Earlington's Blue Collar Effort Leads St. Johns Over Albany

            Reserve forward Marcellus Earlington came off the bench to score 16 points and grab 9 rebounds as he and other members of what coach Mike Anderson refers to as the team’s “blue collar group” lifted St. John’s past Albany 85-57 at Carnesecca Arena last night.

     Whether they start like center Josh Roberts or come off the bench like Earlington, they have provided energy and a physical toughness for this year’s team that raised its record to 10-2 thanks largely to the 24 turnovers they forced and the 30-point margin (54-24) by which they controlled the paint.  That effort helped them find needed scoring punch that helped them offset the absence of second leading scorer Mustapha Heron who missed the game with an ankle injury.

     Freshman forward Julian Champagne helped St. John’s get started by scoring 12 of his 14 points in the game’s first 7 minutes. St. John’s roared back from an early 8-3 deficit and countered with a 21-0 run to gain quick control of the game. “Our effort was good all night. At one point it {the score} was 22-4 and we had 18 straight stops,” he said. 

   Albany was able to regain some traction thanks to some lapses in execution but Anderson helped them regain their focus quickly. They lead 35-22 at the intermission and extended that margin to 20 points with just over 14 minutes to go in the second half.

    Earlington helped lead a second half charge that pushed the lead to as many as 30 points. Six of his 9 rebounds came off the offensive glass as he used what coach Anderson called his “great pair of hands” to secure rebounds and finish plays around the basket. “I’m thankful for the opportunity”, Earlington said of his new found playing time.  “This offseason I prided myself on getting better in every aspect of the game. Mike {Anderson} and the other coaches have put the confidence in me to just play my game…just being out there to help my team win is good”, he said.

     Perhaps Coach Anderson and his staff’s greatest success this season has been to instill that confidence not just in Earlington but in the team as a whole. Tough challenges lay ahead beginning with Arizona on Saturday and the Big East schedule to follow. The one thing fans can count on from this team is that they’ll play for each other and with everything they have.

Notes And Observations: Earlington’s 16 points led 4 Johnnies in double figures. Champagnie added 14 Rasheem Dunn added 10 and Greg Williams 11. Williams’ emergence as a consistent contributor continues as he not only brought the defensive energy, he always brings but contributed a trio of 3-point baskets on a night when the team shot just 6-21 from beyond the arc. Turnovers (19 of them) continue to be a concern for the Johnnies and while coach Anderson took responsibility for some of that “…. I play a lot of guys” he knows the team must cut down on those to be a consistent winner once league play begins.  For Albany sophomore and Beacon N.Y. native Malachi DeSousa who prepped at South Kent (CT) School finished with a game high 22 points.

Xaverian Starts Fast And Hangs on for a win vs. Tough Bishop Loughlin

     Junior guard Nick Folk hit a driving bank shot with 16.5 seconds left.  He was fouled on the play and the subsequent free throw gave Xaverian the lead for good and they survived a hard-fought battle and earned a tough 63-59 win over Bishop Loughlin in Bay Ridge yesterday.

     The first half of the Sunday clash nearly mirrored Xaverian’s tough loss to Iona Prep on Friday.  Just as they had against the Gaels they used hot outside shooting to sprint out of the gate. Billy Reyes who finished with a game high 23 points, connected on three triples and a long 2 as the Clippers put a 12 spot on the board before Loughlin broke the ice. Combined with some good early work from senior center Eli Hardison, they had a 21-4 lead after the first 8 minutes.

     The Clippers did not handle the early prosperity well, and the Lions took advantage behind their two terrific senior guards Taj Childs and Maurice Doby. They moved the ball smartly and when they weren’t scoring themselves they were setting up teammates for easy hoops. The Lions outscored the Clippers 20-6 and were it not for a late triple by soph Miles Supreme the Clippers may have squandered the entire first quarter lead. Instead they held a 27-23 margin as the 2^nd half began.

    On Friday Iona Prep was able to pull away quickly but Sunday the Clippers responded with clutch play. Shawn Fulcher scored 7 of his 10 points for the game in the third quarter; including one of his two treys for the game and two pull up mid-range shots. He closed the period with a tough contested jumper and gave his team a 44-39 going into the final stanza.

