Ava Johnson Reaches 1,000 Points as Kankakee Triumphs in Classic

Kankakee High School’s junior guard, Ava Johnson, achieved a significant milestone by scoring her 1,000th career point during a thrilling matchup against Rock Island, where Kankakee secured a 50-42 victory in the State Farm Holiday Classic. Johnson’s impressive performance included 22 points, while her teammate Malea Harrison led the team with 25 points. This win propelled Kankakee, currently ranked as the eighth seed in the large school bracket, into a second-round contest against the top-seeded Washington on Saturday.

In another game during the same tournament, Normal University defeated Bishop McNamara with a score of 50-42. The Fightin’ Irish, seeded eleventh in the tournament and holding a record of 4-7, saw Trinitee Thompson contribute 10 points to the effort.

The Peotone Holiday Tournament also showcased competitive basketball. Reed-Custer opened with a commanding 49-32 win over Beecher, led by Alyssa Wollenzein, who recorded 27 points, six rebounds, and eight steals. Kamryn Wilkey supported the team with 11 points, three steals, and two rebounds. Beecher now stands at 6-7, while Reed-Custer improved to 7-6.

In another matchup, Richards defeated Peotone 26-15. Although no individual statistics were reported for the Blue Devils, they remained competitive, trailing just 16-11 after three quarters before the Bulldogs pulled ahead.

On the boys’ side, Bradley-Bourbonnais celebrated a narrow victory against Metea Valley, winning 53-50. Freshman Dajuan Brown made a crucial go-ahead basket with 24 seconds remaining, followed by two free throws that secured the win for the Boilermakers, who improved to 5-7. Brown finished the game with 12 points, trailing only Drew Kubal, who had 14 points.

The Fightin’ Irish from Bishop McNamara delivered an impressive performance against Olympia, winning 76-49. The top-seeded team in the small school bracket saw contributions from several players, including Callaghan O’Connor with 13 points, Richie Darr with 12 points, and both Coen Demack and Karter Krutsinger adding 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Other notable outcomes included Coal City‘s 40-30 victory over Gardner-South Wilmington, where they outscored their opponents 17-3 in the fourth quarter. Leondre Kemp led G-SW with 16 points. Reed-Custer also triumphed, defeating Serena 60-49, setting up a rivalry match against Coal City for the consolation championship.

The Bismarck-Henning Holiday Tournament concluded with Phalen (Ind.) overpowering Milford 74-45, where Jack Van Hoveln scored 22 points for Milford, now at 2-8.

These games displayed the excitement and competitiveness of high school basketball, with remarkable individual performances marking the holiday season tournaments across the region.