Keon Johnson, Tennessee’s top 2020 basketball prospect, plays with edge, even if that means technicals

Keon Johnson plays with emotion and without fear on the basketball court.

That has led to a Mr. Basketball-type season for the Webb School junior point guard, who is the top-rated college basketball prospect in Tennessee for the Class of 2020 according to the 247Sports Composite.

It has also gotten him in trouble with technical fouls. His last one of the season came Friday with the Feet attempting to reach its first Division II-A state championship game.

Webb’s Keon Johnson (23) covers his face as Webb loses possession of the ball while down by three with 6.2 seconds left on the clock, during Webb’s game against Tipton-Rosemark in the semifinal round of the TSSAA Division II Class A State Championships at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville on Friday, March 1, 2019. (Photo: Mike Clark / For The Tennessean)

Johnson was called for a technical foul with 5:11 left in the first half in Webb’s 67-62 loss to Tipton-Rosemark in a DII-A boys basketball state semifinal played at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena.

It came moments after picking up his third foul. Johnson stood on the baseline by himself, and dribbled hard one time on the sideline, catching the ball at his waist.

He immediately was whistled for a technical foul, his fourth personal foul of the game.

“He’s got a game that part of the beauty of his game is the edge that he plays with,” Webb coach Jeff Mitchell said. “And at times that may get misinterpreted. That is something he’s been dealing with and has to deal with.”

Johnson received two technical fouls against CPA in the Middle Region final prior to reaching the DII-A state quarterfinals. He did not have to sit out any games after it was ruled that one of the technical fouls he received was a misapplication of the rules.

It was given during live action of a game and should have been either a personal foul or intentional.

Johnson, a four-star college prospect, sat the rest of the second quarter against Tipton-Rosemark and didn’t return until after the midway point of the third quarter. He finished with 14 points in 15 minutes of action before fouling out with 3:50 left in the game.

Webb led 58-54 when he fouled out.

“That’s like asking me to change my shot or how I play basketball,” said Johnson, who is rated as the No. 32 basketball prospect in the country for 2020. “I mean, night in and night out you are going to get the same Keon.

“You are going to get the same player. The way you take it is the way you take it.”

Johnson averaged 25.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists this season.