Basketball
Favorite athlete: LeBron James
Favorite team: Sixers
Favorite memory competing in sports: Playing 1-on-1 with my brothers throughout the years
Funniest memory competing in sports: Watching my teammate hit a tough three during senior night
Music on playlist: A lot of old school mixed with Kanye
Future plans: Go to college to get a computer science degree.
Words to live by: Turn your dreams into plans and make it happen.
One goal before turning 30: For me and my brothers to be financially successful and traveling the world.
One thing people don't know about me: That I am a Type 1 Diabetic athlete
By GORDON GLANTZ
NFL players Mark Andrews and Patrick Peterson. Former baseball players Ron Santo, “Catfish” Hunter and Dave Hollins. Retired NBA player Chris Dudley.
And … Philadelphia Flyers’ legend and three-time MVP Bobby Clarke.
The list goes on to include Olympic gymnasts, NASCAR drivers and wrestlers.
Cheltenham’s Asante Johnson, who just completed his senior season as a captain, may not know all their names. But he knows they are out there, and he has drawn inspiration from their courage.
Johnson, as a Type 1 Diabetic, is well aware of their struggles.
“I don’t know them by name,” he said. “I do know that one of Ray Allen’s sons is a Type 1 Diabetic, and I’ve seen Ray Allen speak on it.
“I’ve seen some different athletes throughout the years. I just don’t recall their names, but it’s good to see other people who are in the same situation as you are having success. It lets you know that it’s possible for you.”
Johnson was first diagnosed in second grade. One weekend, he fell seriously ill.
His parents took him to the doctor and a test – the final test – revealed that he needed to be rushed to the hospital and the diagnosis was made.
“It used to be a challenge for me when I was younger,” said Johnson, who uses an insulin pump. “I was diagnosed when I was in second grade, so I’m about 10 years in, but it used to be kind of difficult for me.”
Coming from an athletic family – his father, Brian Johnson, was the former Cheltenham coach – he was still determined to get onto the court.
“It was adversity for me to overcome, in terms of not being able to go as hard for as long without having to stop and get my blood sugar in order and get back in,” said Johnson “But, I think it has helped to shape me and build the toughness I’ve had after that.”
Because of his diabetes and the risk of COVID, Johnson was relegated to two games and one practice with the freshman team.
It was a case of his mother, Dr. Maya Gordon, making the correct but unpopular choice that Johnson be cautious.
“At the time, it was frustrating,” said Johnson. “Looking back on it, I understand where she was coming from. At that time, thousands of people were dying every day. It was a huge risk.”
Climbing the Ladder
Johnson slowly worked his way up the ranks to the point where he was a starter as a D-and-3 swingman as a vocal senior captain.
“Clearly, from his sophomore year to his senior year, his strengths changes and his knowledge of the game changed,” said Fleury. “His role on the team changed, in terms of being one of those guys who was quiet but who, as time went on, began to find his voice and his place.
“He is one of those guys who sets the culture. He isn’t afraid to confront anybody who isn’t doing what they need to do. He has gotten stronger. He is able to guard anything from a 1 to a 4. We’re not going to put him on a 6-8 or a 6-9 kid, but like most athletes in our sport who are guards or forwards, he has a very good understanding of how to guard them. He is a physical defender and also a very capable shooter.”
As a sophomore, while the stacked varsity team was among the best in the state, Johnson was able to make his presence known on the JV squad.
“I was glad to be able to get back out there,” he said. “I had a pretty good year.”
Johnson, who was a swing player as a junior, describes himself as a leader on and off the court who provides energy at both ends of the floor.
“He knows how to be in the right place at the right time, disrupt passing lanes and make offenses uncomfortable,” said Fleury. “He is able to knock down catch-and-shoot jump shots and also mid-range jump shots.”
The Panthers had a frustrating season last year but bounced back this past year to capture the SOL Freedom Division title and restore some pride in the program.
“The way we started off the season, we really set the tone for a bounce-back year,” said Johnson. “We started off 9-1. We were able to win our division in the league but fell short in the league tournament. We fell short, but were still able to win our first game in districts. We should have won our second game. We were up 15 at Coatesville, but we weren’t able to stay disciplined and keep it together. We ended up losing that one, and then we lost the second time playing PW.”
However, the real victory for Johnson is being able to play and play hard.
“The managers have been a great help with that at the high school,” he said. “I would give them my pump during the game. Throughout the game, if I need some sugar in my system, they would pass me a Gatorade. I’ve managed it very well. I have become very skilled at taking care of myself. It’s to the point where it’s never too high or too low when it’s time to play. I’ve been able to keep it in a safe place.”
