03-07-2013, 08:28 AM
03-07-2013, 08:49 AM
Great article and brings back some memories. I remember taking my grandson, who is now 18, to Pine Bluff to see the Alex Finger, Mark Green, Joe Johnson, etc. team just pulverize North Little Rock in the state final game. Mark Green was the outstanding player of the game. Both Alex and Mark played for UALR. Alex started at point guard his Freshman season, and then decided he didn't want to play any more and quit. Mark had a nice career for the Trojans. Alex would have been a great point guard for us if he had played out his career, but he just wanted to be a student, and that's allright too. I hope he's had a successful life. He was an intelligent young man and a very good player.
03-07-2013, 09:15 AM
I'm glad to see my cousin (Danny McDaniel) made the list. That Central team with Finger, Green, Hart, Johnson was dominant. That was the type of team you see in the bigger cities, where all the starters were legit D1 players.
03-07-2013, 09:47 AM
They were awesome. I remember it was the only time I ever saw Joe Johnson play in high school. He didn't do a lot that game, but not because he couldn't. He allowed Green to have the spotlight. Joe was a very unselfish player. He could have probably scored 50 points, but he didn't shoot much. Just did what he needed to do to help his team win. I remember I was impressed with his teamwork. We now know just how good a player Joe Johnson is. I ran into him at Sports Academy one day a year or so ago, and talked with him a minute. He was very approachable and really a nice young man. He didn't know me, but he stopped to visit for a moment. He made a fan that day.
03-07-2013, 09:57 AM
That's true about Joe. I use to date his cousin when he was in high school, so I went to several of his games. He could have averaged 50 points a game if he wanted to. There was no high school kid in Arkansas that could stop him. I remember one time I was at a game and he grab a rebound, dribble down the court, did a crossover on a defender, and then dunk the ball. After seeing that, I had no doubt he would be in the NBA. I think he was just a junior then. He comes from a good family that is down to earth and he still does alot for the less fortunate kids in Little Rock. Little Rock is lucky to have some pro athletes that are good role models like Keith Jackson, Fish, and Joe.
03-07-2013, 11:09 AM
I've played ball with Joe, and the guy can pass the ball like no big man I've seen. Great great vision.