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Chris Johnson – Photo Credit: BCL<\/p><\/div>
\n\u201cWe made a few changes this year,\u201d the veteran began. \u201cBut we stuck with it and everybody brings something different to the table. That’s what makes us special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the departure of the colorful and fiery coach Stefanos Dedas, Holon management brought in Italian bench boss Maurizio Buscaglia who looked to duplicate the club\u2019s European success. However, the squad struggled and a change was made after Holon had lost the first game in their best of 3 Round of 16 Play In series as Guy Goodes was appointed head coach after having departed Maccabi Rishon Le\u2019Zion earlier in the season.<\/p>\n
Goodes, who is also the Israel National Team head coach arrived at Holon with years of top level experience which included time with Maccabi Tel Aviv where he was part of David Blatt\u2019s staff that captured the 2014 Euroleague title and then took over the reins the following campaign.
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-5.jpg\")
Guy Goodes – Photo Credit: Basket.co.il<\/p><\/div>
\nWith little time to spare, his impact was immediate as he guided the team to a win in Turkey and then one back at home to knockout Besiktas and advance in the competition, \u201cHe came in and just said that he\u2019s here to help us win and that his focus was on Besiktas. He is a player\u2019s coach and he was on it from the moment he arrived. He put his foot down and made us closer as a team. His concept of the game and being a player\u2019s coach plus the fact that he has coached at the highest level and he has a good feel for the game was important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assistant coach Amit Sherf has been a key figure with Holon for a number of seasons as he is a constant sounding board for the squad and is no less part of the success that they have had.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a tremendous person,\u201d Johnson commented. \u201cHe reached out to me in the summer and said he was going to re-sign with Holon and I was really happy about that. He is a smart guy, young and understands the game.\u201d <\/p>\n
Another big factor in the club\u2019s achievements are the fans who are part and parcel of the franchise over the years. Their support has been crucial especially at home and they will no doubt be in Bilbao in huge numbers to will their team on.
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/john.jpg\")
Chris Johnson – Photo Credit: BCL<\/p><\/div>
\n\u201cThey are amazing. Last year without them for the most part (due to COVID-19 restrictions) it was kind of different but they were here this year to support us and to get us through the games when we needed it.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Champions League as a whole has continued to improve and evolve into one of Europe\u2019s most coveted competitions with some very high quality teams from across the continent while also managing its structure from social media to live events with the utmost professionalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just said that the other day that they have grown over the years. We have played some very good teams with Kariskaya last year along wth Ludwisgburg and others this year who are all good teams and can play at a very high level. The league has been getting better and they have gained followers. They will continue to get better. I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Johnson himself, who is averaging 14 points and 6 rebounds a game this season, it will be a chance to capture a top level European championship and that isn\u2019t something that he is taking for granted. Having just celebrated his 32nd birthday and committed to the club for two more seasons after having recently extended his contract, the time is now.
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/156263B4-6DDC-4000-8823-83537CF4EE00.jpeg\")
Chris Johnson – Photo Credit: BCL<\/p><\/div>
\n\u201cIt feels like home and I am happy here, Israel and Holon have welcomed me with open arms. It just feels like home. The organization is great and my family is happy and I just turned 32. As for the chance to take a European title, it\u2019s special and it\u2019s also the first time in Holon\u2019s history. This is something I wanted to do for the club especially after re-signing so it\u2019s special for me. But right now it\u2019s one game at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson was born in Orlando, Florida and then attended Brookhaven High School in Columbus, Ohio where the family settled. He credits his grandmother for getting him into the sport of basketball. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy great grandmother started watching games with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen and she said that Reggie Miller was my twin brother which I believed. So I stuck with it. <\/p>\n
As for role models growing up, his mother was the person he looked up to while he also had some NBA players that he enjoyed following, \u201cMy mom was my role model although I didn\u2019t understand what a role model really was until I got older. Another player I really liked was KG (Kevin Garnett) and I wore 21 earlier in my career. His mentality rebounding and toughness spoke to me.\u201d
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-57.jpg\")
Chris Johnson – Photo Credit: FIBA<\/p><\/div>
\nWhen it was time to head to university, Johnson decided to stay close to home and attended the University of Dayton where he featured or the Flyers, \u201cI was in Columbus and it was close to home. They cared for me and that was my first and only college recruitment visit. Coach said he would be here for me as a person and not just a player. He was on me to stay focused on my books as well.\u201d <\/p>\n
As a freshman with Dayton, Johnson had the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament which ended up being his only chance to do so, however, he did capture the NIT championship which is the competition that features some of the top teams which did not advance to the \u201cBig Dance\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole experience was great and the four years in college really helped me mature and find my personality as to who I am. I thought we should have also made the tourney my sophomore year but we won the NIT.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following his time in college where his averaged roughly 11 points and 6 rebounds a game, Johnson went undrafted but joined a G-League team and found his way to the NBA where he played for five different teams including the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics for a total of 147 games in the world\u2019s best league.
