WPIAL Alum Q&A – Josh Wise

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, December 18, 2017 | 11:08 PM

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Photos courtesy of Ali Single

As the WPIAL Alum Q&A shifts to winter sports for the next few months, this installment highlights an athlete who excelled in the winter, fall and spring. Josh Wise, a three-sport standout at Washington High School and now a top basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh – Johnstown is this week’s feature.

While Wise was a stellar performer all throughout high school, his junior and senior seasons proved that he was among the best athletes in the entire district. In 2011, Wise served as the Prexies quarterback, throwing for 590 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for five more. He helped guide Washington to a mark of 8-3, falling in the quarterfinals. On the hardwood that season, he propelled the team to the playoffs, but Washington fell to Elizabeth Forward, finishing with a mark of 13-10. He also competed in track and field, capturing the district’s high jump crown.

For his senior campaign in 2012-13, Wise threw for 598 yards, and rushed for 10 touchdowns. Washington went through the regular season undefeated, and reached the WPIAL Championship, where the Prexies fell to Aliquippa. He immediately shifted to the basketball court, and averaged more than 22 points per game for the season, as well as approximately seven rebounds and two steals. The Prexies went 17-7, defeating Jefferson-Morgan in the preliminary round of the postseason, but then losing to Burrell. Wise finished with more than 1,300 career points, which ranked third in school history, and was named to the All-Netters team and PIAA Class AAA Third-Team All-State. He also captured gold once again in the high jump, and also was a member of Washington’s first-place 4×100 meter relay team.

Wise graduated in 2013, but joined the University of Pittsburgh – Johnstown basketball team for the 2015-16 campaign, during which he redshirted.

Last year, Wise played in all 30 games for the Mountain Cats, averaging 8.1 points per contest, the fifth-best mark on the team. He also shot 38 percent from behind the arc, and totaled 30 steals. The team finished 19-11, defeating Seton Hill University in the first round of the PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) tournament, before falling to Gannon University in the quarterfinals.

This season, Wise has appeared in nine games, including eight starts. His 15.2 scoring average is second on the team, and he’s averaging nearly six rebounds per contest, as well. To this point, the Mountain Lions have compiled a 5-4 mark.

Josh dedicated his time to answer questions about his greatest asset on the court, how he ultimately decided on basketball, and his reaction to Washington’s football title this season.

Q: How have you been able to make a significant impact in your first two seasons at Pitt-Johnstown?

A: Learning from the players before me, and staying within myself were the two biggest reasons I feel I’ve had a pretty good impact thus far

Q: What do you consider to be your greatest asset on the court?

A: My ability to score in the post as a guard, along with my athletic ability really makes me a tough match for most people, I feel.

Q: What individual and team goals did you set for the season?

A: My personal goal was to be an All-PSAC player and lead my team in rebounds. Team wise, our focus has been set on a PSAC championship, along with a national bid.

Q: What opponent do you consider to be your team’s top rival?

A: Probably Gannon University, due to the games always being decided by a small margin and the atmosphere; that’s a game we always have circled on our schedule.

Q: More than half of UPJ’s roster is comprised of former WPIAL players. Did you have a relationship with any of the players prior to joining the team?

A: I actually played against Dale Clancy and Levi Masua in high school; we were in the same conference, so I certainly knew who they were, and I was able to watch Romano Sebastiani when he scored 30+ on Aliquippa his senior year at Canon-Mac

Q: What led to your decision to attend UPJ?

A: The chance to get a Pitt degree was certainly a big part, along with the relationship with coach Ruk, but the bond I was able to create instantly on my first visit was the deciding factor. Knowing a little about Dale and Levi, I really wanted to play alongside those guys and we stayed in touch and became very close friends, and the upper classmen being very welcoming; I knew it was where I was supposed to be.

Q: What is your major, and ideal future profession?

A: History education. I plan to teach and coach someday; hopefully land an A.D position.

Q: What has been the most difficult class you’ve taken thus far in college?

A: American Political Process was a class that I lost a ton of sleep over; I had a hard time dealing with it.

Q: At Washington High School, you excelled in three sports. When did you realize your athletic future was in basketball?

A: It was really hard for me to decide on what sport to choose, let alone a school, but I sat down with my dad and I went through about 100 times what I loved the most, and I could go the rest of my life without high jumping and could go without playing football, although it would be tough. But when it came to basketball, I knew I couldn’t go a season without it.

Q: What was your fondest high-school memory?

A: My fondest high-school memory was probably winning back-to-back WPIAL high jump championships. It was something I took great pride in, and something that not too many people have done, so that’s probably the one I cherish the most.

Q: How did you react to Washington’s journey to a football title this year?

A: I was ecstatic when I heard the kids had won a title. I take great pride in coming from a city that produces amazing athletes and winners. Having lost in a championship, I know what it was like to be in that position; I didn’t want them to have to endure that pain I did, and watching them grow from little kids to young men representing the city of Washington in a positive way, I loved every second of it.

Q: If you could play one-on-one with any NBA player, past or present, who would you choose?

A: Michael Jordan, without a doubt. I’ve idolized him since I was a kid, and I feel like I’m the most competitive person on the earth and that’s all every player ever said about him, so I would’ve liked to go head to head with Mike.

Q: To which movie can you recite nearly every line?

A: American Gangster. No doubt about it

Q: If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

A: Probably cereal – pretty close between that and baby back ribs

Q: What is the best Christmas gift you have ever received?

A: The best Christmas gift I’ve ever received was probably a poster with Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan on it. I am a huge fan of both of them, so that was special to get.

Tags: Josh Wise, University of Pittsburgh, Washington