Jamaica’s London Johnson had back to back 40 points games to lead Jamaica to a 17-point, 95-78, win over El Salvador in their FIBA Centrobasket U17 Championship Group B game at the Instituto del Deporte y la Cultura Fisica on Thursday night.

After their big 50-point loss to hosts and defending champions Mexico on Wednesday’s opening night, the young Jamaicans rebounded nicely with a well-earned victory with the 6’4” US-based Johnson leading the way and just missing a triple-double in the process.

Jamaica were due to play the Dominican Republic last night in a game that could decide one of the semi-final places from the group.

The Dominican Republic, who are ranked 15th in the world, had beaten El Salvador 114-58 in their first game.

Johnson, who is a high school student in Norcross, Georgia, and who has attracted a lot of attention from top universities in the USA, scored 40 points, and had 10 rebounds and six assists as Jamaica, who are unranked in the FIBA tables, won convincingly.

After a close first quarter where they led 22-21, the Jamaicans increased the margin at half-time to eight, 48-40, and they led by 11 points, 71-60, at the end of the third quarter.

Marcus McDonald chipped in with 21 points, six assists and five steals, Flawless Travers scored 11 points, six assists and four rebounds, and Romareo Mills had 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Juan Pablo Ibbara led El Salvador with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Cesar Peraza had 16 points and Kaeden Sibrian scored 12 points.

—Paul Reid