West boys assistant takes over at Kaneland

St. Edward grad played at Judson College

MAPLE PARK -- Brian Johnson, assistant to Gordie Kerkman at West Aurora High School last season, will become the new boys varsity basketball coach at Kaneland High School, The Beacon News has learned.

Several sources confirmed Johnson%26rsquo;s selection by Knights Athletic Director Leigh Jaffke is scheduled to be confirmed at Monday%26rsquo;s school board meeting. This week, however, Johnson is directing the school%26rsquo;s summer basketball camp.

He apparently told his players that he is merely "camp director" for the time being.

"He's a real good guy, young and intense," Kaneland senior-to-be David Dudzinski said of Johnson after the first day of camp. "He just said he%26rsquo;s been coaching eight years."

Dudzinski, a 6-foot-9-inch center drawing interest from NCAA Division I schools, led the Knights in scoring (15 points per game) and rebounding (9.0) last season for coach Dennis Hansen. Dudzinski has scholarship offers from Cornell and Princeton of the Ivy League and likely will have more before his summer AAU season with Velocity Black is complete.

Hansen, who also coached the softball team at the school, was suspended midway through the season this spring and then relieved of his duties.

Johnson, a graduate of St. Edward High School, also played at Judson College. He served in the Dundee-Crown program under Lance Huber, whose team finished fourth in the IHSA Class 4A state tournament last year.

"We started together," Huber said of Johnson. "I was the sophomore coach here and he was my assistant. When I got the varsity job, he was my sophomore coach for five years and then served as a varsity assistant for one before joining Gordie at West.

"He was very instrumental in developing those kids who were a key componenent for us (last year). I think Brian is ready to run his own program. He helped us a ton. I just turned him loose and he was good at getting the most out of kids."

Kaneland spent the past three seasons as part of the Western Sun Conference. But on Monday, Kaneland officials attended a news conference unveiling the Northern Illinois Big 12, a league Yorkville is joining as well.

"I don't know much about the talent (the Knights) have coming back except for (Dudzinski), but it should be a good challenge for him, especially with them moving into a new league," Kerkman said. "I think he's up to that challenge and should do a good job for them."

Johnson and his wife, Katie, who teaches English at West High, are expecting their first child in August.

Jaffke could not be reached for comment Tuesday.