Sports With Walter Moore

 
 

Johnson Returns to SSU Basketball Staff

Julie Johnson has returned for her second stint as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Savannah State University. The Swainsboro, Georgia native spent four years with the program from 2006-09.

Johnson comes to SSU from Beach High School in Savannah where she was an administrative assistant.

At SSU, Johnson will handle internal basketball operations.

Johnson was a two-year starter at point guard for Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) from 1979-81. She earned her associate’s degree in criminal justice from East Georgia State College and her undergraduate degree in criminal justice from SSU, graduating magna cum laude.

Johnson’s sister, Elaine Parrish Saunders, played basketball at Savannah State from 1976-78 and her daughter, Paige Johnson, was a member of the Lady Tigers basketball team from 2011-12.

A member of Roundtree Chapel Baptist Church in Twin City, Georgia, Johnson also serves as the First Lady at Second Saint John Missionary Baptist Church in Savannah, GA where her husband, Rev. Marque Johnson, Sr. serves as pastor.

 
 

The couple has three children: Kellie, Paige and Marque, Jr and three grandchildren.

Morgan State 18 SSU 11

Savannah State’s offense

accumulated a season-high 348 yards but could only score 11 points in a 18-11 loss to Morgan State in a game played October 13 at T.A. Wright Stadium.

The crowd of 2,655 also saw the Tigers (1- 5) get penalized nine times for 119 yards.

Morgan State led 3-0 in the first quarter and went ahead 11-0 with just under three minutes left in the second quarter.

SSU got on the scoreboard with 36 seconds remaining in the first half after a 38 yard field goal by Giovanni Lugo to make the score 11-3.

On their first possession of the third quarter, the Tigers drove 75 yards in eight plays to tie the game as quarterback D’Vonn Gibbons scored on a nine yard scamper and followed that up with a two-point conversion pass to wide receiver Czar Beneby.

 
 

The Bears went ahead 18-11 on their next drive.

Early in the fourth quarter, SSU drove to the Morgan State 17 but could not get any further. Lugo’s 36 yard field goal attempt was blocked and that was the last real scoring threat issued by the Tigers. Lugo finished the night making one field goal, missing two and having one blocked. Gibbons was sacked five times but managed to throw for 219 yards while rushing for 57 yards. James Kicklighter (Windsor Forest High) caught five passes for 77 yards while Mulik Simmons (Bible Baptist) had 14 tackles and freshman Water Yates added 10 tackles.

Habersham Leads Rams Past Morehouse

Morehouse College is no longer undefeated as Albany State handed the Maroon Tigers their first loss of the season, 41-19, on October 14 at B.T. Harvey Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Morehouse falls to 6-1, 2-1 SIAC, while the Golden Rams improves to 4-3, 3-0 SIAC.

The game was originally scheduled for Oct. 13, but due to the damage caused by Hurricane Michael in the Albany area, both institutions agreed to play a Sunday afternoon game.

Leading the way for Albany State was Savannah native McKinley Habersham who ran for 65 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.

Habersham scored both of his touchdowns in the third quarter. He ran for a 11 yard touchdown with 9:07 left in the quarter and then caught a eight yard scoring touchdown pass with ten seconds showing.

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