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Slaying the record book
By Steve Ruman
In aN 85-74 win over Edgewood on Dec. 11, Niles senior Cameron Kane-Johnson scored 40 points. The outburst equaled the most points ever scored by a Niles player in a single game, a record which was established 61 years ago.
Records, they say, are made to be broken. So four days after equaling the mark, Kane-Johnson erupted for 46 points in a Niles 61-45 win over Lakeview.
Thanks in large part to Kane-Johnson’s heroics, Niles is off to a 4-2 start, including a 4-1 record in the White Tier of the All American Conference. A year ago, the Red Dragons started off with a 1-4 record in league play.
Through six games, Kane-Johnson is averaging 30.5 points. He is just 19 points shy of scoring 1,000 career points, and is 141 away from becoming Niles’ career scoring leader.
In addition to being Niles’ top scorer (Kane-Johnson, in fact, has scored more points than the rest of his teammates combined), Kane-Johnson leads his team in steals and assists. At 5-foot-10, he also is averaging 8 rebounds per contest.
Kane-Johnson has connected on 58 three-pointers.
“I’ve been around Niles basketball for 30 years and in that time I’ve been blessed to be around some really good players, but I have to say Cameron is a step ahead in terms of being the total package,” said Niles coach Ron Price who has been head coach for 12 seasons. “People see his scoring numbers. Obviously those jump out at you. But to watch him in person, you see that he is the complete package.”
“Cameron is a fantastic player,” Price said. “But what’s more impressive is the fact that he is an even better kid. He’s a great person and the ultimate teammate.”
Kane-Johnson’s easy-going nature and a style of play which looks almost effortless at times make it seem as though he gets by on sheer talent. In reality, Price calls Kane-Johnson “the hardest working player I’ve ever coached.”
In fact, there was a time when a lack of skills forced Kane-Johnson to literally hide from the game.
Kane-Johnson first participated in organized basketball in the fourth grade. He played sparingly, and when he was in games he admits to “missing wide-open lay-ups and making silly mistakes.”
He was so frustrated with the game that when sign-up papers were passed out in the fifth grade, he hid them from his mom.
Kane-Johnson spent the next year honing his skills in the privacy and comfort of his driveway. When he decided to return to organized ball in the sixth grade, he was named to an all-star team and asked to join a traveling squad.
“Even all through middle school and into my freshmen season, I was nervous whenever I played in front of people,” Kane-Johnson said. “If I missed a shot early on, I thought about it the whole game. If I made a mistake, I was a mess.”
Today, Kane-Johnson is often the center of attention with fans, both home and away. Chants of “MVP” are often heard from the Niles student section.
Against Lakeview, opposing fans mocked the “MVP” chant whenever Kane-Johnson missed a shot, until he began outscoring the Bulldogs by himself.
“Now, I feed off the crowds, I love the noise,” Kane-Johnson said. “Whether I’m playing the hero or the villain, I’m out there loving it. It’s just a part of the game and I don’t let the noise bother me.
“I feed off it.”
Kane-Johnson’s play — and his confidence — has a lot to do with his work ethic and preparation. Price calls him “the hardest working and most coachable player I’ve been around,” and says that Kane-Johnson works tirelessly at practice to perfect his game.
In the offseason, Kane-Johnson says that he practices six days a week. Every day includes approximately two hours on the court working on shooting and ball handling skills. He also works in the weight room three days a week.
“What Cameron does at practice should be an inspiration to everyone, because here is our best player going all out, all the time,” Price said. “He is a true student of the game. He’s always wanting to learn more.”
“Cam’s work ethic away from the gym, what he does to better himself when no one is looking, that more than anything else sums up what this kid is all about.”
Kane-Johnson averaged 25.4 points per game a year ago as the Red Dragons finished 12-10. And while his scoring average has surged even higher this year, he says that he doesn’t want to be judged solely based on points scored. In fact, he says that he would gladly trade in his school scoring records for more wins.
“I learned as a sophomore and junior that scoring isn’t enough,” Kane-Johnson said. “There were games where I scored 30, but we lost and I felt horrible. During the offseason, I really tried to work on the parts of my game beyond shooting.”
Kane-Johnson lists Isaiah Thompson (“He plays for my favorite team, and he’s only 5-8”), Steph Curry (“I try to pattern my game after his game”) and Kobe Bryant (“Every player should have his heart and work ethic”) as his basketball heroes, but says that his true icons are his parents, Clero and Angel.
“They have worked like crazy to own their own business,” Kane-Johnson said. “They motivate me in everything I do. Everything I do in school and on the basketball court, I do for them and because of them.”
Kane-Johnson hopes to play Division I college ball, noting that he is willing to prove himself as a walk-on if necessary. Regardless, he knows that his career will continue next year and beyond.