THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100457
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Carrie Johnson's pregame wardrobe - a floppy blue hat and fuzzy pink troll slippers - can give onlookers the impression that she's a total clown off the court.
But when the game starts there's no clowning around. The 6-foot-2 senior center is all business and a big reason Kempsville is 28-0 heading into the Group AAA state quarterfinals.
The Eastern Region champion Chiefs meet Central Region runnerup James River (23-3) Saturday at 6 p.m. Churchland High.
On a team dominated by underclassmen - six sophomores, five juniors - Johnson is the seasoned veteran.
She's been through the battles, on and off the court.
The summer before her sophomore season Johnson broke a kneecap and underwent surgery.
``When I sat down with my doctor, he asked me if I ever thought about playing the piano,'' she said. ``I was like, `No Way!' ''
The suggestion she might have to give up basketball made Johnson work twice as hard to come back.
``I went to school, to practice and to rehab,'' she said. ``I hated it. They (the doctors) told me I wouldn't be able to play that season.''
Doctors have been wrong before.
``I worked hard and I came back after Christmas,'' she said. ``Overcoming my knee injury, it made me really decide whether or not I wanted to play basketball. I had to decide right then and there if I wanted to work.''
Kempsville coach Greg Dunn says Johnson went beyond the parameters of her rehabilitation plan.
``She was there at every practice,'' he said. ``And she came on at the end of the season to play very well.''
According to Johnson, it was on the sidelines that she truly learned the game.
``When I hurt my knee, that's when I mentally started learning the game,'' she said. ``I had to sit there on the sidelines and watch everyone else play.
``It gave me the drive to come back. I laid in bed at night and went over my post moves in my head. When I came back, my moves were stronger than they were when I had left.''
Her desire to win had also gained strength.
``Nobody is more competitive than Carrie Johnson,'' Dunn said. ``I think that's rubbed off on her teammates.
``Carrie's more business-like. Winning and losing is top priority with her.''
The surgery, however, left calcium deposits that cause Johnson excruciating pain.
``I've learned,'' she said, ``to play with the aches.''
As a junior, Johnson was second team All-Beach District, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds as the Chiefs finished 20-3.
This year she has developed into one of the area's best players, averaging 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. She has already been named first team All-Beach District and All-Eastern Region.
Dunn says Johnson's presence allows the Chiefs to do more things than other teams.
``Most people see points and rebounds,'' he said. ``They don't see her defense.
``She is an excellent backline defender. That's one of the reasons why we've been able to play pressure defense the entire game. Her presence on the court stops people from trying to penetrate.''
Johnson says she's just doing whatever is necessary to win.
``Basketball is a big part of my life because I've worked so hard to get where I am,'' she said. ``I want to win (the) state (title). I have to win state. It's my senior year. It's my last chance.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
PAUL AIKEN/Staff
Carrie Johnson's pregame wardrobe is a floppy blue hat and fuzzy
pink troll slippers, but she doesn't clown around.
by CNB