Johnson Lifts Yellow Jackets Past Manchester

DEFIANCE, Ohio – C.J. Johnson led Defiance in scoring for the tenth time this season, netting 22 points in a 68-46 victory over Manchester on Wednesday evening. Johnson moved to within a point of cracking the top 20 on DC’s all-time scoring list with 1,239 career points and notched his sixth 20-point game of the year.

Defiance provided plenty of support for Johnson, as Anthony Pettaway and Anthony Jackson each tacked on 11 in limited action, while Nick Sales added eight and Mike Floyd scored seven.

The Jackets made up for a cool hand early from three-point range by attacking the glass on the offensive end. Defiance hauled down 13 offensive boards and outscored the Spartans by a 20-2 margin in second-chance points.

The Yellow Jackets also turned in another strong defensive performance, turning Manchester over 23 times with pressure defense and converting the miscues into 23 points.

Manchester kept things close through much of the first half, but trailed for the majority of the night. A long-range bomb from Johnson gave DC the lead for good at 6-4 with 16:47 showing on the clock, and the Jackets would extend the cushion to 13 with trifectas from Floyd and Bryan Post to close the half.

The 33-20 halftime lead would balloon to 19 during the opening minutes of the second stanza, as DC opened the period on an 8-2 spurt to claim the 41-22 lead.

The Spartans would battle back to within 14 points with 8:42 left in the game, but Defiance answered with a three from Jackson on its next possession and opened a 21-point spread at 59-38 on the legs of a quick 7-0 rally.

Defiance would coast from there, draining the clock and finishing off the 68-46 victory to improve to 7-1 in HCAC competition.

The Jackets (12-5, 7-1 HCAC) will host Hanover (9-8, 5-3 HCAC) on Saturday at 3:00 pm. The game will follow the DC women’s game against Hanover at 1:00 pm.