Science Hill High School

JoVann Johnson

Whether he was playing talented teams with Ron Mercer, Jermaine O'Neal, Brandon Wharton or B.J. McKie, Jovann Johnson could rise to the occasion.

The high-leaping forward led Science Hill to back-to-back state titles in 1994-95. He helped the Hilltoppers beat Ron Mercer when Mercer was with Nashville Goodpasture, and again after Mercer went to Oak Hill. Johnson electrified a capacity crowd with 27 points in Freedom Hall when Oak Hill and Mercer came to town.

"He was incredible," former Science Hill coach Georgia Pitts said. "He was in there scoring against the big boys. They didn't know whether to take those shot fakes or not.

"Jovann probably played as hard or harder than any kid I've ever coached. If a lot of them I've coached had Jovann's heart, they'd have been unbelievable."

Jovann's older brother Damon was at the Oak Hill game.

"Jovann shouldn't have done that against Oak Hill," Damon said. "That was all heart. I mean he had talent, but he always went 100 percent."

Johnson sprinted down the court for a last-second lay-up on driving coast-to-coast assist from Nathaniel Bailey to beat McKie's Irmo (S.C.) for the the 1995 Arby's Classic championship. Johnson won the tournament scoring title at the prestigious City of Palms tournament in 1994. Others who've achieved that feat include Ray Allen, Nick Calathes, Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Julius Hodge.

Johnson was the MVP of the state tournament as a sophomore.

"Jovann was unbelievably athletic," said former teammate Andy Harman. "And he was going to be the aggressor."

Johnson was a three-time all-state player, a three-time Northeast Tennessee player of the year and Mr. Basketball runner-up.

He was an All-Great Rivers Conference at Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, Illinois as a sophomore after making all-region while averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds his freshman year North Idaho College. He played in five games at Massachusetts before transferring to NAIA Division I school Lee University in Cleveland, and helped it reach the national tournament.

Blue Ribbon Yearbook contributing editor and Volquest.com writer John Brice covered Johnson at Lee for the Cleveland Daily Banner.

"Not only did they beat Western Carolina that year, but it also seems to me they were very competitive at Austin Peay in an exhibition contest around that time, and Austin Peay was a very competitive program in the (OVC)," Brice said. "Lee's coach at that time, Rick Hughes, had been longtime friends with Lon Kruger. ... He raved about Jovann as among the best players he had been around.

"I remember Jovann and former Kentucky player Desmond Allison (then at Martin Methodist) waging some intense battles and providing some stellar entertainment."

It was probably similar to his triumphs against the other guy who played at Kentucky -- Ron Mercer. Johnson was bouncing off the walls in the locker room after the 'Toppers beat Oak Hill.

"There's only one 'Hill,'" Johnson said smiling after the game, "and that's Science Hill."