Archdeacon: ‘It’s been a long road’ for Flyers’ Chase Johnson

“I just want him to get back to the old Chase.”

Then again, let’s hope his son keeps plenty of the “new” Chase he showed in the Dayton Flyers’ 66-63 season-opening victory over Eastern Illinois on Tuesday night at UD Arena.

The 6-foot-9 redshirt junior opened the game by drilling a three from just off the key. It was the first-ever three-point shot he’d attempted in an abbreviated, bumpy college career that had spanned three previous seasons – but just 14 games total – at Florida and Dayton. During that time, the West Virginia product with the long, tattooed arms was known mostly for his dunks and inside play.

But Tuesday night, less than two minutes after that first trey, he hit another. He added a third early in the second half – he finished a perfect three-for-three from afar – and also had a pair dunks and a free throw to end up with 14 points, seven rebounds and some pointed postgame praise from head coach Anthony Grant.

“There’s a lot of things that Chase did really well tonight,” Grant said, noting his poise and confidence among other things.

At Thursday’s media session via Zoom, Grant again gave Johnson a nod:

“First of all, I’m happy for Chase. At the end of the day I want what’s best for Chase. I’m happy he’s happy playing basketball and being back in school and being with his teammates. He’s a great human being, a great person.”

That kind of glowing assessment is a bit uncharacteristic of Grant, especially early in the season when he seems hesitant to trumpet individuals as he tries to mold the team concept.

But Grant has shown an enduring interest in and kindness to Johnson, who admitted Wednesday, “It’s been a long road.”

Johnson was a 1,000-point scorer by the time he was a junior at Ripley High in West Virginia. His senior year he transferred to Huntington Prep, a perennial Top 10 national power, and soon was a four-star recruit being wooed by the likes of Arizona, Kansas, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Tennessee and Virginia.

He chose Florida, but played in just four games as a freshman and two the following year. Each season was cut short by injury. He said he had at least three concussions and a freak neck injury while with the Gators.

He soon decided he needed a fresh start. Some 20 schools showed interest again, but UD – thanks to the recruiting of then-assistant coach Donnie Jones, a fellow West Virginian – landed him.

Johnson arrived at Dayton in January 2019, sat out a half season to meet NCAA transfer rules and then UD won an appeal with the NCAA to have him eligible to play at the beginning of last season.

He started the opener and then came off the bench for the next seven games. His high point was almost a year ago to the day – Dec. 3 – when he made 9-of-10 shots for 18 points in 14 minutes against Houston Baptist

Afterwards – in his first postgame session with the media – he talked freely about his basketball, his family and especially the 14 tattoos, which include everything from The Joker and a skull wearing a top hat to the proclamation “Beyond Blessed.”

But just five days later he played his last game for the Flyers, scoring two points in six minutes against St. Mary’s in the Colangelo Classic in Phoenix. He was then sidelined for an undisclosed medical reason.

In January he suddenly withdrew from UD to be treated for post-concussion stress syndrome.

“Several of us weren’t aware of just what he was dealing with,” Chad admitted. “And there were the lingering effects of the mono he’d had before the season. There were just a lot of reasons he had to step away when he did.”

Chase agreed: “I just had to get mind where it needed to be again.”

According to a study by the Mayo Clinic, post-concussion syndrome is a mild traumatic brain injury that can cause tension-like and migraine headaches, dizziness, concentration problems anxiety, irritability, depression, fatigue and a change in personality.

“He knew he had to get feeling better to be able to play again like he was capable of playing,” Chad said. “And that meant he had to make a big sacrifice. He had to step away from one of the best teams that ever came through Dayton.”

Focusing on healing

It was not easy.

“Chase probably realized he let a lot of folks down,” Chad said. “Even in our town a lot of people would see him and say, “Dayton is doing great. Why didn’t you stay?’”

As parents, he said he and his wife Renee told Chase: “Just take it day by day. Don’t look too far down the road, but don’t give up. Stay positive and keep proving who you are. If it plays out, it plays out. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

At Thursday’s media session, Chase explained: “Being home those eight months really got me to find myself and focus on myself. I did rehabilitation almost every day, probably three to four times a week with a doctor there just to get my mind healthy and right.”

He said he drew on the strength of his family, worked out regularly at a local gym and fitness center and stayed as close as he could to the Flyers as they put together their epic 29-2 season that had them rated No. 3 in the nation and winning 20 games in a row – the longest streak in major college basketball.

He watched all the games but two on TV and stayed in contact with the coaches and players.

“We were very fortunate that Coach Grant and Neil (athletics director Neil Sullivan) and everybody on the staff stayed in touch with Chase and kept us in the loop,” Chad said.

“Coach Grant is just a top-notch person. We were blessed that he kept a spot open for Chase.”

And from the time his son left UD he thought of returning there, Chad said:

“He loves UD. He told me, ‘If I can’t play at Dayton, then I’m not finishing basketball.’”

Making a return

Looking back at his 14-point effort against Eastern Illinois, Johnson said “It felt like I never left here.”

But, he admitted, he and the other players are still getting used to each other on the court. That’s especially the case with him and 6-foot-11 center Jordy Tshimanga: “We had never played together before and are just learning to work off each other. We’ll get better and when we really get the high and low going, I think we’ll be pretty unstoppable. We’re a work in progress.”

And while his three-point shooting was perfect Tuesday night, one shot he took did make you hold your breath.

Six minutes into second half, he went sprawling for a loose ball on the court, as did Panthers’ guard Junior Farquhar, who landed in top of him and caromed off his head. But Johnson immediately hopped back to his feet and seemed unfazed.

“I worried a little when he came down on top of me, but right after the play it didn’t bother me,” he said.

After the game Chad said he and Renee got to spend about five minutes with their son before they made the long drive back to Ripley:

“Because of the pandemic, he hasn’t been able to come home to get stuff so she brought him some clothes he forgot. And like always she brought him food from home.”

Something special from West Virginia?

“Naaah, not really,” Chad said. “He’ll eat whatever you put in front of him. That’s always been the case and it’s no different now.”

It’s good to see the Old Chase mesh so well with the New Chase.