Theoretically, having a player with this condition would be a source of stress for a head coach, but his coach has confidence in Johnson’s understanding of his own limits.
“He pushes himself to exhaustion, but he takes a break when we know he needs one,” said Fleury. “They have done an exceptional job over these four years. He is very mature. He has a good grasp and understanding of what he needs to do.”
A Heavy Heart
While his diabetes was under control, Johnson was still playing with a bit of a heavy heart this season.
His grandfather, Jake Johnson, passed away in January.
“It was midseason, and he was an inspiration for me to just leave it all out on the floor,” said Johnson. “He was a fierce competitor. He was a bowler, in the Bowling Hall of Fame. What he would talk to us about all the time was just giving it your best effort; your hardest. That was something we carried with us.”
Additionally, a cousin, Chris Evans, an assistant coach and former player at Chestnut Hill College, passed away in August.
“It’s been a tough year for loss in the family,” said Johnson. “He was in his 20s and gave me advice on basketball and life.
“It’s tough but they’re with me in a different way now. I take the gems they gave me and apply them to my life. I’m a testament to their character and the principles they instilled.”
Twice as Nice
More than just athletics, Johnson also comes from a family where academics are stressed.
Johnson’s mother is currently a professor at Arcadia University. His father, formerly a math teacher at Cheltenham, is now a principal at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia.
He has two older sisters, one who is working in the biology field and another who will be pursuing a doctorate degree.
“Coming from a family of educators, they value education, and I strive to keep good grades,” said Johnson, who is in the National Honor Society and boasts a 4.23 GPA and looks to major in computer science at a HBCU with an eye toward cyber security. “Academics - balancing that with being a student-athlete - is very important to my family and to myself.”
Although he plays no other sports at a serious level, basketball is a year-round endeavor. In addition to pick-up games with his younger brother Osei Johnson (honorable mention and co-starter at Cheltenham) and cousin Malachi Brown (standout at Central High), he plays in summer leagues.
This all leave him juggling a lot of responsibilities at once.
“It’s not easy, but it’s all about time management,” said Johnson. “It’s all about using your resources. Sometimes, you’ll come home from an away game - you get to the school at 10 o’clock, you get home and it’s 10:30, you have to take a shower and then sit down and get your work done, It’s about having the integrity to know what you value. It’s about getting it done.”
A Team Player
Just as Johnson is team player on the court, he is one off the hardwood as well by offering help with academics.
“This year, not as much this year,” he said. “We didn’t have as many people come up ineligible, which is a good thing. In my junior year, I made it known that they could come to me for help. Some of my teammates took me up on the offer and I helped them out. This year, they showed growth by staying eligible and staying on top of things all year, which was big for us.”
This extension of being a team player has not been lost on his coach.
“He has very few issues with academics,” said Fleury. “That’s just a reality. If there is something he can help with or address, he has no fear of doing it. He’s constructive with it but, if something needs to be said, he has no problem with saying it. Sometimes people don’t want to hear it, but they need it.
“He has been a (role) model for us. He is everything that Cheltenham is, both on its good and bad days. He’s just a leader. He expects a lot out of himself and others.”
Fleury added that Johnson brings certain attributes that, while they can’t be coached, they make him more coachable.
“He has always been mature beyond his years,” said Fleury. “He gets it and understands what others need. He asks a lot of himself. He is person who lights up the room. People just kind of gravitate towards him. A good portion of that is how intelligent he really is.
“He is a model of consistency. He pushes himself and others. He is good at encouraging others as well. He has been a blessing for us. You just want to get 12 or 13 of them who see the game and life as he sees it.”
Setting a Plan
Johnson wanted to extend gratitude to his teammates, multiple coaches throughout the years and uncles Craig Metcalfe and Derek for their support.
They all helped to shape his outlook on both sports and life.
“It’s kind of cliché to say that anything is possible, but I don’t think that any dream is too big,” he said. “You have to have big dreams and make it happen for yourself. Set your goals and make it happen for yourself. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something. If you believe you can do something, set a plan and make it happen.”
Meanwhile, Fleury will have to make a plan to move forward without a “glue” player.
“It’ll be a void,” said the coach, who also serves as the school’s athletic director. “To fill that spot, it takes a unique person. I know a lot of people are more into stats and things of that nature, and that has its value. But, realistically, you can’t maintain a program or a team without people who are as invested and who care as much as him.
“He’s unique. He is one of those athletes who is multi-faceted. You really can’t put him in box. If he chooses to do something in business or finance or open his own business, nothing that he accomplishes or does will be a surprise to me.”
