Even before he was called Boogie, a young Johnuel Fland must have dreamed of a night like Tuesday.

The Bronx native and former Archbishop Stepinac High School basketball star led the University of Arkansas Razorbacks with 20 points, seven assists, and one rebound as his college team downed the 14th-ranked Michigan Wolverines in Fland’s first-ever game at Madison Square Garden.

“It was nice. I had over 100 people here, so just for them to be able to see me play in person. Most of my career, they couldn’t see me, and especially this being my first time at the Garden, there’s not much more special than that,” the six-two, freshman point guard said after the game.

Fland was joined on the other side of the court by former Stepinac teammate Howard Eisley Jr., a walk-on guard at Michigan.

The two teams were playing as part of the four-team Jimmy V Classic, an annual, in-season NCAA men’s college basketball event named for former North Carolina State coach and later broadcaster Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993. Top-ranked Tennessee defeated Miami in the early game, 75-62. 

Entering as an underdog against a ranked team, Arkansas started slow, with Fland missing the night’s first shot. Michigan, with its two seven-footers, forward Daniel Wolf and Vladislav Goldin, used its height advantage against an Arkansas zone defense to take a 36-21 lead halfway through the first period.

Fland played the game’s first six minutes, then substituted out for just under three minutes. He remained on the court for the rest of the contest.

Although Michigan led by as much as 15 in the first half, powered by consistent three-point shooting, by halftime Arkansas had cut the lead to six points. In the second half, the momentum shifted entirely in the Razorbacks’ favor, swinging to an 18-point lead at the period’s midpoint.

From there, the Wolverines began to claw themselves back into the game, and Fland contributed throughout, including picking up a loose ball, driving to the hoop, scoring, drawing a foul, and completing the three-point play by making his free throw with 5:41 remaining.

The game’s last five minutes saw fans on both sides biting their nails. Arkansas continued to lead by six with three minutes to go. It wasn’t Michigan’s three-point threat that closed the gap, but Arkansas forward Jonas Aidoo missed free throws that allowed Michigan to come within one point with 1:03 left. With 14 seconds left, a blocked shot followed by a Michigan foul brought Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile to the foul line. He made one, and that lead held for Arkansas to take it, 89-87.

“I left [Boogie] in too much. He and DJ [Wagner] together, two pretty good guards, huh? Two pretty good guards,” Calipari said of Fland and his teammate at a press conference following the game. He said he wanted Fland to rest more, but the freshman refused to sub himself out.

Arkansas improved to 8-2 overall with the win; Michigan slipped to 8-2 in the loss. Michigan’s Eisley did not get any playing time during Tuesday’s game.

Fland’s journey from White Plains to MSG was more than just a Metro North ride. Initially committing to the University of Kentucky in October 2023 to join 2012 national championship winner Coach John Calipari, Fland’s relocation to Louisville was jeopardized when Calipari resigned in March, following his team’s early exit from the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament. Moving to the University of Arkansas, Calipari became the highest-paid coach in college basketball. Fland then indicated that he was re-opening his recruiting. He committed to Arkansas soon after.

“Last night was awesome! Having two [Stepinac] alumni play on opposite teams was great,” Patrick Massaroni, head coach of Archbishop Stepinac’s basketball team, who attended the game, told The Good Newsroom by email. “A special performance by Boogie on the biggest stage in the Mecca of the basketball world!”

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