 Fulcher’s good work helping the Clippers regain some traction set the stage for an ultra-competitive last 8 minutes. The Lions did a terrific job playing with poise on the road. They tied the game at 47 with under a minute to go and took the lead in the closing moments prior to Folk’s winning basket. The drive and finish was a surprising ending in part because it came during an uncharacteristically quiet game for one of the city’s best marksmen. He was held scoreless in the first half and Loughlin did a terrific job contesting every look he had. In a scramble situation where the ball appeared to be deflected to him, he calmly drove and made a tough shot through contact; and in doing so helped the Clippers avoid a second upset at home. The Clippers got a badly needed early season win while the Lions, who many figured to be in a rebuilding season following heavy graduation losses, let the rest of the league know that teams that don’t bring a great effort against them will be in for a surprise. The parity in the CHSAA “AA” division will make for great competition and great basketball this season.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Iona Prep Earns Road Win at Xaverian 57-55

    Sophomore R.J. Greene finished with a game high 23 points and classmate Isaac Gonzalez added 15 to lead Iona Prep to an impressive 57-55 road win over Xaverian last night.

     With the Gaels trailing by 4, Greene hit a long three-point basket to close the first half and draw his team to within 30-29 as they headed into intermission. They then blitzed the Clippers with an 8-0 burst out of the locker room that included 2 triples by Greene and Aidan Hilderbrand sandwiched around a tough drive by senior Keyshawn Jones. They outscored the Clippers 20-7 in the third period to take a 12-point lead into the final quarter. Early buckets by Greene and Jones pushed the margin to as many as 14 points before Xaverian could regain the traction they lost in what was ultimately a decisive third period. They rallied behind Nick Folk who finished with a team high 17 points and Billy Reyes who added 13 to pull to within 2 points with 2.5 seconds left. They then ran a bit of mis-direction to get Folk a look at corner trey but Folk rushed the shot and the Gales had their big win.

   While Iona Prep’s archrival Stepinac is considered by many to be a prohibitive favorite the Gaels demonstrated that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the New York Archdiocese and the CHSAA.  R.J. Greene showed terrific scoring ability at all 3 levels while Gonzalez played with tremendous poise from start to finish; making sure to get Greene and his teammates involved but showing a fine scoring touch in his own right. Add in senior Jones, whose 8 points all came at key times and Hilderbrand who overcame early foul trouble to help the early 3^rd quarter rally and Iona Prep has the makings of a terrific core.  That plus a number of other players who did not contribute big numbers but played a key part in what was a strong defensive effort in the second half and the Gales have the look of a young team that’s already strong and figures to get better as the season progresses.

       Xaverian, who were coming off an impressive tournament win in Maryland last weekend, had gotten off to a hot-shooting start behind Folk and Reyes but seemingly could not sustain the energy they played with in the first period. Once Iona Prep, lead by Greene found their rhythm on offense they made a strong 1^st half close and then established and sustained a comfortable margin until the game’s closing moments.  Perhaps the best news for the Clippers is the quick return to action they will make on Sunday against Bishop Loughlin. Iona’s win was impressive to be sure and the Clippers got a reminder of how tough league play can be in the CHSAA.

Dunn's Return Engagement Helps Make Anderson's Garden Debut a Success

  Although much of the hype in the St. John’s Twittersphere about Saturday’s match-up surrounded Mike Anderson’s Garden debut, it was a guy making a return engagement who became the star.

   In March of 2016  Rasheem Dunn had made his own triumphant visit to MSG, where he teamed with former Johnnie Shamorie Ponds to cap a PSAL title run for Thomas Jefferson High. Fast-forward 3 years and a circuitous basketball journey that took him to Remsen Street in Brooklyn (St. Francis College) to Cleveland State and a protracted transfer battle with the NCAA, and there he was again on the court at MSG; wearing a different jersey, surrounded by new teammates, but still making plays and at the end of the Johnnies 70-68 win over former Big East foe West Virginia making winning plays.

    West Virginia had rallied from a 9-point deficit with jus under 4-1/2 minutes left and tied the game at 68 on a 3-pointer by Sean McNeil.  On St. John’s next possession Nick Rutherford was blocked on a drive during St. John’s next possession and West Virginia missed a chance to win the game. And that’s where Dunn went to work. First, he stripped Derek Culver of an offensive rebound and gave St. John’s their own chance for a final shot. Out of a time out he then took the inbounds pass, drove around two screens from a “horns” set (double high post) got a shot away through contact and drew a foul. Looking every bit like a guy who had been there before he drained two free throws to provide the margin of victory. Then, after Dunn had handled much of the game’s closing moments perfectly, it was up to the 5 on the floor to put the finish touch on a win with a perfect defensive possession. They forced Miles McBride up the left side and did a perfect job of contesting a difficult three point shot as time expired; getting a hand up without fouling.

    Dunn’s late game heroics and his ability to get to the rim all game long were thorns in the side of Bob Huggins and his team from start to finish but there were many heroes who played key roles for St. John’s LJ Figueroa scored all 17 of his points in the first 20 minutes; several them coming thanks simply to his shot making ability when St. John’s appeared stifled and stagnant on offense. Dunn and fellow point guard Nick Rutherford combined for 24 points 7 of the Johnnies 15 steals and made 10 of 11 free throw tries, helping their team to a 22-5 advantage from the line. As a team the Johnnies shot 22-27 from the line while West Virginia shot 5-12.

