High-scoring hoopsters garner CCCSIA/CCCAA Athlete of the Month accolades

Michael Hayes (Las Positas) and Dariel Johnson (Pasadena City) were named the CCCAA/CCCSIA Athletes of the Month for January.

February 21, 2019

SACRAMENTO - Two very deserving basketball players highlight the CCCSIA State Athletes of the Month for January of 2019.

Redshirt freshman Dariel Johnson averaged 19 points, 14.2 rebounds, 5 blocks, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the month of January. She also notched a triple-double during the month. The 6-2 center out of Pasadena High became the first winner of the award from Pasadena City since January, 2015.

Freshman Michael Hayes became just the second-ever winner of the award for Las Positas and first male recipient. The other winner from LPC was women’s basketball player Cayla Nava in 2015.

The 6-2 guard out of West High in Tracy averaged 26.2 points in nine games, while shooting 58 percent from the free throw line. He eclipsed 30 points in a game three times during the month.

Men’s Athlete of the Month
Michael Hayes, Las Positas, Basketball, Fr.
Hayes had an outstanding January for Las Positas as he averaged 26.2 points in nine games, shooting 58 percent from the field and 73 percent from the free throw line.

Hayes also averaged 10.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.6 steals in a well-rounded performance that helped state No. 14-ranked LPC to an 8-1 record in the month. Three times he eclipsed 30 points including his season-high 38 in a month-opening win over De Anza.

From Jan. 2 thru Jan. 11, he four times reach double digits in free throw scoring, totaling in that stretch 44-for-58 shots. Hayes is third in the state in scoring.

Women’s Athlete of the Month
Dariel Johnson, Pasadena City, Basketball, RFr.
A local product of Pasadena, the 6-2 Johnson averaged 19 points, 14.2 rebounds, 5 blocks, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals in the month of January.

All six of her games were played against exclusively teams ranked in the SoCal Top 15. She earned MVP honors of the 16-team, Crossover Challenge Tournament.

In the tourney finale vs. state No. 6-ranked LA Trade Tech, she made a PCC first-ever performance with a points-rebounds-blocks triple-double. Only the sixth triple double of any kind in Lancers history, Johnson pulled off the feat by scoring her season-high of 28 points, with 18 rebounds and 12 blocked shots.

She also set the PCC record for most blocks in a game. Johnson leads the state in block shot average (4.4 a game) and is second in the state in rebounding at 14.7.

(Brent Shaver, Irvine Valley College)