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Noah Johnson hits 1,000 points as East Prairie routs Oak Ridge
OAK RIDGE, Mo. — East Prairie’s unbeaten run stayed intact Friday with an 83-34 blowout win at Oak Ridge in Scott-Mississippi Conference action.
The game’s defining moment came when Noah Johnson scored his 1,000th point, finishing a routine alley-oop easily.
“Johnson is just a well-rounded athlete,’ said East Prairie coach Gary Scott. “He has all the physical qualities it takes. He is a difficult matchup night in and night out, an outstanding student who works hard in the classroom and the court, and he’s been fun to coach for sure.”
Johnson dominated the Bluejays (2-6) with 33 points on a near-flawless 15-of-17 shooting performance, adding 10 rebounds and two steals to anchor the Eagles (5-0) effort.
Whether finishing at the rim, cleaning up the glass, or locking in defensively, Johnson showed once again why he is considered the heart of the team.
“I know coming into the season this was one of his goals,” Scott said. “Now that he’s reached a thousand points it takes some pressure off of him and he can focus on other parts of his game. I’m proud of his accomplishment and look forward to coaching him the rest of the season.”
Connor Marcum also proved to be a key playmaker, tallying 12 points, eight assists and four steals.
His ability to facilitate the offense and pressure the ball on defense has made him an indispensable part of the squad’s backcourt for the past three seasons.
Tripp Shoemaker played his role to perfection, scoring 11 points on 5-of-6 shots, while adding eight rebounds and two steals.
Chase Childress added 10 points on a sharp 4-of-5 shooting performance, offering the team another reliable option.
“I felt like this was the first game all season we were fully prepared,” Scott concluded. “We’ve been off to a slow start for various reasons. Our defense was key to a fast start. We set the tone early and never looked back.”
Next up, East Prairie will take on Holcomb (1-5) in the opening round of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Thursday.
The Eagles entered as the No. 2 seed after finishing as the runners-up in last year’s tournament.
Winning the tournament would be a landmark achievement for East Prairie, as the program has never claimed the title.
With Johnson and Marcum leading the way and a balanced supporting cast providing depth and consistency, this team looks poised to make history.