By outreach@cw.ua.edu (Tyler Waldrep)

When coach Avery Johnson walked into the room after the Crimson Tide’s 78-61 victory over USC Upstate on Thursday night, he didn’t want to talk about his team scoring a season-high 78 points days after it scored a season-low 56 points.

He also didn’t want to talk about the performances of Donta Hall (career-high 15 points), Bola Olaniyan (season-high 10 rebounds) or freshman Braxton Key who like Hall could have easily finished with a double-double if he had remained in the final minutes of the victory.

“Just be patient with me for a second,” Johnson said. “I want to open up with a quote. Hopefully you guys won’t mind.”

Johnson went on to quote the now-deceased NBA courtside reporter Craig Sager who passed away earlier on Thursday at the age of 65.

“‘Time is something that cannot be bought. It cannot be wagered with God, and it is not in endless supply. Time is simply how you live your life,'” Johnson said.

Johnson then mentioned the respect he has for Sager as a former fellow member of the media and as someone who was covered by Sager during his time in the NBA.

“I didn’t always understand the suits, and I saw the one person that could get my mentor, outside of me, I saw one person that could get (Spurs) coach (Gregg) Popovich to smile and cooperate during the sideline interview at the end of the first and third quarter,” Johnson said.

The words Johnson used to describe Sager included professionalism, integrity, honesty, wit and flair. He also said he will keep Sager’s family in his thoughts and prayers.

“People want to throw the word legend around or media giant,” Johnson said. “He was there, he was there in the beginning of TNT. I just wanted to say may he rest in peace and my life is better because I had a chance to cross paths with him.”

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Source:: The Crimson White Sports