Nigel Johnson exploded for a career-high 55 points, but it wasn't quite enough as
Broad Run (Ashburn, Va.) was handed a tough 109-104 overtime loss by
Osbourn (Manassas, Va.).
The 6-foot-1 junior point guard drilled 20-of-22 at the free throw line and five 3-poiners. He leads Virginia Class AAA scorers with a 29.2 average while also averaging 8.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds.
Broad Run coach John Costello told the Washington Post, "Nigel put on a show. They ran two guys at him all night, but we ran ball screens up top and they couldn't keep him from getting to the paint. He's handling the ball 90 percent of the time and he's very unselfish. He's practically unpressable. His speed with the basketball is second to none and he's a legitimate point guard."
* Junior
James Young produced a school-record 49 points along with 20 rebounds to spark
Troy (Mich.) to a 79-74 victory over Clarkston (Mich.). Senior
Nick Tatu nearly matched Young with 47 points for Clarkston. His total included 12 3-pointers.
* University of Kentucky signee
Alex Poythress of
Northeast (Clarksville, Tenn.) scored a career-high 48 points during a 68-60 victory over Dickson County (Dickson, Tenn.). He also pulled down 21 rebounds.
*
Omar Calhoun scored a game-high 31 points as
Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) nipped Holy Cross (Flushing, N.Y.) 88-82 in overtime. That gave him 1,676 points to tie the school record held by former University of Arizona All-American Khalid Reeves.
* Gene Pingatore of
St. Joseph (Westchester, Ill.) is the winningest boys basketball coach in Illinois history - for the second time. He broke the record in 2009 with his 827th victory, but some lean years enabled Steve Goers to pass him. With Goers, who won 881 games, now retired, Pingatore moved back to No. 1 in January and now has 886 victories. Coaching the Chargers since the 1969-70 season, Pingatore has turned out many great players, led by Isiah Thomas.
* University of Notre Dame signee
Jewell Loyd scored 42 points to lead
Niles West (Skokie, Ill.) to a 52-48 victory in overtime against Glenbrook South (Glenview, Ill.). That gives her, 3,012 points during her brilliant four-year career. The 5-10 senior eventually could be a worthy successor to Irish All-American Skylar Diggins. Glenbrook South coach Steve Weissenstein told the Chicago Sun-Times, "I think Jewell is the best player in the state, not just now but in its history. She changes the game on both ends.,"
* Senior center Jenny Smith scored a school-record 43 points as
Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.) defeated Germantown (Wis.) 59-35. The Bradley University recruit, who was averaging 18 points, was nearly perfect by making 16 of 18 shots from the field and all 11 free throws to go with 12 rebounds. The record of 42 points had stood since 1977.
* Kayla Day of
Fairview (Ashland, Ky.) had, perhaps, a never before matched performance when she scored her team's first 40 points during a 67-55 victory over Prestonsburg (Ky.). She finished with 49 points, 23 above her average.