Boys Basketball: Bloom holds off Crete-Monee

Updated: February 17, 2012 9:22PM

L.J. Johnson missed his first seven shots and was scoreless for nearly three quarters Friday night, but the Bloom junior got hot at the right time.

Johnson scored all nine of his points in a span of 2:39 to give the No. 7 Blazing Trojans a lead they wouldn’t relinquish on their way to clinching at least a share of the Southland Conference title with a 57-49 win over host Crete-Monee.

“Coach (Jasper Williams) told me to say confident and keep shooting,” said Johnson, who added six rebounds. “My teammates told me to stop thinking. I knew once I hit one, I’d hit another.”

Johnson’s first points came on a trey which tied the game at 40 after three quarters. He opened the fourth with another three-pointer and added a three-point play to put Bloom (22-3, 8-1) up 48-43 and on its way to its third win over the Warriors this season.

Bloom hit five free throws in the final three minutes to seal it.

Donald Moore scored 11 points and Johnny Griffin added 10 and five rebounds for Bloom, which wrapped up its first league title since 2008 and can win the conference outright with a victory over Kankakee.

Marius Hopkins (12 points, 6 rebounds) and Jordan Perry (10 points) led Crete-Monee (16-7, 6-3).

The Warriors started hot in racing to a 14-8 first-quarter lead, but struggled offensively late, going just 3 of 12 from the field in the fourth.

“Our defense is our forte,” Williams said. “We did a good job switching and they couldn’t get past us. Our third goal (a conference title) is accomplished.”

Crete-Monee’s star guards Michael Orris (2-of-9, five points) and Marvie Keith (2-of-11, seven points) were kept in check by Bloom defenders.

“One of these nights, all five of our guys will be on,” Crete-Monee coach Tom Cappel said. “It’s always one or two, not all five. That’s what I’m waiting for.”

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