Both as an assistant coach and now as the head coach, St. Charles North’s Grant Oler has seen the evolution of senior guard Sydney Johnson throughout her four high school seasons.
Johnson has turned into the most impactful player on the court for the North Stars. What’s impressed Oler the most, however, is everything else she brings to the program.
That includes leadership, for which Johnson is uniquely suited.
“Honestly, it’s a lot of hard work,” she said. “Every day, I’m in the gym, getting up shots. But it’s also knowing I can make mistakes. I’ve obviously made a lot of mistakes through the years.
“I’ve been able to learn and grow from them.”
The North Stars are reaping the benefits of all that hard work. She put it on display once again Thursday, scoring a game-high 15 points in a 41-27 DuKane Conference win over host Geneva.
On a rough shooting night for both teams, the 5-foot-11 Johnson added five rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal for St. Charles North (15-5, 6-2).
Emma Peterson paced Geneva (9-12, 4-4) with 13 points and nine rebounds.
To Oler, Johnson skills as an outside shooter and as a long, rangy defender stand out on their own. But that’s not all he will miss when she graduates.
“It’s a credit to her work,” Oler said. “She’s been a tremendous leader this year. The number of hours that are unseen that kid puts in, to see her flourish is special.”
Johnson is best known for the program-record 36 points she scored last season in a regional win over Proviso West. What often goes overlooked, though, is her defense.
Opponents thinking she’s not as quick or as bouncy as she is are often in for a rude awakening.
“We challenged her at a young age to play with high hands,” Oler said. “Doggone it if she hasn’t mastered that. She’s got those long limbs that extend forever.
“People don’t think she’s as fast as she is but she is. She’s going to get tips.”
Her defensive work is another byproduct of four years in the same system.
“Coach Oler always talks about anticipating and everything like that,” Johnson said. “Playing this defense for four years, I kind of have an idea of where the ball is going to be and when.
“It’s just a lot easier to get those kinds of blocks.”
Johnson only shot 6 of 19 from the floor Thursday and St. Charles struggled at 19 of 54, but defense carried the North Stars.
After back-to-back layups from Peterson, Geneva had a chance to cut the deficit to two possessions in the third quarter. The Vikings only scored five points the rest of the game, though.
“We put the press on in them in the third,” Geneva coach Sarah Meadows said. “That probably helped us a little bit. Then I think we got tired. We just have to make baskets.
“We had opportunities. We just have to score. It’s hard to beat a team when you have 27 points.”
Johnson’s basketball future beyond this season is still unclear. An exemplary student in multiple AP classes, Johnson will have plenty of academic options.
She has learned to balance both.
“It’s a lot, but I just know where it’s going to take me in the future,” Johnson said. “That’s just motivation. I have goals for myself.”
Those goals may not line up with a chance to also play basketball at the next level, however.
“For college, my main focus is my academics,” Johnson said. “Getting a good education is my first priority. Obviously, if I get a chance to play with the academics, it’s going to be good for me.
“For the past year, that’s what I’ve been weighing. I guess it’s just a matter of time and trying to figure out what works best for me.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
