HOH Fall League: Chase Johnston on why PFW
FORT LAUDERDALE — Westminster Academy 2019 shooting guard Chase Johnston has been a crucial cog in the Lions winning back-to-back FHSAA Class 4A state championships and making the state title game three seasons in a row.
Johnston, one of the top 3-point shooters in the country, averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists as a junior in earning second-team All-State honors. He was first-team all-Broward County by the Sun Sentinel.
Johnston has scored more than 1,750 points in his prep career and has connected on a school-record 386 3-pointers for coach Ehren Wallhoff. The 6-foot-3 guard is ranked No. 28 in the PrepHoops 2019 rankings for the state of Florida.
He recently committed to Purdue Fort Wayne, of The Summit League. Johnston took time this week at the House of Hoops Fall League to talk to PrepHoops.com’s Pat Lammer about his decision in this Q&A:
Q: Why Purdue Fort Wayne … what did you like about it?
A: The coaching staff, the team and it’s a great fit for me. Perfect fit. Good school academically and just a perfect fit for me with my style of play.
Q: What have their coaches said to you about their plan to use you?
A: Just as a combo guard. Push. Get up the floor. Basically how I play at Westminster. Play my game, play free. Attack the gaps, kick it. If not go to the rim, score. Shoot the 3 of course. Just play your game. That’s what they say.
Q: Was there a No. 2 school at all, anybody close?
A: Vermont was right behind them. But I just felt like Fort Wayne was the fit for me and [head] coach [Jon] Coffman is a great guy and great coach. I trust him and his style of play.
Q: Was there one main coach that recruited you?
A: Coach Coffman, the head coach. He’s called me every week. Really good guy, just really real. Really good coach.
Q: You’ve played in the state championship game three years in a row. What do you do for goals going into your senior year?
A: Get back to the state title and win it. Go three-peat. Be at the state championship all four years of my high school career. We can do it for sure. With the way we look now we’re starting to jell together. I think we’re going to be pretty good this year.
If you have high school basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com or via text at 954-661-9671.