Photos by Sophia Hantzes
JALEN MOBLEY scored 25 points to lead St. Paul Johnson, the No. 1 boys’ basketball team in Class 3A boys’ basketball, to a 75-67 hard-fought victory over archrival St. Paul Central last Friday evening (January 31). The victory gave the Governors a one-game lead for first-place honors in the City Conference.
Central, behind the outstanding play of athletic forward RAYEON WILLIAMS, the freethrow shooting of FELIX JAMES JR., and the inside play of KALU ABOSI, led 35-30 at halftime.
Williams finished with 20 points. Taylor added 13. Abosi chipped in 10 and SAM GUBBRUD had nine.
The teams traded baskets in the second half, leading to a 57-57 tie with five minutes remaining.
The defending champion Governors went on an 18-10 run to put the game away. MITCHELL MCDONALD scored 11 and ERIC ELLIOT and SEDRICK CLARK each added 10 for Johnson. The rematch is set for February 18 at Johnson in a game many assume will determine the City Conference champion.
Across the river the night before (January 30), the Minneapolis City Conference race got crazier after North defeated Southwest 82-80 on freshman ISAAC JOHNSON’S layup as time expired.
TYLER JOHNSON led the way with 33 points, JAMIL JACKSON added 20, and D.J. Hunter chipped in 12.
The balanced scoring of KEION ALEXANDER (17), LANICK KNIGHT (13), ALLEN EDWARDS (12), ALLEN EDWARDS(12), and CAM ROSS (12) led the defending champion.
For Johnson it was a bit of redemption. Against Washburn a couple of weeks ago, his tip-in with four seconds left put North up two. After a timeout, Washburn guard JEFF JONES hit a running three-pointer at the buzzer for the victory.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
Support Black local news
Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.
