Cage Legacy Raises Stakes For Evanston Seniors

Brittanny Johnson mentions the word “legacy” to her 3-headed monster --- otherwise known as seniors Zuri Ransom, Kailey Starks and Arianna Milam-Pryor --- every day in practice.

It’s a reminder that is meant to push the senior trio to greater heights in their final year wearing the Orange and Blue for the Evanston girls basketball team.

The Wildkits play their 2023-24 season opener Tuesday at home against Buffalo Grove with plenty to prove. Coming off a 14-13 effort a year ago, when Johnson couldn’t tell who she could count on to be 100 percent healthy from one week to the next, it’s up to the trio to boost ETHS back into the ranks of the state’s elite programs in Illinois.

They’re the only seniors on a thin roster of just 9 varsity players.

“I call them my 3-headed monster, and I’m really looking at them to be leaders for the younger girls this season,” said Johnson, who is entering her 8th season as head coach. “They’re all really experienced at this point, they all can handle the ball, and there shouldn’t be anything they haven’t seen playing the competition we’ve played the past 3 years.

“I use the word legacy a lot with them, to remind them that their class hasn’t won the conference and hasn’t won a sectional championship yet. I remind them of that not to criticize them, but to push them. I want them to be able to say that they’ve left the program better than they found it. I’m entrusting them to get it done for us.”

Johnson uses the term “3 headed monster” because she knows that foes will have a tough time matching up against her seniors. Ransom, a Ball State University recruit, and Starks are both coming off all-conference seasons as juniors and Milam-Pryor has the offensive skills to burn any defense that focuses on just stopping those two.

They’ll be leaned on heavily, along with juniors Alice Lemmon and Jayla Warren and sophomore Sandra Deeney, while freshmen Camille Calixte, Jayla McClure-Calvin and Payton King make the adjustment to high school --- and varsity basketball.

Low numbers continue to plague the program even though Johnson helped create a feeder program for ETHS when she first took over as head coach. A turnout of 33 total players for the three levels of the program leaves Johnson without enough varsity candidates to even put together a full-court scrimmage in practice.

So the former Fenwick High School star suits up and joins in herself when a 5-on-5 scrimmage is scheduled. And the chance to get on the court and play against those 3 seniors has given the head coach an even greater appreciation of their respective skills.

“I haven’t found my 3-point shot yet,” Johnson kidded, “and my knees are OK so far. But I keep telling Zuri (Ransom) that she can’t guard me. It’s been fun for me to be on the court with them. I’ve always known Zuri and Kailey to be good defenders, and now I understand their (individual) strengths even better.

“I have to admit the last 3 years have been a disappointment. The (current) seniors had to deal with COVID-19 their first year, they had to play in masks their sophomore year during that weird (spring) season, and last year everyone was hurt. We just haven’t competed at the level I think we should’ve. Even with 9 players, I think now we’re in a better position to start the season than we have been the past 3 years.”

The low turnout of potential players in a school of 3,500 didn’t come as a surprise to the veteran coach. Calixte, McClure-Calvin and King all played with the varsity veterans this summer along with some others who had just graduated 8th grade and Johnson’s had at least one first-year player on the varsity roster almost every year she’s been at ETHS.

But that was by choice --- not by necessity. Still, Johnson has no problem seeing the glass as half full with the season about to start.

“What’s happening now is that girls are starting to specialize more very early now,” she explained. “Even the kids we have in our program usually just play basketball. We’ve been working hard to have more basketball programs for the girls (before they enter high school). But COVID was a big deal in Evanston especially --- with no sports for two years --- and most of the girls who DID play had to travel outside Evanston to play club ball. I’ve been hearing lately from other coaches that it’s an issue for them, too.

“I’m looking at a 9-player rotation now and the good thing about it is that everyone will play. And I’m also able to do a lot more individual work with the younger kids. We have 5 or 6 freshmen who could’ve easily played up. They’re real hoopers and I’m really excited about the freshman class. They have the potential to be highly successful.”

Evanston’s biggest issue might not be inexperience. Injuries have been an annual issue at the varsity level and the only thing that might have prevented Ransom from eventually becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer is the fact that she has missed more than two dozen games in the first 3 years of her career due to injuries.

That’s in the past, Johnson insisted on the eve of this year’s opener.

“I think they’re stronger (physically) than last year, and they know now not to try to push through things, to take a day off when they’re hurting,” said the coach. “I think Zuri especially has tried to play through a lot over her career.

“I think she’s going to have a great year for us. The pressure’s off now that she’s signed and it helps you have a better senior year when you know what you’re going to be doing in the future. I’m looking for even more from her this year, because I know she’s got more to give. She has to take the reins and own it more this year.”

Starks has already established a personal legacy as one of the hardest workers the program has ever seen. The 5-foot-8 senior blossomed on offense over the second half of last season and hopes to attract more attention from college coaches as one of the Wildkit leaders in her final year.

“Kailey always plays with a chip on her shoulder, and no one works harder,” praised Johnson. “I usually have to kick her out of the gym. She really takes it seriously, and I always say that good things come to those who work hard like she does. When she lets the game come to her, she can affect a game in so many different ways. She’ll do whatever is best for the team.

“Ari is probably in the best shape she’s ever been in coming into the season and we’re going to use her more off the ball this year. She’s not a true point guard but we’ve had to use her there in the past. She’s capable of taking over a game on offense, and if she locks in on defense, she can have a really good senior year.”

Johnson can go “big” with one version of the ETHS lineup --- with the 6-foot Warren and 5-10 Lemmon --- or smaller, depending on how the Wildkits match up with a given foe. Johnson loves the athleticism that all 3 freshman will add to the mix.

Calixte is the daughter of head boys soccer coach Franz Calixte. “I’m really looking forward to seeing her development,” said Johnson. “We haven’t had a true point guard in awhile. She has to grow into the role, but she’s a coach’s kid and I know they see the game differently than most players do.

“Payton and Jayla are two of the best athletes I’ve coached so far. They’re both so athletic and I think Jayla could be a track star some day. They both ask very particular questions in practice and that shows me the IQ they already have. We still have to jell as a group --- but I think we’ll get there.”

After opening against Buffalo Grove, the Wildkits will play road games versus Bolingbrook (Saturday) and Hillcrest (Nov. 25 in a shootout at Whitney Young) before opening Central Suburban League South division play Nov. 28 at home against Glenbrook South.

DePaul Prep, Stevenson and Barrington are also new to the schedule.

“A lot of the top teams in the conference have seniors back, so I think the race there will be wide open,” Johnson added. “The CSL is always tough and now we’ve added Deerfield (which placed 4th in the state in Class 3A last year and switched divisions this year).”