Redcoats rally past Thunder
Darren Johnston was determined to go out a winner in his final game at home.
The Grade 12 student, playing his last game at Governor Simcoe, poured in 22 points to lead the Redcoats past the Blessed Trinity Thunder 52-50 to capture the Zone 4 AAA senior boys basketball championship.
The Redcoats now advance to the Southern Ontario Secondary School Associations (SOSSA) AAA playdowns in Saltfleet Monday.
“(I thought about it) a lot,” Johnston said. “It was just play hard and try not to focus on it and make sure it wasn’t our last game.”
Not only did Johnston lead the Redcoats in scoring, but he also netted the winning bucket in dramatic fashion.
With the score tied at 50-50 and 20 seconds remaining, Johnston cut through the Thunder defence for a layup that proved to be the difference.
Even more amazingly, Johnston has just come off the bench after being helped off the floor with severe calf cramps in both legs.
“It was very painful,” he said. “I was stretching it and then realized it still wasn’t working. The more I played . . . I just kept jumping and it kept getting more painful.”
Simcoe coach Shaun Feor marvelled at Johnston’s determination.
“To get double cramps and be laid out on the floor and then to come back 30 seconds later, then he hits the big shot at the end of the game,” Feor said. “He’s worth his weight in salt, that’s for sure.”
Feor has seen Johnston evolve into one of the top small guards at the high school level.
“He has taken his game to a whole new level,” he said. “I said at the beginning of the year he was trying to prove his worth to a college program.”
Johnston, while proud of his effort, quickly tipped his cap to his teammates.
“I’m very proud. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve played a lot of tough teams and had to put the effort in,” he said. “It wasn’t easy.”
The Redcoats rallied from a five-point deficit after three quarters.
“We played BT in the Standard semifinal and they shot the lights out,” Feor said. “We really amped up our effort and recognized the ability of their young squad.
“We really had to work hard or it wouldn’t have been this outcome, that’s for sure.”
Johnston admitted the Redcoats used that loss at The Standard as motivation.
“We still thought about that. They have a lot of three-pointers and this game we had a plan and figured out what to do and play good D.”
The Redcoats have high hopes at SOSSA.
“We lost to them (Orchard Park) at the Pat Woodburn/John Dakin Tournament semifinal by three in the last 25 seconds. We’ve seen them before and have some redemption after losing to them in our tournament.”
Redcoats 52 Thunder 50
Mick and Angelo’s/Johnny Rocco’s Player of the Game: Simcoe guard Darren Johnston with 22 points.
Governor Simcoe Redcoats: Johnston 22; Mason MacEachern 9; Mitch McPherson 9; Cal Andersen 6.
Blessed Trinity Thunder: Jimmy Hillyard 18; Lucas Cino 11; Josh Enns 7.
By the quarter: BT led 15-8 after one, 28-22 at the half and 39-34 after three.
Up next: The Redcoats advance to SOSSA Monday at Saltfleet. Their first game is versus Orchard Park at 11 a.m.
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