SKITTLES: Johns' sweet ritual a mainstay for 3 years now

Mar. 11—In 2011, Marshawn Lynch was seen with a handful of Skittles immediately after he ran a touchdown during an NFL game with the Seattle Seahawks.

That started a countrywide craze of fans and reporters on social media and television talking about the star running back's obsession with the fruity candy.

Well, there's been a similar situation happening in Joplin the past three years. Missouri Southern's senior forward Amaya Johns has a bag of Skittles at every game.

"I started it when I got here three years ago with my mom," Johns said. "Sometimes I buy a family pack so the whole bench can have them. It's just a gameday ritual."

Johns and Lynch are alike in that as well. Lynch's mother, Delisa, would hand them to him at youth football games. Johns' mother, Jill, is providing them for her daughter for her college basketball games.

Surprisingly enough, the MSSU basketball player seemed to only be aware of Lynch's story and not actually know about it.

"Yeah, I heard about it," Johns said of Lynch's love for Skittles. "I saw a video of it or something. Everyone always brings that up."

The whole situation got so big that fans would gift him with the candy at games — even throwing the colorful snack at him after touchdowns.

Now, don't go tossing Skittles at Johns after she makes a 3-pointer on Saturday or you may be asked to leave Romano Gymnasium at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

The main difference between the two, Lynch admitted to his love for the treat. Johns, not so much.

"It's funny because I don't even really like Skittles," she said. "Like, outside of basketball, I don't really eat them."

As for how many she goes through, well, probably not nearly as many as the former NFL star.

"This tournament I'm getting new bags every day. My mom bought me like five packs of the regular bag," Johns said.

No family size Skittles bags in Minnesota, but, she's stocked up on individual bags for a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

In her final season, Johns has played all 34 games but hasn't started any. The Illinois native has been a bench player for the majority of her three seasons at Southern.

She started nine of 29 contests she played last year but has only started 12 total games in 86 played. And that role is something she's very comfortable with.

"Starting on the bench, I think I get to see a lot of things," Johns said. "Like, how they're playing defensively, what they're doing on offense."

It doesn't take her long to get involved once she does get to touch the floor.

"She doesn't need to get warmed up to be able to make a shot or make a play," MSSU head coach Ronnie Ressel said. "There's a lot of times when she subs in I'm looking to run something for her right away."

And the Skittles help.

"I feel like everyone knows I've got my Skittles bag with me so that gives me energy," Johns said. "Just coming in, being ready and giving that extra energy I think is important."

There's even a specific spot on the bench she places the candy bag each game, Ressel said.

Whether that helps her shoot or grab rebounds, I don't know. But it's working, so I wouldn't suggest switching to M&M's.

She is averaging 8.8 points per game this year — good for third on the team — and 5 rebounds. The rebound average is second on the team behind Madi Stokes and a career best for Johns at MSSU.

Johns has turned it up a notch the past week.

"I think it's just mentally me understanding that these could be the last games of my life," Johns said. "Just giving it all and putting it all on the court and playing for my team. I feel like my team — we're all on the same page and we're all playing for each other."

The 5-foot-10 multifaceted Lion tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes of action in a Central Region quarterfinal win over Augustana on Friday. In the MIAA tournament, she scored 11 and grabbed eight rebounds in a semifinal win over Nebraska-Kearney and played 20 minutes. In the first round victory against Pittsburg State, she had 11 and 7.

"It's huge when she's getting to the boards," Ressel noted.

THE MATCHUP

For the fourth time this year, the Gorillas and Lions will meet. After two regular season losses, MSSU topped PSU in the opening round of the conference tournament.

Now, the two teams meet in the semifinals of the Central Region in the NCAA Division II tournament.

"It's pretty crazy, but I think it also speaks to how good our (conference) is," Johns said. "I think we just have to keep up what we've been doing and keep up the energy. Maybe put the energy up ten times more than what we have."

Ressel said that the programs meeting in the NCAA tournament just shows where they're at in terms of recent success and credited PSU head coach Amanda Davied for what she's done for the Gorillas.

Seventh-seeded Pitt State got here by rolling past second-seeded Nebraska-Kearney 74-54. No. 3 Southern escaped No. 6 Augustana 75-74 after trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter.

Confidence is a word the Lions have thrown around a lot this year. From believing in one another to trusting in what they can do, MSSU will need to continue that on Saturday.

"I think it's huge," Ressel said. "As a team, to have trust on both ends, not just offensively but defensively as well, that we're going to have each other's backs in those situations."