Govs jump back in City race

Prologue
Its another trip to the goofiest layout of a gym that I see come across in my travels.  The top spot in the St. Paul City on the line as Johnson visits Highland Park.  Another outstanding walking taco on the menu with another 12 ounces of beverage.  A reunion of sorts as DeLaSalle and St. Thomas Academy were looking on at the game.

Game Time
Johnson right out of the gate on a 14-2 run with Pierre Conwell going for 6 in a row.  Highland Park without a field goal until 6 minutes into the game.  Johnson bigger and stronger at basically every position against a very small Scots lineup.  Highland Park would come back with 7 in a row to cut the lead to 5 at the 10:50 mark.  Johnson gradually expands that as the half goes on and leads 42-26 at the half.

Another Scots 3 cuts the lead to down to 13 with 14:15 to play.  Its all Governors from there.  A 3 point play and 3 in a row from Quashingm Smith-Pugh and the lead is back to 17.  Then a Dion Bradley bucket for Highland Park countered by 8 in a row (4 from Conwell) from Johnson.  65-42 Johnson pulling away with 10:20 to play.  A Smith-Pugh 3 point play pushes the lead to 27 with 7 minutes left.  Bradley scores 18 points the rest of the way to keep it halfways respectable but no danger to the Govs.  Johnson never trails as they roll 86-67.

Post Game
Highland Park had won 5 of 6 coming into the game.  That was after losing 5 of 6 which was after winning 5 of 6.  Got all that?  They fall to 11-7 overall and 5-1 in the St. Paul City.  Dion Bradley gets his as he finishes with 35.  Half of those after Johnson pushed the lead to 27 though.  Sloppy play and not physically able to handle the Govs.  After seeing Mike Koenig play so well against Columbia Heights previously, he only got a few minutes in the 1st half tonight off the bench.  Always fun to see a small team play 2-3 zone.  The Scots end the week with Como Park on Friday and a trip to River Falls, WI on Saturday.

Johnson gets 28 points from Pierre Conwell and most of them easy ones inside.  Quashingm Smith-Push adds 18 and Jalen Mobley chips in 12.  Defense getting it done again for Johnson but in the halfcourt as opposed to full court.  Johnson has now won 9 out of 12 so they're starting to put it together.  10-6 overall and also 5-1 in the St. Paul City.  That's tied with Highland Park and 1 win ahead of Central for the league lead.  The Govs have Highland Park and Central at home in the 2nd rotation of league play so you still have to consider them the favorite.  I'll see them in a tough non-conference game on Wednesday when they host Stillwater.