Rebels step up against Hoyas

Steve Addy

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001 | 10:57 a.m.

Who: Rebels at Georgetown

When: 4:30 p.m., Thursday

Where: MCI Center, Washington D.C.

TV: KFBT (Ch. 6)

Radio: KBAD, 920 AM

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Lafonte Johnson will have a large personal rooting section today when the Rebels play No. 10 Georgetown.

Like the last time he played near his hometown, he hopes to give them something to cheer about.

Johnson, UNLV's 5-foot-9 freshman point guard from Baltimore, played his best game for the Rebels on Dec. 31 vs. Old Dominion at Norfolk, Va. Coming off the bench for the first time after starting the first 11 games, Johnson had nine points, six rebounds and four assists in a 82-67 victory.

Better yet, he played with a fearlessness he had lacked as a starter, driving aggressively into the lane and finishing at the rim.

With friends and family rooting for their beloved "Shorty," it was the closest he had come to replicating the play that led Crispus Attucks of York, Pa., to last year's national prep school championship.

"I was more comfortable in the (ODU) game, being back home and coming off the bench," Johnson said as the Rebels prepared for today's 4:30 tipoff with the Hoyas at the MCI Center.

"Hopefully, I can do that again. This is a big game for us. I will have a lot more family and friends at the game, and I'll be playing against one of my closest friends."

That's Georgetown point guard Kevin Braswell, a Baltimore native who directs the Hoyas' attack with 10.5 points and seven assists per game. He and Johnson played with (and against) each other for years on the playground circuit.

"I'm looking forward to playing Kevin again," Johnson said.

But another of Johnson's friends won't be in attendance. Two days before the Old Dominion game, Nathanial Chase of Baltimore was killed in an auto accident. Johnson learned of his death after the Rebels arrived at ODU, and it weighed heavily on him during the game.

"He got in a car accident," Johnson said, refuting earlier accounts that Chase had been shot. "He was my first friend in Baltimore. He lived right across the street from me. It was hard to deal with that, but I had to be strong."

Johnson has continued to come off the bench in the six games since Old Dominion, sometimes successful, sometimes not.

Among his highlights were 12 points and five assists Jan. 13 at Utah, and eight points and four rebounds Jan. 6 against Chicago State. The lowlights were a two-point effort against Air Force, and a scoreless game at BYU.

Other times, Johnson has done good things, but you just have to look harder.

In Monday night's 80-72 victory over New Mexico, he shot 1-of-3, but his basket was a 3-pointer that gave UNLV a 55-45 lead with 10:26 to play.

"That was a big basket," coach Max Good said. "(New Mexico) went to a zone for a couple of possessions. Lafonte knocked one down, and so did Vince Booker. We got them out of the zone pretty quick. Lafonte helped us there."