per Marcus:
Damian Johnson retired from pro basketball in 2016, but that hasn't stopped him from schooling some of his Benilde-St. Margaret's players this winter.
The 6-foot-7 former Gophers standout might not be in the shape he was as a starting forward for Tubby Smith in 2010, during a surprising run to the Big Ten championship game and NCAA tournament.
But one of the keys to Johnson's turnaround with Benilde-St. Margaret's has been his presence to heighten the competition in practices. Players are pushed to match his intensity, especially on defense.
"I challenge them every day," said Johnson, who won the first Metro West title in program history this season. "They hate hearing my mouth when I'm playing because they know I'm just going to talk. They don't want to lose to me because it's extra conditioning."
The Red Knights were 5-21 before Johnson arrived a few years ago. Following a shortened COVID-19 season, they finished 18-10 last season and second in the Metro West. They improved to 23-4 after Wednesday's section 6AAA quarterfinal win vs. Hutchinson at home.
Four of BSM's top players are underclassmen, including the state's No. 1 player in the 2025 class, Jalen Wilson. Sophomores Jaleel Donley and Abu Keita are Division I prospects. And freshman Christian Wiggins has potential to play in college as well.
Johnson started his coaching career as an assistant at Eden Prairie while still playing pro overseas, but he traded his jersey for the clipboard for good when North St. Paul hired him as head coach in 2017.
In his three seasons, North St. Paul went 56-22 overall and 41-7 combined in conference play, which included winning two Metro East titles. That successful culture carried over to BSM.
"Getting that start at North St. Paul really prepared me for this coaching," Johnson said. "I was able to learn and grow over there and we won at the same time. So, it helped me learn and do a lot of the behind-the-scenes things. Now I'm comfortable and I know exactly what to expect."
Johnson sounds like a savvy veteran, but he's 36 years old and has been a high school coach for only six years. His goals at one time included pursuing a college position, but now he also dreams of winning state titles and stacking up victories to become one of the state's top prep basketball coaches. He got his 100th win on Feb. 1.
One of his assistants at North St. Paul and Benilde-St. Margaret's has been Aaron Robinson, who played for the Gophers under Dan Monson from 2001-05. He's been a valuable player development coach and more.
"He's someone I trust and can rely on," Johnson said. "We always bounce stuff off each other. That's been great for me."
Basketball Across Minnesota: Johnson has led a turnaround at Benilde-St. Margaret's after a successful stint at North St. Paul.
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Go Gophers!!
