Kankakee’s Ava Johnson signs with Missouri Western State for basketball

At the end of last school year, Kankakee’s Ava Johnson was unsure what role basketball would play in her future, or if it would even play a role at all.She was even contemplating quitting the game, but after talking with her parents, who she said “never gave up” on her, decided to stick it out for her senior season.Later in the summer, she committed to Western Missouri State, and during a ceremony with family, friends, coaches and teammates on Monday at the Kankakee High School Community Center just a week prior to the start of her senior season, she signed her letter of intent to officially become a Griffon.“It just felt like home when I stepped on campus,” she said. “It’s just really exciting. It’s something I’ve looked forward to since I was little. To be able to reach my goals and stuff, it’s something I’m really excited about and can’t wait for.”Ava had her parents, Devin and Samantha, her younger sister Maliyah, younger brother Bodhi and grandma Chris Denton present for her signi