OXFORD, Ohio—Miami University head men’s basketball coach John Cooper signed his first two players at the helm of the RedHawk program. Guards Reggie Johnson, Jr. (Chicago, Ill./St. Joseph) and Geovonie McKnight (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) will join the RedHawk program in the fall.
“Both Reggie and Geovonie have great basketball ability. The different things these young men bring to the program—for the way that we want to play and a faster tempo—we think they will be a great fit,” said Cooper.
Johnson, a 6-foot-1 guard, was a second-team all-state selection as a senior and averaged 17.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.9 apg and 3.0 spg. A four-year letterwinner who served as a team captain all four seasons, Johnson led the Chargers to a 20-9 mark in 2011-12. He earned all-conference and all-area honors and participated in the City/Suburban All-Star Game, Chicago Classic and the North/South All-Star Game. Johnson also was named to the St. Charles East All-Tournament Team and Proviso West All-Tournament Team.
“We are certainly excited for Reggie to be joining our program. He comes from a great high school that has great tradition. It’s the same coach and the same high school where Isiah Thomas played,” remarked Cooper. “Reggie comes from the Catholic league in Chicago, which has produced several strong players, and that says a lot about his basketball ability and the things that he is capable of doing. We look forward to Reggie joining the program. He’s a person who comes from a great family and has done well academically, so I think he will be a great person for us to have in the Miami Family.”
McKnight, a 6-foot-3 guard, was a two-time third-team all-state selection and led the Middies to their first GMC title in two decades in 2011-12. A two-year letterwinner in basketball and a two-time first-team all-conference selection, McKnight scored 1,065 points in two seasons to become the 11th all-time leading scorer at Middletown. He averaged 20 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 2.0 spg as a senior, while averaging 16.4 ppg, 2.0 spg and 2.6 apg as a junior. A First-Team All-Southwest District selection, McKnight was district player of the year and the GMC Player of the Year while helping the Middies to a 20-6 record and the Ohio Division I regional final as a senior.
“Geovonie is the first person we signed at Miami. We’re really happy to have him join our program,” stated Cooper. “He’s from right up the road, so we continue a tradition in the Miami program of getting the Middies on board and in the family. He played terrific basketball this season and led the Middies to places they had not gone. We think great things are to come for Geovonie, and with his style of play, athleticism and ability to defend we think he is a great addition to the program.”
