By: Nicole Grazioli '12

            For all freshmen, their first year can be filled with emotions of excitement and stress of entering a new stage in their life.  Student-athletes especially, have an added stress to also balance a sport along with everything else they do.  Freshman Denzel Johnson (DJ) has had a relatively easy transition into Santa Clara and is happy with his decision to play basketball here.  Although it can be stressful at times for him, the guard says that it is completely worth it. 

            SantaClaraBroncos.com (SCU) spoke with Johnson about starting practice officially, how he's preparing for the season and what the team does for fun.

SCU: What type of workouts and drills has the team been doing this summer?

DJ: This past summer we've been focusing a lot on shooting drills and ball handling.

DJ: I am extremely excited for practice to start.  I'm also excited to continue to get better and be prepared for the season.

DJ: The workouts will be pretty similar to the workouts that we've been doing.

SCU: What do you like most about the SCU basketball program and community?

DJ: The basketball program here is amazing.  I appreciate how closely knit the community is.

DJ: I have been focusing on getting stronger and faster.

DJ: The team loves to play FIFA 12 - we get extremely competitive and just have fun!

DJ: A common theme that I hear from the upperclassmen is that when it gets tough you have to stay strong and realize we are all in it together.