Montini's Johnson returns a whole new ballplayer

It was a spin move to the basket during an October fall league game, off Michala Johnson's left knee. Just another move, one she could probably make in her sleep.

One small step, and one giant leap for the Montini senior.

"It felt kind of funny," Johnson said, "because I hadn't done it in so long. Your mind is saying one thing but your body is doing another."

You see, for months Johnson could only attempt those moves in her mind. Minutes into her junior season, and months after injuring the knee in an AAU game, Johnson came down awkwardly on it. The diagnosis was a torn ACL. Johnson had surgery Jan. 30 with Dr. Preston Wolin. Her season was wiped out.

Johnson was reduced to spectator while Montini won 28 games and a sectional championship, coming a possession short of returning to state.

"It was very hard in the beginning," she said. "I've never not played."

And so the arduous road back began.

Johnson worked out every day at Chicago's Center for Athletic Medicine, learning how to squat and plant her feet again. From there she worked with Montini athletic trainer Gary Raike at school, doing leg extensions and more squats. A 6-foot-3 post player who relies so much on her speed and jumping ability was forced to go back to square one.

"When you tear your ACL you don't forget how to run," Johnson said, "but at first your legs don't move how they used to. You have to learn to run and jump again. It takes a lot of time and hard work."

Johnson didn't rush the recovery. Determined to return bigger and stronger than ever, she gained 20 pounds of muscle. Montini coaches don't have to beg her to eat a cheeseburger anymore to put on weight.

"Her body looks different, from the time of surgery to now," Montini coach Jason Nichols said. "Her frame looks different. You can see the strength. She looks like a grown woman now."

Johnson returned to the court in June but did not play AAU over the summer. She was doing halfcourt work by July with nobody on her, halfcourt work live by August. By September she was working fullcourt and played in one fall league game.

"I'm just now getting back into the hang of things, feeling like myself again," Johnson said.

Nichols won't throw Johnson out for 32 minutes the first night, next Tuesday when Montini opens at Marist. More likely she will play in short spurts to build her endurance up. It's a long season.

"It would be selfish as a coach to do it any other way," said Nichols, who did note that Johnson might already be one of his better conditioned kids. "It's important that the kid gets back to where she was."

Where she was, was one of the top players in Illinois and top 20 players nationally in the Class of 2010.

Johnson is one of several top-flight girls basketball players around the area returning from torn ACLs in their left knee. Bolingbrook sophomore forward Morgan Tuck went down in May, Young guard Chanise Jenkins tore her ACL in July, while Waubonsie Valley sophomore Keiera Ray and T.F. North senior Karisma Chapman were hurt last season.

Of that group Johnson is perhaps the furthest along in her recovery.

The return of the future Connecticut player is a big reason why Montini is on the short list of favorites in Class 3A. The Broncos will play defending state champion Peoria Richwoods in December at the Sterling Shootout and fellow 3A contender T.F. North at the Montini Christmas Tournament later that month.

With a loaded, veteran lineup that includes junior point guard Whitney Holloway (committed to Notre Dame) and seniors Courtney Thomas (Marquette) and Alison Seberger (Illinois State) the sky's the limit.

"Our goal is to try to win every single game," Johnson said, "even though we know we probably can't win them all. We're more experienced and older now. We know what to expect."

jwelge@dailyherald.com