By Cody Brunner

Marquee players step up when their team needs them most. That’s why it was no surprise whom the U men’s basketball team turned to when star center and offensive focal point Luke Nevill went down with a hip injury a week ago — Johnnie Bryant.

The nimble 6-foot guard stood out as the Runnin’ Utes’ go-to guy against both Wyoming and New Mexico, keeping his team in contention with a smoldering jump shot and some tenacious defense.

“Johnnie (Bryant) has shot the ball extremely well lately,” said Utah head coach Ray Giacoletti. “He’s kind of found his flow again, and I expect him to continue to lead this team.”

Bryant started his hot streak last Tuesday against Wyoming, scoring 12 first-half points and giving his team the lead early in the second period.

But not even Bryant’s jump shot could save Utah from a loss against the Cowboys in one of the toughest road atmospheres in the conference. The point guard was one of the few bright spots for the Utes in the losing effort, scoring a game-high 26 points on 10-for-15 shooting.

Last Saturday, Utah found itself down 59-49 late in the second half in a crucial Mountain West Conference showdown against New Mexico. Once again, it was Bryant who came through in the clutch, scoring 13 consecutive points to lead his team back from the deficit and snag a double-overtime victory.

“The team has plenty of confidence in Johnnie (Bryant’s) jump shot and what he’s capable of,” forward Shaun Green said.

The junior started this season off hot, averaging 18.3 points per game in his first four games. But a midseason shooting slump forced Bryant to seek alternative ways to help his team win games.

“It’s never about any individual player,” Bryant said. “It’s about what you can do to help the team win games. Sometimes that means shooting the ball and sometimes that means passing it.”

That was the case in the Utes’ last home game of the season on Tuesday against San Diego State. With teammate Ricky Johns hitting seemingly every shot he took, Bryant took the liberty of creating shots for his teammate. He finished the game with just eight points, but dished out seven assists as the Utes snuck out with a 74-68 victory.

“It was Senior Night, so we wanted to play well for Ricky (Johns),” Bryant said. “But I just kept finding him the ball and he kept stroking it, so it was an easy night for me.”

Finding the open man or hitting a jump shot isn’t all the junior does; he also gives the Utes a certain level of consistency on defense.

“Our guys always know what to expect from Johnnie (Bryant),” Giacoletti said. “Whether it be a ball screen or transition defense, he just brings consistency. They know he’ll get the job done.”

Hailing from Oakland, Calif., Bryant made quite a name for himself playing at Bishop O’Dowd High School. As a senior, he led his team to the North Coast Section championship while averaging 18 points, four rebounds and three assists per game.

Despite all of his high school success, the shifty ball handler wasn’t heavily recruited by Division-I colleges and instead settled on nearby San Francisco City College. In his first and only season as a Ram, Bryant averaged 15 points and four assists per game.

That’s when Giacoletti took notice of the agile guard and recruited him to play at Utah.

“Johnnie (Bryant) is a really hard worker,” Giacoletti said. “He’s always working to improve himself, and it’s going to pay dividends for him and the team.”

Last season, Bryant ranked second on the team in scoring (13.1 points per game) and first in assists (2.4 assists per game), while shooting 46 percent from the three-point line. His efforts earned him honorable mention all-MWC accolades and a larger role on this year’s team.

With the MWC tournament right around the corner, that role will likely grow even larger. Bryant is one of the few Utah players who have been there and done that, having already played in the tournament last year.

“Some guys try to step outside of themselves and do too much,” Giacoletti said. “Johnnie (Bryant) has done a great job of staying within himself and doing whatever he can to help the team.”

Lennie Mahler

Johnnie Bryant takes it to the hoop in the Utes’ double overtime victory over New Mexico State on Saturday in the Huntsman Center. Utah’s game against San Diego State was Bryant’s last game in the Huntsman Center.