The Week That Was #9: There’s only one Chloe Johnson

Johnson is one of the most common family names in America. There are tens of thousands of girls named Chloe. Even the Prep Girls Hoops database has a Chloe Johnson Chloe Johnson 6'0" | PG Duluth Marshall | 2028 State MN listed in Iowa, Alabama and Washington. But the Johnson from the Marshall School in Duluth is truly one of kind. We’ve known that for several years now. Over the past few days, however, Chloe’s reputation and incredible back story has spread far and wide. There’s no doubt that Miss Johnson was the story of the Week That Was #9.

A UNIQUE STORY

Last summer in our recap of week #10 of the 2023 AAU season, we told you an abbreviated version of Chloe’s story, a remarkable tale of how the precocious 8th grader has battled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to become one of the most remarkable basketball players in America. Apparently that article came to the attention of StarTribune sportswriter Chip Scoggins. Over the next several months Chip spent time with Chloe and her family in Duluth and interviewed numerous people – myself included – who are part of Chloe’s circle. The result of that research was published this week as a truly remarkable 4,000-word feature story that has gone viral.

The outpouring of support for Chloe and her family, and the accolades garnered by Chip’s article, has been gratifying. The comments section – normally a cesspool of ignorance – has garnered the most positive reader reaction we’ve ever seen on a StarTribune piece. If you’ve seen Chloe play live then you already know that she is a special talent. Take time to read the story and you’ll learn that she is also a unique human being.

After graciously handling all of the attention – something that makes her really uncomfortable – Chloe put on a display of basketball Saturday night in Minneapolis that served as an exclamation point on her potential. The 5’11 guard made 8 three-point baskets and scored a career-high 45 points against Minnehaha Academy. In doing so reached 1,000 for her short high school career.

By accumulating 1,000 points as an 8th-grader, Chloe joins Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN of Providence Academy and Tori Oehrlein Tori Oehrlein 5'11" | CG Crosby-Ironton | 2026 State MN of Crosby-Ironton who also did it. Addison Mack Addison Mack 5'9" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2025 State MN of Minnehaha would have also hit that milestone if not for the COVID-shortened season. She ended up doing it in the first game of 9th grade. Johnson is now averaging 28.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 4.4 steals playing a schedule that has included the likes of Albany, Minnehaha, Crosby-Ironton, Becker, Providence Academy and Holy Angels.

What’s crazy, though, is the fact that Chloe wasn’t the only 8th grader to reach the milestone last week. Competing in relative anonymity, 8th grader Peyton Hoffman Peyton Hoffman 6'0" | PF Climax-Fisher | 2028 State MN also topped 1,000 for her brief career.

Peyton is a 6-foot forward from Climax-Fisher, a Class A school located 50 miles north of Moorhead on the North Dakota border. The Knights have come a long way since garnering headlines a decade ago for posting one of the longest losing streaks in Minnesota girls basketball history. They are a .500 program now, thanks in large part to the play of Hoffman. We told you about Peyton last May when she impressed us at the AAU State Prelims playing for Inspired Athletics out of Fargo. She is big and strong and skillful, and is likely going to be one of the top prospects in Minnesota’s Class of 2028 when we do our first ranking of that group this fall. She can obviously score.

As a 7th grader, Hoffman recorded a remarkable 624 points, 294 rebounds, 109 steals and 24 blocked shots. Her level of play has continued this winter. Peyton once again leads her team in scoring at nearly 26 ppg while shooting 47% from the field and 74% at the free throw line with a season-high 40 against Northome-Kelliher and 39 versus Warroad. All of that has now earned Hoffman a place in the history books. We’ve got the feeling she’s going to rewrite plenty more records before it’s all said and done.

MORE 1,000-POINTERS

While Johnson and Hoffman made history there were plenty of other players who etched their names in the record books, as well.

South Dakota commit Tori Schlagel Tori Schlagel 5'9" | CG Eden Prairie | 2025 State MN of Eden Prairie kicked off the week with her 1,000th career point. The junior was quickly followed by at least 10 more who did it during Week #9.

2024 guard Cassidy Pitzl Cassidy Pitzl 5'11" | SF Forest Lake | 2024 State MN of Forest Lake, who has committed to Concordia-St. Paul

2024 forward Isabella Sanneh Isabella Sanneh 5'11" | SF East Ridge | 2024 State MN of East Ridge, who did it in the same game as Pitzl. She has signed with D2 Augustana.

2024 post Mallory Czinano Mallory Czinano 6'0" | SF Watertown-Mayer | 2024 State MN of Watertown-Mayer, an MSU-Mankato signee.

2024 post Lexy Foster Lexy Foster 5'11" | PF Grand Meadow | 2024 State MN of Grand Meadow. She has committed to join the track and field team at D1 Northern Iowa.

2024 post Ava Miller Ava Miller 6'2" | PF Rochester Mayo | 2024 State MN of Rochester Mayo scored 36 points in a win over Winona to reach 1,000. She has signed with D1 South Carolina Upstate.

2025 wing Stella Timmins Stella Timmins 5'11" | SG St. Anthony Village | 2025 State MN of St. Anthony Village.

2025 guard Savannah Borowicz Savannah Borowicz 5'9" | SG Jordan | 2025 State MN of Jordan..

2026 forward Marta Forsline Marta Forsline 6'3" | PF Mesabi East | 2026 State MN of Mesabi East

2026 guard Samantha Voll Samantha Voll 5'9" | CG Monticello | 2026 State MN of Monticello.

9th grade guard Morgan Mathiowetz Morgan Mathiowetz 5'8" | PG Sleepy Eye St. Mary's | 2027 State MN of Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s. She is a top 10 prospect in the Class of 2027.

Week #9 was incredibly busy so we’ve split our recap into two stories. Look for part 2 coming up Monday night where you’ll find plenty more milestones of note.