Athlete of the Issue: Kristina Johnson

Jessie GeoffrayEditor-in-chiefTied at 45, with three seconds left. Senior Kristina Johnson, seemingly unaffected by the pressure, had just made two free-throw shots to tie the game.  The Samo girls' basketball team was currently in a huddle, eagerly listening to coach Marty Verdugo outline a play during a timeout.The girls returned to the court, and soon enough the play was underway.  Senior Bianka Balthazar had the ball, and quickly passed to Johnson, who made the game-winning shot at the buzzer, upsetting Inglewood on their home court.“There are a lot of people who would miss that shot,” Verdugo said.  “But she’s a play-maker. Big players make big plays in big moments.”Johnson began playing basketball around the age of five.“My uncle bought a basketball for my brother,” Johnson said with a smile.  “But he never ended up playing on it.”Johnson began her basketball career playing for Will Rogers elementary school, and soon started playing for a California club team called “California Storm.”  She has played for Samo’s varsity team for all four years of her high school career.“Kristina came into high school very unsure of herself. Now she’s been asked to be the leader of the team. She’s grown through her confidence and her grasp of the game, and is learning how to compete at the highest level,” Verdugo said.  “She’s drawn a lot of attention from other coaches ­­— she’s gained their respect.”In the fall, she drew attention from University of the Pacific, where she’ll attend on a full scholarship to play basketball next year.“Basketball means a lot to me,” Johnson said.  “It helped me get into college.  All I wanted was to go to college for free … it’s amazing.”jgeoffray@thesamohi.com