Prep Basketball : Johnson’s Big Night Paces El Toro : Guard Has 29 Points in 83-76 Win Over Fountain Valley

Earlier this week, Bret Johnson of El Toro High School was named the state’s high school football player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports of Sacramento.

These days, he is excelling on the basketball court, as he demonstrated Tuesday night in leading the Chargers to an 83-76 nonleague victory over Fountain Valley at El Toro.

Johnson scored 29 points, including three three-point shots, and had 11 assists for El Toro (10-3). Fountain Valley, tuning up for its Sunset League opener Friday night against Ocean View, is 10-2.

Johnson, a point guard, displayed his shooting ability in the second quarter when he scored 14 points in eight minutes. Then he showed off his passing in the third quarter, teaming with forward Khari Johnson on several lob passes that turned into dunks as the Chargers opened a 61-53 lead.

“I often wonder how good Bret would be if he had concentrated on basketball,” said Tim Travers, El Toro coach. “He had a lot of Division I schools recruiting him until he made it clear last spring that his future was in football.”

Johnson made four free throws and two three-point shots in the second quarter to help El Toro take a 40-32 halftime lead after the teams were tied, 29-29, midway through the period. The Barons were unable to catch El Toro with center Kevin Anderson having an off night in scoring. Anderson finished with 9 points and 13 rebounds.

The Chargers made 11 more free throws than Fountain Valley in the first half and were 23 of 34 for the game. Fountain Valley made 14 of 22 free throws.

“I thought we started taking advantage of our offensive weapons when we pulled away in the second quarter,” Travers said. “We weren’t cohesive at the beginning and didn’t put four good quarters of play together, but we beat a very good team.”

Fountain Valley’s only previous loss was to Capistrano Valley, 50-43, in the Orange Holiday tournament last week. El Toro will open South Coast League play against Capistrano Valley next Wednesday in UC Irvine’s Bren Center.