Florence junior guard Evan Johnson (1) has been a key part of the Bobcats’ recent success over the past three seasons. Johnson has been the varsity program’s point guard since he was a freshman and is skilled shooter and penetrator. He’s also a willing rebounder. (Dennis Mansfield/Daily News file photo)

FLORENCE, Wis. — Florence Bobcat junior Evan Johnson’s trek through his high school basketball career has been a steady climb.

Johnson earned a starting position as a freshman, was selected to the all-Northern Lakes Conference second team as a sophomore and was a unanimous choice for the league’s first team after his junior year in 2021-22.

Team-wise, the Bobcats have had a memorable run with Johnson on the team. Florence has advanced to the WIAA Division 5 regional final in all three seasons, but has not captured that trophy. Not yet anyway.

In a recent interview with The Daily News, Johnson reflected on his three seasons of varsity basketball and the fact that the Bobcats have made three regional finals but have not come home with the hardware yet.

Q: What was it like for you as a freshman point guard on the varsity squad?

A: When I was younger, like in seventh- and eighth-grade, I never really played point guard before. I was more of like just a guard. My dad (Kris) has been the JV coach, so I’ve been in the gym as much as possible really. So when I was like in sixth grade, I used to go their varsity practices. So it wasn’t completely new to me, but it was still new getting to know the seniors and the guys.

Q: Did the upperclassmen accept you right away?

A: Yeah, they did.

Q: What would you tell a young basketball player like you were, a freshman about to play varsity basketball?

A: I would tell them to have no regrets at the end of the season because I know I did. Don’t be scared, you’ve got nothing to lose really.

Q: How has your game changed since you were a freshman?

A: As a freshman, I wasn’t really a leader nearly as much as what I am now. I was just, handle the ball and stuff. But this year I did a little bit of everything really.

Q: Have you gained much weight since you entered high school?

A: My freshman year I was 145, 150. Now I’m about 165, 170.

Q: How does increased strength help basketball players?

A: It helps you get to the rim, helps you finish through contact, especially in the higher levels and against the harder teams that you play.

Q: Going into the season, there were big expectations on your team for the postseason. Was it difficult staying in the moment and not looking ahead to the tournament?

A: It was hard, especially for me and some of the other guys that have played in a regional final and lost twice before. I know I was really looking forward to (the tournament).

Q: Were you able to enjoy the regular season?

A: Yeah, I did. It was a lot of fun. But (the tournament) was always in my head though.

Q: Let’s go to the night of the regional final this year against Three Lakes. Your teammate, Dominic DeMuri, was injured late in the first half and never returned. How did that affect things?

Q: Definitely the whole mood of the team and the gym changed. I think (the mood) just really sunk because the previous summer he had the same injury (a broken tibia) and he was out for like a year before that.

Q: So you and your teammates knew what it was when he went down?

A: We knew.

Q: What was his importance to your team?

A: He was everywhere. He did the little things. He rebounded. Even for his size (5-foot-9), he rebounded so well. He guarded the best guy on the floor, and with him going out … we had to go to zone. And they just made threes and took over.

Q: This is the third year in a row that the team has been stopped at that point. Especially with Dom’s injury, do you feel like the team is snake-bit a little bit?

A: It’s tough to swallow, that’s for sure, being three years in a row for me. I was kind of in disbelief, honestly. I thought we had it this year.

Q: You played all season like you thought you’d win that game?

A: Oh yeah. I was confident. Really confident.

Q: So why do you think your team lost to Three Lakes?

A: It’s not simple, but obviously Dominic going out really hurt us. And they have a big guy in the middle, which really caused us to struggle with rebounding. We’d played them twice before and they knew, especially for me, they had guys just sitting in the middle of the paint (waiting for me) and our shots weren’t really falling. I know I didn’t shoot that well that game. We played right into their game plan really.

Q: Do you think that without the injury your team would have beaten Three Lakes given that you had to switch out of the man defense?

A: I do believe so. We love man-to-man just one-on-one, because I just think we’re better, all the way around, than a lot of teams.

Q: Did you, or some of your teammates, almost want to win too much? Did anybody get tight?

A: I know my first year in a regional final I was almost like too scared to mess up, something like that. I know I wasn’t (like that) this game, but in this game, it was almost like we had to chill.

Q: Did you and/or your teammates feel pressure to win that regional game?

A: It’s never been an issue for me, but I know it’s lurking over your shoulder the whole time, especially since we’ve gone there three years in a row.

Q: The positive is that the team has been good enough to get to the final for three consecutive years…

A: I just want to win it. I would rather win one than go there three times and lose all three.

Q: It’s very early but what do you think about next year’s team?

A: It’s hard to tell, but we’re going to miss our big guy (Patrick Milan). He was very, very fast. I mean, he could play at our tempo. I think we’re going to miss a big guy that can play at his tempo. But we (could have) some size next year.

Q: If you had some bigger teammates, but some who couldn’t play that quickly, would that take away the strength of the team?

A: Yeah, I don’t know what to do there.

Q: Forgive the negative question, but what if your team gets to the regional final and is defeated again?

A: If I give it my all and we still fall short, you can’t really be mad at yourself if you leave everything you’ve got out on the floor. But obviously that would be a spot that definitely would hurt.

Q: And if you get to the final again and win?

A: That’d be amazing. That would be. … Oh, man.

Jerry DeRoche can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 247, or jderoche@ironmountaindailynews.com.