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2EEA376B-8ECE-403B-B050-6353FC7AD36D.jpeg\")
Chris Johnson – Photo Credit: Champions League<\/p><\/div>
\nWhile Johnson spent parts of five different seasons in the NBA he was able to pick up some of the secrets to the trade as to how to be the best professional as possible. <\/p>\n
\u201cHow to carry yourself and how you represent yourself. I see that now because when you are playing in the NBA, you\u2019re in the moment. The other thing is saving financially and making sure to have an advisor to help you do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw how people were keeping care of their body. I was very observant when I was in the NBA and liked what Trevor Booker did and noticed that anytime we would travel he was always in a business suit and reading a book. Now that makes sense to see where he is today.\u201d <\/p>\n
After his time in the NBA a stop in France was followed by one at Hapoel Jerusalem where he was a key member of the team which won the Israel State Cup but missed out due to an injury, \u201cIt was tough and that was the first time in my career when I had a serious injury. I wasn\u2019t myself and who I was before and it took time to get back to where I was. But I believe that everything happens for a reason.\u201d
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/6f4b5bf8-188a-4427-b468-cb5f7fbb652f.jpeg\")
Chris Johnson – Photo Credit: Dov Halickman<\/p><\/div>
\nOne of Johnson\u2019s characteristics is that he is known to be a player who gives everything he has all of the time no matter if it\u2019s during a game or practice. His tenacity is second to none and can\u2019t be matched by anyone in the league today as he is also one of the top defenders which is something he takes great pride in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think practice is much harder than the game and if you practice hard you will get good results in the game. I want to compete and push myself and my teammates to be better. I have a motor and even if something happens and we lose the ball I can change a possession and find something else to do and just not give up. When we turn the ball over, we can block a shot or change the shot. My coach got on me in college and I was terrible on defense. The game was so much faster from high school and I learned how what to do and battle with tenacity.\u201d <\/p>\n
Last season, Johnson and Holon made it to the Final 8 of the Champions League but were overwhelmed by the eventual champion San Pablo Burgos in their quarterfinal matchup and during the Israeli league playoffs he suffered a concussion as the team fell to Hapoel Gilboa Galil in the semifinals.
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-59.jpg\")
Chris Johnson – Photo Credit: FIBA<\/p><\/div>
\n\u201cI felt sick to my stomach and I played terrible against Burgos in the Final 8 and then I had the concussion which wasn\u2019t in my control. But I knew I would be back this season and I wanted to be patient and win a campaign.\u201d <\/p>\n
As Holon now puts its full focus on Tenerife, Johnson is excited to get going and knows what the team will need to do in order to take home the title, \u201cIt\u2019s March Madness in May. We are good and they are good and it\u2019s the Final Four, so we will do whatever it takes for 40 minutes. We want to leave everything on the floor and we have to emotionally control ourselves and play hard. I am not going there to go on vacation, so that\u2019s plan.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hapoel Holon readies for the Basketball Champions League Final Four in Bilbao, Spain which begins Friday when Guy Goodes\u2019s squad takes on Tenerife in the first of two semifinals. The night cap will feature Riesen Ludwigsburg from Germany and BAXI Manresa from Spain with the Final taking place on Sunday evening. One of the anchors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":56809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[22,1344,53],"class_list":["post-56805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holy-land-hoops","tag-champions-league","tag-chris-johnson","tag-hapoel-holon","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n