HoCo’s Zion Johnson looks to help get the Bears back to playoffs

Depending on where you get your definitions of the word “Zion,” it can be translated in many different ways. Whether Rastafarian (Africa) or by way of the King James version of the Bible (the hill of Jerusalem in which the city of David was built), Zion stands for a strong place to rest yourself on this journey we call life.

The Houston County High School Bears boys’ basketball team is currently on a journey of its own. The Bears are currently winless but don’t look like an 0-2 team and haven’t played like one despite their record. Houston County is playing rival Veterans High School on Tuesday night and Bears senior point guard Zion Johnson is looking to quickly right the ship against their most hated rival.

“So many people overlook me and my teammates as a whole, so I push myself to be the best so my team can follow,” said Johnson. “I’ve known Zion since the third grad,” says HoCo head basketball coach Stephen Walls. “I knew he would be a god player from watching him play as a kid in physical education [class].”

His goals this season may seem lofty to people outside of the HoCo hoops program, but they aren’t to Johnson.

“I hope to get HoCo basketball back to the playoffs,” he said.

Tuesday night against Veterans can be a good start to that mission.

The Bears’ first two games of the 2016-17 se ason were on the road at what will most likely be two playoff teams. The season opener on Nov. 22 at LaGrange High School ended in a 75-44 loss and a week later at Crisp County High School, the Bears fared better but still lost 70-63.

Johnson’s job as a team leader is to put an ending to the losses and start the winning. “He’s learning more and more everyday,” says Walls. “Zion is unselfish and only wants to win.”

“I’m looking forward to playing against Veterans, Warner Robins and against Crisp County (again),” he says.

According to Johnson, the early season losses may have hurt, but they also helped the team see what they were missing.

“We didn’t execute properly and there were first game butterflies,” he says. “We learned that we have to communicate better on defense.”

Currently being recruited by LaGrange College, West Georgia University and Georgia Southern University, Johnson knows his game needs to continue to mature if he is to secure a college offer and help get the Bears to the postseason. The best parts of his game, “my ability to finish at the rim and finish through contact,” will be what colleges look for from a guard. Walls adds, “he’s willing to not score and defend and distribute if that’s what it atjkes to win.”

Wins and a playoff berth will be what his teammates and coaches will be looking for this upcoming season.

From the hill that became the city of David or from the shores of Mother Africa, or more likely from the gym at Houston County High School or a county school near you, Zion Johnson is going to be on the journey to do more with his senior season than just play ball. Zion and his parents Dr. Michael and Charmeka George moved to Warner Robins from Crisp County when he was in second grade. From that moment on he has known that he has wanted to play ball at the highest level. Tonight will be another moment on the path to victory, standing in the way, rival Veterans High. “He was an insecure ninth grader playing timid and now he is a confident senior who has been on two college visits,” says Walls. The path from Zion to the mountain top has been long but worth every step. Especially if he and the Bears can find a way to win tonight.

“We will be ready,” says Johnson.

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