Basketball - Boys' Junior Varsity
Ehmil Johnson '21 scored 27 points, including a backbreaking three-pointer with under two minutes remaining, to help Marianapolis hold off a valiant comeback and claim a 57-49 victory over Wilbraham Monson Academy in a thrilling game at Thompson, CT.
Johnson was active and determined from the very beginning, scoring 18 points on a variety of drives, layups, and long-distance shots in the first half alone. Excellent free-throw shooting (11-14 in the first half, led by 6-6 from Ryan Martin '20) also allowed the Golden Knights to get to the break with what seemed to be a comfortable 35-20 lead.
But the visiting Titans, jumpstarted by the inspired work of Ciel McDaniel (25 pts), made a tremendous run early in the second half, turning a 45-22 deficit into a 49-48 lead with five minutes left in the contest. The remarkable 27-3 surge was a combination of lackluster play by Marianapolis and a gutsy effort by Wilbraham Monson and is a lesson as to what can happen when a team falls asleep and does not keep its foot on the gas.
Down 49-48, Ehmil Johnson made a layup for a one-point lead and then a crucial corner three-pointer to give the Golden Knights a 53-49 advantage. Led by Martin and Luke Lageman '19, Marianapolis clamped down defensively on a number of late-game possessions to seal the victory.
Kualim Johnson '21 added six points and Danny Moors '20 chipped in with five for Marianapolis (6-1), which has a quick turnaround with a 1:00 PM home game against Worcester Academy on Saturday.