CLARK, NJ- It’s been 36 years since the No. 3 seeded Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusaders boys varsity basketball team advanced to the state semifinals, but with a 69-58 win over the No. 6 seeded Lincoln Lions Wednesday night in Clark, they secured a berth in the NJSIAA Central, Group 2 Semifinals.
“It was just a complete team effort,” Johnson head coach Dave Kennedy said. “We had contributions from everybody on both ends of the floor and that’s what gave us an opportunity to win tonight.”
With the gym packed and full of fans fired up for the contest, the Crusaders battled the Lions for the first eight minutes of the game, holding a 12-8 lead. Junior George Visconti added five points for his team in the effort.
The second quarter showed the Crusaders exploding on their offensive game, outscoring the Lions 22-14. Trailing 22-20 with 3:02 left in the first half, the Crusaders would make the Lions pay. They went on a 14-0 scoring run to take a 34-22 lead into halftime, leaving the crowd energized and the gym loud.
Junior Joe DiProfio scored 11 points for the Crusaders in that run, while sophomore Brenden Kelly (11 points on the night) scored five points within that run, opening the game up early for their team.
Full Coverage of Johnson’s NJSIAA Central, Group 2 Quarterfinals Win Over Lincoln
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