HONOLULU – University of Hawai'i men's basketball program welcomed its seventh prospect for the 2016-17 season as Salt Lake Community College forward Gibson Johnson signed on to join the Rainbow Warriors.
 
"Gibson is a winner, a tough player, and embodies all the qualities we look for in a student-athlete," UH head coach Eran Ganot said. "We are very excited about all the ways he can positively affect our program. He understands the importance of leadership, brings great skill and a championship mentality. Gibson was a key cog on a well-coached program that won a National Championship and played in one of the tougher regions in the country. His experiences make him a great fit for our program and this special community."
 
Johnson comes to UH after a successful two-year stint at SLCC. This past season, the Centerville, Utah native helped the Bruins capture the National Junior College Athletic Association title with a 74-64 victory over Hutchinson. Johnson finished the game with nine points and four rebounds and also recorded 14 points and eight boards in a semifinal win over Gillette.
 
SLCC ended the year with a 31-8 record and were Region 18 and District 1 champions. Johnson scored a season-high 30 points in the district championship game against Cochise, which helped SLCC qualify for the national tournament. A second-team all-Region 18 pick, Johnson finished the year averaging 12.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field.
 
As a freshman in 2014-15, Johnson averaged 6.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on a team that finished 25-6 and captured the SWAC championship with a 13-2 mark. He shot 44.3 percent from 3-point range (27-61).
 
Johnson was a two-sport athlete at Viewmont High School, where he was an all-state golfer. Following his graduation, Johnson served a two-year church mission in Brazil from 2011-13.
 
Johnson joins a class that includes guards Drew Buggs, Leland Green, Larry Lewis, Jr., and Matthew Owies, wing Noah Allen, and forward Zigmars Raimo.
 

2016-17 Signees
Name                Pos    Ht     Hometown (Last School)
Noah Allen          G/F    6-7    Pacific Grove, Calif. (UCLA)
Drew Buggs           G     6-2    Long Beach, Calif. (Long Beach Poly HS)
Leland Green         G     6-3    Redondo Beach, Calif. (Redondo Union HS)
Gibson Johnson	     F	   6-8	  Centerville, Utah (Salt Lake CC)
Larry Lewis, Jr.     G     6-2    Scottsdale, Ariz. (Odessa College)
Matthew Owies        G     6-0    Melbourne, Australia (St. Kevin's College)
Zigmars Raimo        F     6-7    Madonas, Latvia (VEF Skola)