However, that might not be a bad thing. Johnson never expected that last season’s freshman-laden TC team would win 27 regular-season games, the second-most in his tenure.
By strengthening the Leopards’ non-conference schedule, Johnson says there’s a good possibility that Temple will be a better team this season even if its record isn’t.
Nonetheless, he goes into the season opener against North Harris at 4 p.m. Saturday at TC Gym without a firm feel for how good these Leopards might end up being.
“I don’t know that I do yet,” said Johnson, who’s 461-194 at TC and has earned nine consecutive NJCAA Region V Tournament berths. “We have a lot of sophomores, and they feel like we should be better. I feel like we should be better, too, but I don’t know that we are yet.
“One year’s success doesn’t guarantee another year’s success, and just because we’re older this year doesn’t mean success. We have to earn that.”
Sophomores J.B. Conley and Chris Ellis are back for the high-scoring Leopards as starting wings after playing key roles for a 27-4 squad that placed second in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference.
Also in the mix is 6-9 sophomore Russ Permenter, an ex-Temple Wildcat and District 13-5A MVP who transferred from Texas-San Antonio.
Johnson is confident that the early schedule he’s compiled will benefit the Leopards when they begin NTJCAC play Jan. 7 against Weatherford, the team that edged them for last season’s championship.
November features home-and-home series with Navarro and defending NJCAA national champion South Plains, plus a home game against seventh-ranked San Jacinto.
Then right before conference begins in early January, Temple will travel to Fort Smith, Ark., for three games in three days, capped by a duel with host and No. 6 Arkansas-Fort Smith.
“We are playing a harder schedule, so going 27-3 this season won’t be like going 27-3 last season,” Johnson said. “We should be better prepared for conference and the regional. We feel like we’re a top-10 team, and to do that you’ve got to beat top-10 teams.”
Temple had only three sophomores last season, and none was a returning starter.
It’s a much different situation this season, with eight sophomores on the 13-man roster - highlighted by NTJCAC Freshman of the Year Conley, who’s moved from forward to wing, and second-team all-conference player Ellis (Harker Heights).
Wings Jamar Beasley (Killeen Shoemaker) and Davon Morrison and forwards Jordan Brown (Killeen) and Sean Jones are back after contributing last season, and TC is counting on big production from Permenter, whom Johnson tried to recruit out of high school.
Also, third-year sophomore point guard Matt Addison is familiar with what Johnson and the Leopards want after sitting out last season as a redshirt.
Temple’s freshmen are point guard Allyn Cooks and forward Rayland Robinson of Bryan, point guard Adam Guerrero of South San Antonio, wing Zach Keal of Katy Morton Ranch and Belton product Marlon Miller, a wing who came out of Johnson’s walk-on program.
“We’ve got 13 guys and we’ll play them all,” Johnson said. “We’re three-deep everywhere, so the guys are working hard to get into our top 10.”
Johnson knows he can rely on the strong, competitive Conley and the smooth, athletic Ellis. Conley (6-5, 215 pounds) averaged a team-best 17.1 points plus 6.7 rebounds per conference game last season, while Ellis displayed his ability to make the 3-point shot and drive hard to the basket.
“J.B. really came on in the second semester last year. He definitely is a leader for us,” Johnson said. “Chris is a good 3-point shooter and is good on the offensive glass. He’s a guy who really wants to do well.”
Permenter certainly looms as an intriguing player for TC, and his height and defensive abilities could make up for the loss of first-team all-league big man Wes Dipprey, who transferred to NCAA Division I Cal Poly after his standout freshman season.
“Russ brings us great size, and he’s a shot blocker,” said Johnson, who’d never had a player taller than 6-8. “He’s a guy who can score from the low box and from the free-throw line.”
As for the other sophomores, the 6-7 Jones is a tough defender who’s improved on the offensive end; Beasley is a slasher whom Johnson called TC’s best defensive player last year; the 6-5 Brown has a soft shooting touch; Morrison offers sharp outside shooting and 1-on-1 defensive skills; and Addison displays talent for the point guard position.
Temple is excited about the addition of freshman point guard Cooks, last season’s 13-5A MVP whom Johnson says “can do it all. He’s very quick and a good decision-maker who’s very conscious of keeping other guys happy.”
The Leopards have gone three seasons since their last victory in the Region V Tournament, including back-to-back first-round losses to Howard at Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.
But after seeing Midland and South Plains win Region V and national titles the last two years as lower seeds from the Western Junior College Athletic Conference, Johnson believes his Leopards will have a shot to capture TC’s first national tournament berth.
“The seeding doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s the same deal as always - we’re going to try to win the conference, make sure we get into the regional and then try to win the regional."
