All day, Kaylee Johnson had avoided making a fuss. The Natrona County senior had rejected questions of nostalgia and longing from her classmates as the final home game of her high school basketball career neared with the completion of every passing class period. She’d miss her teammates and playing on Jerry Dalton Court, sure, but senior night, she had convinced herself, was just another game.
Thursday was doubly nostalgic because of the closing of the Orange Dungeon – the home of Natrona County basketball games since 1929 – which will be revamped later in the year as part of the school’s scheduled rebuilding project. Johnson and the Fillies defeated visiting Riverton 84-39 in the girls game earlier in the night.
“And then I got to the gym and I saw coach just staring off and I was like, ‘It is already here.’ All of a sudden it just hit me and I got all emotional,” said Johnson, who will attend Stanford next year on a full-ride athletic scholarship. “Then we walked out and I started crying. I did not want to do that. But after you think about how this is the last chance that I have, it really does get you hyped up and makes you want to give it everything you have.”
While the Fillies, who haven't lost a conference game in nearly three years, are focused on winning a championship.
There are always going to be distractions – Peach Basket, regionals, state. That’s all coming up. Those are going to be huge distractions, so this was perfect practice,” Johnson said.
Johnson scored 15 for the Fillies.
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