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Jailin
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include Carmelo Anthony, Kevin
Durant, Tywon Lawson and
Brandon Jennings.
Johnnie Gage can barely hide
his pride, but emphasizes that the
family’s focus is in Portland for
right now.
“We may do that at some
point,” he says. “He has built up
a good rapport with them. We
don’t want things to get to big for
him. He’ll have the chance to be
out on his own when he gets to
college.”
Staying grounded is a theme
with Gage.
important in helping him balance
out the time commitments of
sports and academics, since he
also plays football and baseball.
Gage says he leaves the house
at 7:30 in the morning and does-
n’t get done until 6:00 at night.
Two and a half hour basketball
workouts are included in this
daily routine.
His father makes sure he prac-
tices the same discipline when it
comes to studying.
“Basketball is second to educa-
tion,” he says. “If he can’t stay on
the honor roll then he can’t play
Gage says he leaves the house at
7:30 in the morning and doesn’t get
done until 6:00 at night
Although his father says he had
the option to play up, he decided
to play freshman basketball,
along with Junior Varsity, to
build his skills and gain experi-
ence.
The teenager credits his coach
Jimmy Thompson with helping
him develop as a player, as well
as keeping him focused in school.
He says Thompson pushed him
when he felt his effort was lack-
ing on the court and constantly
made an effort to check up on
Gage in school to make sure his
grades were in order.
Gage says this was particularly
ball.”
Gage says he spends two hours
every night studying no matter
what else is going on in his life.
He has been on the honor roll
since the sixth grade and current-
ly maintains a 3.5 grade point
average.
While math is his favorite sub-
ject, he says he is most chal-
lenged in biology and history.
Gage is candid in admitting that
he can get good grades in most
classes without studying particu-
larly hard but says he still enjoys
school and his teachers.
“I have good relationships with
Page 8 The Portland Skanner April 18, 2012
all my teachers and get along
with my peers well,” Gage says.
“If I want to be whatever I want
to be in life then I have to go to
school.”
While the prestigious Jefferson
basketball program played a large
part in Gage’s decision to go
there, he was also attracted by the
Middle College program.
The Jefferson High Middle
College program allows students
to enroll and earn credit in col-
lege level courses at Portland
Community College Cascade
Campus. Institutions of higher
education, such as University of
Oregon, Oregon State University,
Portland State University and
Warner Pacific College have
offered significant scholarships
to low-income students who
graduate from the Middle Col-
lege and meet entry require-
ments.
Gage says he is excited to leave
high school with college credits;
beyond basketball, he aspires for
a career in sports medicine.
Gage’s cousin graduated from
Benson as a golf player and
turned the opportunity to play in
college into a medical degree.
Gage has another cousin that is
an attorney.
Johnnie Gage says his son’s
cousins are on his case all the
time about grades.
“It’s another way to touch on
his interests,” he says. “It’s
important that they’re involved,
as well as his parents, so he gets
that push from both generations.”
Jailin Gage, center, on the court. The Jefferson High School junior
varsity team was undefeated this season.