Savannah, GA - Down by four at the half, 34-30, at the St. Andrew's School Invitational. Sol C. Johnson High School (5-5) streaked back at the end of the first half and in the second half to defeat Rocky River High School (4-7) out of Mint Hill, North Carolina, 75-66, fueled by a halftime message emphasizing " The Johnson basketball way" from Coach Chuck Campbell.
Trailing 34-30 at the break, the Atomsmashers played Johnson Basketball and battled their way back to take a 46-37 lead going on a 16-3 run to start the third quarter. Coach Campbell attributed the turnaround to a simple reminder of their identity.
"We weren't playing our style, Johnson basketball," Campbell said. "I reminded them of that, and they responded with a run."
Rocky River did not give up after the Atomsmashers' run. The Ravens responded with an 11-0 run of their own to take a 48-46 lead. Johnson then outscored Rocky River 6-3 to regain the lead at the end of the third quarter, 52-51, and never looked back. Senior Josh Quarterman's three-point shot with two seconds gave them the lead for good. With the momentum firmly in their grasp, the Atomsmashers dominated the final quarter, showcasing "the Johnson way" as their coach expected.
"Basketball is about runs," Coach Campbell explained. "I tell my players not to panic, we'll win regardless. I don't panic and they don't need to panic, and they didn't."
Johnson came out to start the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run, taking the lead and would never trail the rest of the game. They outscored the Ravens 23 to 15 to seal the 75-66 victory. Leading the charge was Quarteman, who caught fire in the fourth quarter, draining three three-pointers and scoring 11 points of his game-high 23. Coach Campbell had a clear message for his shooter.
"I reminded him to be a leader, step up when needed," Coach Campbell said. " I told him he needed to step up, and he did that in the fourth."
The victory, a hard-fought comeback against a challenging opponent, left Coach Campbell satisfied yet focused on the bigger picture.
"Overall, a good win," Campbell acknowledged. "Does this reflect our team's true potential? We discussed that already. Our record doesn't reflect who we are. We played a tough non-region schedule and they owed me a Christmas gift, and they delivered my gift. Merry Christmas!"
With their hard-fought win, Sol C. Johnson has put the competition on notice, proving their ability to overcome adversity and showcasing the "Johnson basketball way" Coach Campbell demands. Will the Atomsmashers maintain momentum this season and beat Central High School (7-3) in Fort Pierce, Florida, on Friday? Knowing Coach Campbell, he won't let his team forget!
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| Rocky Rinver | 15 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 66 |
| Sol C. Johnson | 8 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 75 |
Rocky River (66) - Shamari Johnson 22, Walton 5, Markiest Houston 15, Jayden Rosi 11, Shawn Warren 10, Carr 3
Sol C. Johnson (75) - Joshua Quarteman 23, Kadin Davis 10, James 1, Cormari Jones 16, Robinson 6, Favion Kirkwood 17, Polite 2
SCJ Record (5-5/3-0), RR Record (4-7/0-2)
PHOTO CREDIT: Prep Sports Report
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