Click the thumbnails to see a Johnson highlight film, including the record-setter, and listen to RRN's Tyler Swanson interview Johnson and Coach Andy Cretens after the game. Also see several other video highlights.
GLADSTONE---Gladstone High School senior Lillie Johnson made Braves basketball history Tuesday night, passing Reece Castor for the all-time scoring record for the school, both boys and girls. Johnson, passed Castor's 1802 career points, and then some, as the Braves beat the Westwood Patriots, 51-30. Johnson scored 27 points in the victory.
Johnson, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit, started strong, scoring her team's first seven points and ten of the first 12 pointrs. Johnson tied Castor's mark with a triple, and then moments later, off of a screen on the right wing, Johnson drained a triple to set the record. A time out was called, and Johnson was given the game ball.
Johnson says she wanted to get set the record right away, to get effort.
"We've been running the same out-of-bounds play, pretty much all season," Johnson said. "I went in the gym and shot today (before the game) and I knew I wanted to come out and play my best in the first quarter," Johnson said. "Hopefully, get it (the record) in the first quarter. It was just a really exciting moment. To be able to do it, and have the community here, and just have all of the support behind me. It felt really good."
"I was glad that she came out the way that she did," Gladstone Coach Andy Cretens said. "Kind of wanted to get that out of the way. I've been a part of some of those before, breaking records or 1,000's (points), stuff like that. And sometimes it puts a lot of pressure on the team and players, and it kind of feels kind of tense in the gym. And she carried us in the first half. I was definitely fighting it (emotionally) on the inside. There was pressure coming into the game. The expectations are always really high, and I just want to meet that expectation."
That she has done consistantly for most of her four-year Braves career, and she was in command Tuesday night.
Johnson scored 21 of her team's 35 points as the Braves raced to a 24-6 lead and took a 34-15 lead over the Patriots at halftime. Johnson ended up with 27 points, and sat for the majority of the second half on the bench. She now has 1,822 points heading into the second half of this season.
"Personally, I think hitting 2,000 would be pretty cool," Johnson said. "As a team, I tuhink getting farther than last year (state quarterfinals). We have the team to do it. I just think we have to put everything together and I think we've got it."
Gladstone improved to 6-2 on the season with its second win over Westwood in a week. The Braves will host Manistique this Friday night, and will host Marquette next Tuesday night.
Westwood fell to 1-5 on the season.
