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Leading the way for Eagles

Sports

Wednesday, 20 April 2011 12:47

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Poinciana’s Kadesia Johnson (23), defending here against Gateway’s Ana Collazo, is playing summer basketball to better her skills even more.

Kadesia Johnson became key player on championship team

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Kadesia Johnson arrived at Poinciana two basketball seasons ago.
In those two seasons, the Eagles claimed the school’s first district hoops championship, then backed it up by defending it this past winter.
Coincidence? Not really, as Coach Jamerson Jones has assembled a good group of young talent, which Johnson, a junior, is a part of. But to hear Jones talk, Johnson has evolved into the Eagles’ main cog.
“She’s a great leader, and loves the game more than any kid I’ve coached,” the coach said. “She was in a tough spot as a new player last year, but she did a great job fitting into the team and now she’s a big part of our success.
On her way to becoming the Osceola News-Gazette Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Johnson averaged 18.7 points, five rebounds and two steals per game. Those points came on the perimeter and in the paint.
“She’s a guard who can post up. She spent this season learning the post,” Jones said. “She’s not afraid of the contact. She had a couple of 30-point games because her inside and outside games worked so well.”
Johnson, who came from Thomasville, Ga., said she tried to elevate her game this season.
“I improved my jump shot and became an all-around better player,” she said. “I’m a guard but I try to practice those post things, too.”
For the first time this year, the Eagles claimed both the district and the Orange Belt Conference titles, but Poinciana will still have something to strive for that’s gone undone for Johnson’s senior year — win in the regional playoffs. The Eagles lost to Leesburg and Gainesville Eastside in the quarterfinals the past two seasons.
“I definitely think we can do more. It’s going to be tough because people know about us; we just have to work harder and push past that,” Johnson said.
Jones said she’s scratched the surface of her ability, but now she is polishing her skills before getting ready for the college level.
She’ll spend this summer traveling with the Orlando Comets AAU travel squad trying to improve.
“She’s got good support at home, and is an honor student,” he said. “I’m getting calls about her all the time, but this summer, coaches can start reaching out to her.”
They’ll know where to find her, as Johnson and the Eagles won’t be sneaking up on anyone anymore, and that the road back to the playoffs won’t be nearly as easy as the two prior years. She said she’s ready for that challenge.
“I just try to lead by example and be able to pump up my teammates,” Johnson said.
“We had some wins this year that I think we were just glad to have and weren’t as satisfying as they could have been.”