With the game looking nearly out of reach, Illinois basketball commit Morez Johnson Jr. put his team on his back.
Coming into the game on Wednesday, Johnson, the lone Illini commitment for 2024, had helped his AAU team, the Meanstreets, to a 2-0 record in the EYBL Peach Jam. His Meanstreets team beat NH Lightning by 10 points in game one and clipped JL3 by 17 points in game two.
Wednesday’s game was supposed to be a little easier, though. Meanstreets were taking on an 0-2 Uplay Canada team that hadn’t been competitive in its first two games of the Peach Jam. Uplay came to play and gave Meanstreets everything they could handle.
Morez Johnson Jr. is showing off what he is going to be bringing to the Illinois basketball team at the Peach Jam
Things were looking pretty bleak for the Meanstreets deep into the fourth quarter. With 2:56 left in the game, Uplay took a 10-point lead. This seemed to be the end of the Meanstreets. But that is when everything changed.
MOREZ TIES IT UP!!!
— Writing Illini (@WritingIlliniFS) July 5, 2023
Incredibly well-coached Meanstreets team. Their full-court press is insane. it is the lone reason for the massive comeback.#Illini
Meanstreets coaches started calling for a full-court press. This great coaching move forced numerous turnovers and easy fastbreak points.
Still down six points with 1:15 left in the game, Johnson put on the cape and took over the game. In the final 1:15 of regulation and the four minutes of overtime, Johnson would have 11 points and four rebounds. This not only helped Meanstreets get to overtime, but it was a huge reason they were able to win the game, 68-58.
Johnson would end up with 26 points and 19 rebounds while shooting 9-of-15 from the floor. It was another massive game to add to his two-game average in the Peach Jam of 15.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.
Johnson and the Meanstreets are back in action on Thursday against Team Final. They will be on Court 1 at 3:30 p.m. CT.