Enjoli Johnson, who averages 14 points a game, is one of Parkview's top basketball players. She has helped last year's Class AAAAA semifinalists to an 11-0 start this season, including a 68-62 victory against East Mecklenburg (N.C.) in last week's final of the Upward Classic in Spartanburg, S.C.
Johnson, a senior forward, is considering scholarship offers in basketball from Presbyterian, North Florida and Georgia College. She also has offers to play volleyball. She recently talked to Michael Alpert, who filed this report for the AJC.
Q. What has been the key to the Panthers' fast start?
A. "Our defense has been great, and because we've been playing together for a while, we know how each other plays. Our coaches have done a really good job of scouting teams, too."
Q. How pressure-packed do things get out there?
A. "Sometimes it gets crazy. We need to take it one game at a time to get back to the [Final Four] and win state. The fans seem to get louder every game, and there's a lot of athletic opponents you have to keep up with."
Q. Which do you favor, basketball or volleyball?
A. "I like both, actually. I've been playing basketball longer, but right now I'm kind of leaning more toward volleyball for college. But my options are still open for basketball, though."
Q. What's your favorite food and favorite dish to cook?
A. "My favorite food is chocolate chip cookies. My favorite dish to cook is spaghetti because it's easy. Sometimes, though, I just make the noodles and heat up a jar of sauce or throw some frozen meatballs in the oven."
Q. What's your true opinion of your mom's cooking?
A. "It's really good. I really like her food. Really, she's never made anything I didn't like."
Q. Which colleges are you learning toward?
A. "I really like College of Charleston and Georgia Southern. I like their campuses a lot. I also like Kennesaw State because my brother Malcolm goes there and the campus is really pretty, too."
Q. Is Region 8-AAAAA the toughest basketball in Georgia?
A. "There are a lot of really athletic teams in our region. Some teams can just surprise you and beat you out of nowhere. We have to have our 'A' game out there."
Q. Anyone special on speed dial?
A. "Pretty much just my mom, dad, brother and my house number."
Q. How do you juggle athletics and academics?
A. "I make sure I do all my homework every night because I know if I don't get good grades, I can't play at all. When we have a game, I do some homework at school, then whatever I can do quickly at home before the game."
Q. Republican or Democrat?
A. "Democrat, like my parents. I'm not really strong [politically], though. I'm kind of moderate."
Q. How exciting was reaching last season's Final Four against Redan and finishing 30-2?
A. "A lot of people didn't think we'd make it that far, but we surprised a lot of people."
Q. What's the last good movie you saw?
A. "I just saw Avatar, and it was really good. The storyline and graphics were really good, just like the commercials showed."
About the Author
