Men’s Final Four
Saturday; San Antonio, Texas
- No. 1 Florida vs. No. 1 Auburn, 6:09, CBS
- No. 1 Duke vs. No. 1 Houston, 8:49 CBS
The underdog partisans decrying the lack of a Cinderella in the men’s Final Four simply haven’t searched hard enough. Granted, she can’t be spotted with a cursory glance. All four No. 1 seeds made it through for the first time in 17 years, and three of the five Associated Press first-team All-Americans are playing this weekend. One must burrow a bit deeper to find the fairy-tale, but it’s there. And when finally uncovered, it’s darn distinct.
As plain as the beard on Johni Broome’s 22-year-old face. To be sure, there’s plenty of glass in the Auburn veteran’s size-15 shoes.
“I don’t think anybody would have expected what we’re seeing here,” said Billy Teeden, who coached Broome during his freshman and sophomore years at Plant City High. “And it’s a great story.”
Though nursing a hyperextended left elbow, Broome (whose first name is pronounced JUH-Nye) is expected to grimace his way through Saturday night’s national semifinal against Florida. Without him, the tournament’s top overall seed really would need a Cinderella-style performance to eke out a win.
The reigning SEC Player of the Year and unanimous first-team All-American by the Associated Press, Broome is a 6-foot-10 composite of instinct, brute force, skill, and clairvoyance. He has averaged a double double (18.7 points, 10.9 rebounds) against the nation’s second-toughest schedule (according to kenpom.com) and even averages nearly three assists.
On Sunday, he embedded himself in Tigers hoops lore with a captivating, clutch return to action after appearing to hyperextend three limbs at once (elbow, ankle, knee) on an awkward fall under the basket midway through the second half against Michigan State. After leaving the floor briefly, Broome re-entered to wild applause.
Though barely able to lift his right arm, the left-hander nailed a 3-pointer with 4:40 remaining, giving Auburn a 12-point lead.
“You talk about delivering again at the biggest moments,” Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said.
Five years ago, such a moment — on such a stage — seemed preposterous, if not an outright pipe dream.
Despite helping lead Tampa Catholic to a 26-6 record and berth in the Class 4A state title game in 2020, Broome — nicknamed “Big Broome” by teammates — couldn’t buy a Division I offer. He already was around 6-9 at that point, but lacked burst and brawn.
“He was actually on the skinnier side,” said Furman redshirt freshman Ed Bronson, a teammate of Broome’s on that 2020 TC team. “You could actually see it in his jersey with it flopping around.”
Veteran Tampa Catholic coach Don Dziagwa could only surmise that coaches couldn’t see the skill set past the skinny frame. Even the coaches at USF, nine miles from the TC campus, expressed minimal interest.
“He was really good in high school,” Dziagwa said.
“Still to this day, he’s not the quickest guy in the world. He doesn’t jump out of the gym, he doesn’t wow you with ‘wow’ like some other guys do. But he’s just such a solid player. We’d always joke with him like, ‘How does he get three or four blocks a game and he jumps 2 inches off the ground?’ … But, and it’s not anything that we taught, he just has a really good sense of playing.”
Teeden also noticed the ball skills and basketball IQ early on. Thing was, Broome hadn’t yet blossomed vertically. Not yet 6-foot upon arriving at Plant City, he played junior varsity for the Raiders as a freshman, and averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds as a sophomore, when Plant City won 23 games and was led by Tampa Bay Times Hillsborough County Player of the Year Matt Simpson.
“Not the fastest, not the most athletic type of kid, but he was always super skilled. Had great hands, great feet, good passer,” Teeden said.
“He was on a really, really good team, and he got some minutes; probably wanted some more minutes than he got. The plan was, he was slated to be in the starting five for me (as a junior), then he transferred to TC that summer.”
In two seasons with the Crusaders, Broome — who by then had completed a staggering growth spurt — led the Crusaders to consecutive final fours. He averaged a double-double both seasons, often shining in TC’s biggest games. The Crusaders went 4-0 against bitter rival Jesuit during that stretch, and won the City of Tampa tournament crown during Broome’s senior year (when he was named to the all-tourney team).
In his final two prep games, both in the final four in Lakeland, Broome recorded consecutive double doubles. But by then, Morehead State — with whom Broome had signed months earlier — remained his only substantial offer. Florida Atlantic had offered, but backed off upon signing another post player, Dziagwa said. The coach can’t recall any other significant overtures from Division I programs.
“You know, it’s hard to predict talent, I guess,” Dziagwa said. “You certainly can’t predict what’s inside somebody as how hard they’re going to work. But a lot of college coaches were like, ‘I just don’t know if he can play at our level.’
“So when Morehead State offered him and he took the visit to Morehead State, he committed right away to them, because he didn’t have anything else basically. And he really liked Morehead State; the coaches were really good. One of the assistant coaches I thought did a great job. He was down here all the time.”
What ensued has been widely chronicled. Broome’s body — and legend — has filled out with each ensuing surreal season. He was named Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2021, and its Defensive Player of the Year a season later. At Auburn, he has led the Tigers in scoring and rebounding all three seasons, earning AP third-team All-America honors in 2024.
Now listed at 240 pounds, he projects as a late-first-round or early-second-round NBA draft choice. As grit goes, Broome’s valiant second-half return against Michigan State showed pro scouts he hardly possesses a glass jaw.
Just a glass slipper.
“Everybody’s time is different,” Teeden said. “The comparisons between him and (Duke All-American freshman) Cooper Flagg are amazing, because their journeys are completely different. But to be in that conversation as (national) player of the year, nobody would’ve expected that. But I think that underdog kind of story for him has been what’s fueled him.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, the journey of Johni Broome from a skinny high school player to a standout college basketball athlete is nothing short of remarkable. His perseverance and skill have turned him into a true Cinderella story in the world of basketball.
FAQs
Q: Is Johni Broome expected to continue his basketball career after college?
A: Yes, Broome is projected to be a late-first-round or early-second-round NBA draft choice due to his impressive performance in college.
Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.
