01/15/2026
So proud of shining star!
PISGAH SENIOR GUARD-FORWARD LAYLAH JOHNSON EARNS LEGACY THEATRE FLOWOOD METRO JACKSON GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
By Robert Wilson, Photo by Maddy Koskovich
Legacy Theaters Parkway
The late Tori Bowie is the most famous female athlete from Pisgah High. Bowie won gold, sliver and bronze medals in running events at the 2016 Olympics and was a two-time NCAA Division I long jump champion at Southern Miss. She passed away in 2023 from complications of childbirth.
There’s another star female athlete making headlines for Pisgah these days.
Pisgah senior guard-forward Laylah Johnson has had a great career and has set school records for career points and rebounds and last week had a big week.
The 5-foot-9 Johnson and Northwest Mississippi Community College commitment averaged 21 points and 21 rebounds and led Pisgah to two MHSAA Class 3A, Region 5 victories over Southeast Lauderdale and Quitman.
For her outstanding performance, Johnson has been named the Legacy Theater Flowood/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Girls Basketball Player of the Week.
Johnson had 19 points (three 3-pointers), 25 rebounds, and 2 assists in a 47-43 victory over Southeast Lauderdale and had 23 points (five 3-pointers), 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocked shots in a 63-49 victory over Quitman last week.
She is averaging 17.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.9 steals per game for 14-2 Pisgah this season.
“Since I got here Laylah’s freshman year, she has been a cornerstone of our program,” Pisgah coach Jake Wheeler said. “An everyday starter and team leader, Laylah is a selfless teammate, and has matured so much in her career. What makes Laylah special is that she is whatever the team needs her to be: point guard or spot up shooter, guards on the perimeter or in the post. Going into last week, we knew we had two tough distinct games on the road. Quitman and Southeast Lauderdale have lots of young talent and great coaches, so we knew the team had to be at its best. The team as a whole rose to the challenge and played two solid games. Laylah led us on the floor. She was ruthless in transition and was a lethal shooter from deep. I couldn’t be more proud of her growth and glad her time in the gym is paying off.”
Johnson - who played in her first varsity game as an eighth-grader - has school records with 1,699 points and 1,272 rebounds after Tuesday night’s win over Union.
She also played volleyball and ran track at Pisgah. Johnson reached the state championship track meet in the long jump and 400 meters run. She also has played AAU basketball for the Bobcats and Sisterhood.
Johnson has a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the BETA Club and National Honor Society.
In addition to Northwest Mississippi CC, Johnson has offers from Copiah-Lincoln CC, Coastal Alabama CC, Mineral Area College (Missouri), St. Clair (Michigan) CC and Snead State (Ala.) CC.
Johnson is the daughter of Adrean Johnson and the late Eddie L Johnson. Adrean played basketball in Las Vegas and Morton High. Eddie played in the band at Jackson State. He passed away in 2020. Laylah has seven siblings, four sisters (Anqwanette, Persephiney, Kierra and Nyiah) and three brothers (Jonathan, Raymond and Shylo). Raymond, Annqwanette, and Persephiney played basketball at Morton. Jonathan played football at Morton. Trainers Charles Lewis and Denzel Jones, and uncles Leonard and Damon and aunt Shereese are important in Johnson’s life.
Pisgah plays at West Lincoln Thursday and against Canton and two-time Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Player of the Year Shamira Morton Saturday in the Queens for King Classic at Yazoo City.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a girls basketball player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by sending a text to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
Pisgah High School Mississippi High School Activities Association
