Chase Johnston of High Point hadn't hit a single two-point field goal all season long, until it mattered the most.
The graduate student scored 14 points off the bench Thursday, including the go-ahead layup that lifted No. 12 seed High Point to an 83-82 upset over No. 5 Wisconsin in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Johnston starred at
Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), leading the Lions to three straight Class 4A state championships from 2017-19.
Pictured here during his days at Westminster Academy in Florida, Chase Johnston sparked a huge win for No. 12 seed High Point over No. 5 Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. (PHOTO: Richard Ta)
As a senior at Westminster Academy, Johnston averaged 27.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game while hitting 139 3-pointers. He shot 51 percent from three during his senior season and had a season-high 52 points late in 2019.
Entering the NCAA Tournament, Johnston averaged 6.1 points per game with all of his field goals coming from behind the arc. He had connected on 64 of 132 3-point attempts with just four two-point field goals attempts (all misses) before Thursday's stunner.
Johnston scored 11 of his 14 points in the final five minutes to help High Point notch its first NCAA Tournament win.
