14 points. Creon Dorsey, playing his natural point guard position, scored 15 points.

The Johnson-inspired Aztecs started quickly. Johnson scored the game’s first basket then fed Dorsey after a steal, setting up two free throws that gave SDSU a 4-0 lead.

The Aztecs led by nine points on seven occasions in the first half. But after SDSU led, 27-18, New Mexico scored the next eight points to pull within one. The Lobos tied the game three times before falling behind at halftime, 38-34.

New Mexico (3-2, 11-6) took its first lead, 46-44, on Mike Winters’ layup with 15 minutes remaining. The Lobos led three more times, with their last margin 52-51.

SDSU, playing without Johnson at the time, scored 10 unanswered points to take the lead for good, 61-52. Martens hit a 15-foot shot, Watson scored off a Martens steal, Josh Lowery made a layup, Watson made a layup off his own steal and Lowery hit a 15-foot shot.

When New Mexico trailed with five minutes remaining, 64-56, Johnson made a key play. He blocked a shot by Johnny Brown, the Lobos’ best player, and SDSU took possession. The Aztecs got two offensive rebounds at the other end before turning over the ball.

New Mexico trailed by 10 points with three minutes remaining, 66-56, before making a late run.

Afterward, SDSU players were high-fiving Johnson, who expects to play when the Aztecs play host to Texas El Paso on Saturday night.

“I didn’t get too stiff,” Johnson said. “I feel great. I’m here and I’m back, unless something else comes up.”

With Johnson, the Aztecs looked like a solid major-college team up front. At times, they teamed Johnson with Martens and 6-9 freshman Kevin Brown.

“It reminded me of old times,” Gaines said.

And it certainly had been a long time since Gaines thought that.