11/18/06

Behind 62 points from the team's three captains, St. Scholastica closed out their appearance in the Clearwire Classic at UW-Superior with a 79-72 defeat of the host Yellowjackets Saturday evening in Mertz Mortorelli Gym.

Senior Derek Johnson posted a game-high 28 points -- converting 7-of-10 from behind the 3-point arc -- in leading the Saints (1-1) to their first victory of the 2006-07 season.

Junior Brady Zubke poured in 22 points for a new career high while also adding five rebounds and two blocks in the victory.

The spark-plug behind the win for the Saints may have been senior captain Will Maupins who achieved his first assists-points double-double in his career at St. Scholastica. Maupins registered 11 assists on the night while scoring 12 points himself. For good measure, he pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds, had three blocks and added two steals.

The Saints finished off a close first half with an 8-2 run that sent them into the intermission with a five point lead but Superior battled back in the second half to forge a lead of as many as six before Maupins and Johnson would almost single-handedly bring the Saints back.

Ahead by two at 63-61, Maupins twice blocked shots that led to a pair of 3-pointers from Johnson. Then Maupins picked the pocket of UWS's James Nobles and fed Johnson for this third consecutive 3-pointer. A Maupins rebound off a missed jumper led to a successful pair of free throws from Johnson that put the Saints up by nine with 1:52 to play.

The Saints played the entire second half without allowing UWS (0-2) to get to the free throw line, perhaps instrumental in the win as the Yellowjackets shot 80 percent from the line in the first half.