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Jordan Smith Jr., Paul VI defeated St. John's to win third consecutive WCAC championship

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez02/25/26lawandfern

Jordan Smith Jr. willed Paul VI Catholic to their third consecutive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament championship. It wasn’t an easy battle because they defeated St. John’s, 82-76, in double overtime.

The Panthers won despite being down 16 points in the fourth quarter. The five-star shooting guard led the way by scoring 39 points, including 17 of his team’s 21 points in the overtime periods. After converting only one of seven field goal attempts in the first half, the Arkansas commit has scored 30 since halftime. Jordan Smith Jr. also added seven assists and seven steals to secure Paul VI’s 30th victory in 32 games.

Meanwhile, Lawrence Brown added 15 points and four assists for Paul VI Catholic. Brian Mitchell contributed 11 points and four rebounds in the win. This victory marks the third time the Panthers defeated the Cadets this season. It also improved Paul VI’s conference record to 16-0 and their WCAC record to 66-2 since the 2022-23 season.

Conversely, St. John’s failed to close the deal despite leading for the majority of the game. Still, stellar performances from Geremy Clark (23 points, six assists) and Jordan Taylor (14 points, 15 rebounds) deserve recognition. Kareem Smith-Bey added 15 points, while Jymin Veney finished with 15 points, five assists, and five steals in the loss.

This defeat drops St. John’s record to 24-8, and they will face St. Albans in the quarterfinals of the DCSAA Class AA state tournament on February 25. On the other hand, Jordan Smith Jr. and Paul VI Catholic will face St. Christopher’s in the VISAA Division I state quarterfinals on the same day.

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