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Williamsport native Alize Johnson drafted by NBA

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette St. John Neumann graduate Alize Johnson is greeted by family and fans during a NBA Draft Party in his honor at the Ross Room at Trade and Transit Center II Thursday.

By CHRIS MASSE

For The Express

WILLIAMSPORT — Friends and family members arrived well before Thursday night’s NBA Draft began. They celebrated, shared laughs and a few happy tears.

And that was two hours before Alize Johnson even arrived at the Michael Ross Center at the Williamsport Trade and Transit Center II.

Johnson, the St. John Neumann and Missouri State graduate made history Thursday, becoming the first Lycoming County player ever taken in the NBA draft. The Pacers selected Johnson with the 50th pick in the second round as Johnson experienced a dream 20 years in the making.

The love felt throughout the Ross room drove home the impact Johnson has made along that journey.

“I’m speechless. He faced a lot of adversity and he never gave in. He kept working and working and it paid off,” Johnson’s grandmother Diana Herritt said. “Knowing that other young boys and girls can achieve what he has, that was his main goal, to show the community that life could be better. It wasn’t a guarantee that he would get here but he worked and he kept his mind open on getting here. His passion for the city and community is so special. Anything that he could do he was going to do that to make a difference for his community.”

Johnson arrived at the Ross Room a third of the way through the first round. When he entered, the room exploded. That Johnson has done something so unique in area history means something.

Who Johnson is means more. This is not just a basketball player. This is a man who has touched a lot of lives and his celebration was theirs last night.

“That gives these kids here inspiration that I might not make it, but I can be great. At the end of the day if I try my best to be great it will work out,” Johnson’s father David Hill said. “These kids look up to him. He wanted it for his family and he got it for his family. He wanted to be able to help his own community and help kids that didn’t have that same chance and he’s doing that.”

Johnson first picked up a basketball when he was 2 and his passion only grew stronger as each year progressed. It is not a stretch saying he would spend many summer days, playing from sunrise to sundown. He was shining on the Memorial Park courts at a young age, competing against players like best friend Jaron Bartholomew who were four or five years older than he was.

Nothing came easy as Johnson grew up. The oldest of seven children, he was part brother, part mentor, part father figure. He carried a heavy burden at times but never buckled. He set out to show his siblings how to do things the right way and grew personally as well as a player. Johnson entered Neumann as a 5-foot-9 freshman in 2010 and played point guard for a 2-20 team. By his sophomore season, Johnson was 6-4 and suddenly emerged as a dynamic forward. A year later he was 6-7 and became one of the state’s best all-around players, combining lethal ball-handling, vision and shooting, with excellent post play.

Johnson helped Neumann reach states in his last three seasons and improve its win total each season. The Knights went 55-4 over his last two seasons as Johnson earned all-state honors both times and led them to the 2014 state semifinals. Johnson could seemingly will Neumann to victories at times and helped it win two straight district championships, along with a Heartland Conference championship as a senior.

“I played with him for three years and anyone who’s watched him play has seen his vision. That was the earliest skill he developed. He knew I was open before I knew I was open,” two-time Lewisburg all-state selection, Johnson AAU teammate and current Hobart standout Sam Allen said. “Going back I watched a couple highlights from AAU games and he hit me with some passes that I wouldn’t dare try and attempt. He’s a great player but he’s an even better person. It was was an honor and pleasure to be able to play with him.”

As great as his high school career was, Johnson had to go the junior college route. It made things more difficult as far as starting an NBA journey, but challenges never fazed Johnson. He immediately became the best player for Frank Phillips, a Texas Junior College. He had 21 scholarship offers following his sophomore season and chose Missouri State. No power five conference offered Johnson a scholarship and he never stopped showing them what a mistake they made.

Johnson averaged a double-double each season, was a captain this past season and became one of the best players in the Missouri Valley Conference. He also was the MVP of the prestigious Adidas All-Star Camp last summer, outplaying so many players who were drafted higher last night. Others might have doubted Johnson in the past, but he never doubted himself. They have fanned those passionate flames and Johnson continues heading upward.

“He calls me all the time and when he comes home he asks, ‘Mr. Lupacchino can I come to the gym and work out?’ He brings his brothers and friends and they will be in gym for hours at a time. And it was every day, not just one time at home. I’ve never seen somebody so dedicated to basketball,” Neumann athletic director Frank Lupacchino said. “That’s his love. He’s a great player and he was always for his teammates and his community.”

Nothing will change now. Nothing ever has, no matter how far Johnson has climbed the basketball ladder. As motivated as he is to achieve NBA greatness, Johnson is equally inspired to continue helping the community. He asked Lupacchino if he could bring over Neumann shirts and hats that he could sign and give to young children Wednesday at an autograph signing. He wants to open basketball camps and help as many young children as he can in the coming years.

Look at the lives he already has touched. No matter what Johnson does in the pros, his legacy here is secure.

Johnson’s journey has been the area’s journey. His success has been their success. He has become one of Williamsport’s favorite sons and Williamsport has a new favorite NBA team.

“He never will forget where he came from and he’s always proud to say where he’s from. He wants to put Williamsport on the map for basketball. That was always a goal for him,” Bartholomew said. “He’s definitely the talk of the town and he deserves that.

“He’s going to make a name for himself for sure. Whatever he sets his mind to he will get done. Whether it is basketball or not, he will excel in life.”

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