Former Minneapolis Henry/Oklahoma Sooner product and current Minnesota Ripknee Johnnie Gilbert has come home to play for his former high school coach Larry McKenzie in front of family and friends. Currently the Ripknees are 14-7 on the year and the next Ripknee game is this Wednesday night against the Twin City Ballers.

Gilbert attended Minneapolis Patrick Henry High where he reached 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for his career and Johnnie was part of the Patriot team that won state in 2000. That year Johnnie averaged 17 points, 14 boards and five blocks earning Minneapolis City Player of the Year and Minnesota's Defensive Player of the Year honors. Gilbert was a major role player at the University of Oklahoma where he played in the 2002 Final Four, the 2003 Elite Eight and Gilbert finished third on the all-time Sooner blocked shot list. Professionally he has played in many different countries including Finland, Chile, and Ireland

Right now the Ripknees are in second place of their conference with a 14-7 record and Gilbert couldn't be happier as he is now playing in a comfortable place. "The season is going well for me because last season I was over in a country that did not know me at all," explained Gilbert. "Players and coaches treated me NOT like a family member, but a step child that was visiting for some months. With this team and owners you are apart of a family that wants you to succeed. In turn you want to succeed for them because that is what family means."

Not only is Gilbert comfortable to be home but he is also playing for a coach in Larry McKenzie that he knows very well. "It's like going to a teacher that pushes more then one subject in your face," said Gilbert. "His course is not basketball 101, it's about everything life brings you. A good coach will teach you about basketball how to play it and succeed. A great coach will take it further then the hardwood floor and put it into your home life. Coach McKenzie says, 'You can tell if a kid is going to succeed in life by watching how he handles himself on the floor'."

Johnnie Gilbert is a player that has taken every piece of his basketball experiences and applied them to his life. He has learned from coach McKenzie as well as his college coach Kelvin Sampson who is now at Indiana. One thing he learned from Sampson was about the crowd and their support. "Coach Sampson told me you have three types of people who have an opinion about you," state Gilbert. "The first group is people who love you no matter what you do, and those are our regular attendees (at Ripknee games). Second are the people who will hate you no matter what you do, people who never attend. I want to reach out to this third group the people on the line. Basketball comes in different forms street ball, high school ball, college ball, NBA ball, and now ABA. In the end it is the game of basketball you love. When something new comes into your neighborhood you should go and check it out to see if you like it. You cannot be a good critic if you've never seen the Ripknees in action."

Gilbert had opportunities to play overseas and the contracts may have been more lucrative but instead he chose to come home and play with the Minnesota Ripknees. For some this would be a tough decision but after meeting Ripknee owners William and Jack Jurewicz Gilbert was solid. "I chose to play for the Ripknees because of the owners," Gilbert explained. "I heard nothing but great things about them before I came. Also, several players I knew or played with were apart of this and I wanted the opportunity to play along side of them. Last, Coach McKenzie wanted me to take his class one more time. Plus you cannot beat the fact I am playing close to home and allowing my family to see me play."

This Wednesday the Ripknees welcome the Twin City Ballers from Michigan and the following night Minnesota welcomes the Peoria Kings. Both games will be played at seven at the Gangelhoff Center on the campus of Concordia-St. Paul University in St. Paul, Minnesota.