Senior forward Jacob Johnson heard St. Laurence’s student section loudly chanting his name both during and after Friday night’s game.
That was extra meaningful for Johnson, who is still the new kid in town. He’s in his first season with the Vikings after transferring from Dyett, where he won a Class 2A state title last year.
“It feels great,” Johnson said. “I feel like I’ve got more than just the team behind me. I’ve got the school, the community, the coaches. People are supporting me in a way I’ve never had before.
“It means a lot. It brings more grit out of me.”
He put that toughness on display in the biggest moments, making several key plays on both offense and defense down the stretch while scoring 11 points to push St. Laurence to a 63-59 win over Mount Carmel in the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Regional championship game.
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finished with 21 points and seven rebounds to lead the fifth-seeded Vikings, who avenged both a season-ending loss to the Caravan in a Class 3A sectional final last winter and a 46-45 overtime defeat on Jan. 16 this year.Noah Corro scored 14 points and Reggie Stevens added nine for St. Laurence (27-6), which advanced to take on top-seeded Curie (28-1) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a Mount Carmel Sectional semifinal.
“This is the first time we’ve played in 4A in our history and we won the regional,” Peoples said. “We needed to win this. They ended our season last year and that was a hard feeling.
“I hated that feeling. I never want to feel that again.”
Logan Wessel led the fourth-seeded Caravan (19-12) with 25 points and eight rebounds. Ronald Johnson added 10 points and seven rebounds, while DK Heard had nine points and 10 rebounds and Marshaun Thornton chipped in eight points.
Mount Carmel battled back from a 35-24 halftime deficit and got within three points twice in the final three minutes of the game.
Both times, Jacob Johnson had the answer. He scored inside to make it 55-50 with 2:30 to go, then nailed a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to 58-52 with 1:50 left.
That was no surprise to St. Laurence coach Roshawn Russell.
“He’s a state champion, first and foremost,” Russell said of Johnson. “He showed up in the biggest moments. He was great on defense. He made timely shots. He’s been a big voice for us. Every time we needed a stop, a rebound, a block or a shot, he came up with it.
“It’s always tough to make a change like he did, and for him to come through in these big moments, I’m really happy for him.”
Johnson, who also produced a win-sealing steal with 15 seconds left, confirmed that playing on the biggest stage last season makes him prepared for clutch moments.
“It helped me with my composure,” Johnson said. “It helped me stay poised, stay confident, stay calm. Also, I know I have to keep my team up. Without the team, I’m not going to do anything.”
Peoples, who carried the Vikings early with seven points in the first quarter, felt Johnson was the biggest key to the team holding on to the win late.
“Jacob just brings so much energy to the team,” Peoples said. “I don’t know what the team would be without him. Him being a senior and having that experience, he’s very effective for our team.”
Johnson averaged 7.0 points and 8.3 rebounds last season as Dyett wrote a fairytale story, winning the Class 2A title a decade after the school nearly closed.
But drama followed as coach Jamaal Gil was laid off from his security job at the school and resigned from his coaching position. Johnson was one of several players to transfer.
Now, he’s found a new home.
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“Things happen,” Johnson said. “Minor setback, major comeback.
“St. Laurence, it’s an out-of-body experience.”