  As they have all season long the bench provided energy and toughness. Marcellus Earlington’s numbers may have been modest (4 points and 5 boards) but he helped St. John’s compete against a WVU team that had significant height and strength advantages inside and helped them survive early foul trouble from Josh Roberts, who came on strong in the second half finishing with a team high 9 rebounds. Last but certainly not least, sophomore guard Greg Williams junior gave St. John’s 17 terrific minutes of defensive energy, fearless basket attacking and a shot-clock beating three-pointer that was even more impressive because he had the awareness to make the play even though he had spent much of the game on the bench.  Indeed, coach Anderson has patiently found minutes for Williams as he rounds into game shape following a pre-season back injury and this game could prove to be the start of a big payoff for that patience. In a game that, as the coach suggested “came down to toughness…” he was able to find it not just from one or two guys but from his entire team. With great help from them and a great return engagement from Dunn, coach Anderson’s Garden debut was a smash.

Notes And Observations: Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this win for St. John’s was that they found a way to get it despite being outshot from the floor overall and from beyond the arc. They forced 22 turnovers while committing 14 and had three players in double figures. Figueroa led the way with 17 while Dunn added 13 and Nick Rutherford added 11. With the win St. John’s moves to 8-2 on the season while West Virginia suffered their first loss and moved to 7-1. Talented 6’10” sophomore Derek Culver had 12 points and a game high 18 rebounds for the Mountaineers.

St. John's Starts Strong Then Hangs on for win vs. St. Peter's

      For a bit over 30 minutes, St. John’s had played some of its best basketball of the season in what would ultimately be a 79-69 win over St. Peter’s. Effective ball movement and unselfishness to the tune of 24 assists on their 29 total field goals helped St. John’s establish and extend an early lead and they looked like a team that was more than ready for its Madison Square Garden debut on Saturday.

     For the first time in several games both Mustapha Heron and LJ Figueroa were scoring consistently. Combine that with a first career double double from Julian Champagnie and the Johnnies appeared well on their way to what looked like an easy win.  They had sprinted to a 28-6 lead early in the game behind a hot shooting start from Champagnie, whose 8 quick points included a pair of 3-pointers, who combined with Figueroa and Heron to send St. John’s into the intermission with a 37-23 advantage. They stretched that margin to 25 points when reserve David Caraher, who played well again off the bench, connected on a long triple with 8:10 left in the game.

    The Johnnies would eventually secure the win but it would not come as easily as their performance early in the game indicated it should have.

     Shaheen Holloway’s Peacocks roared back with a 19-2 spurt beginning with 6:32 left in the game; a rally that was interrupted only by a quick transition basket by Champagnie. St. Peter’s got terrific work during the rally from a number of young players who prepped locally. On the perimeter, freshman Aaron Estrada (St. Benedict’s Prep) was solid from start to finish and particularly strong in the second half finished the game with a team high 18 points and added 5 assists with just a single turnover.

   Most troublesome for St. John’s coach Mike Anderson was the damage St. Peter’s was able to do on the offensive glass. While the overall rebound margin for St. Peter’s was small (44-40) their total included 23 offensive boards. It’s worth noting that St. Peter’s was well represented locally in the paint as well as on the perimeter. Freshman brothers Fousseyni and Hassan Drame who hail from Mali and prepped at Our Savior New American School on Long Island combined for 13 points and 9 boards while senor transfer Derrick Woods, a Trenton native who attended Pennsbury High School finished with 6 points and 7 boards. Though the numbers look modest, coach  Anderson described how the impact of those guys went well beyond the numbers.

“They took the fight to us at times, Anderson said of St. Peter’s.  “From my vantage point we’ve got to learn to get multiple stops. During that time, they got more aggressive.  They started getting to all the loose balls and hanging around. All of a sudden the ball started bouncing their way…”

  The Peacocks run closed St. John’s margin 75-69 with 1:05 left in the game. From there the Johnnies got one of the defensive stops coach Anderson was looking for. Figueroa then sank 4 free throws to provide the final margin.

    As St. John’s heads into Saturday they know they must be better at what coach Anderson called “the finishing parts of basketball”, he said referring to the finishing part of defensive possessions, rebounding. Part of the test on Saturday will be that Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins’ teams do those “finishing parts of basketball” as well as any in the country. Time will tell whether St. John’s is ready not only for their Garden debut,but for what is surely a step up in basketball weight class as well.

Notes and Observations: In a bit of happy coincidence Champagnie’s first career double double (14 points 11 boards) came with long time Loughlin coach and former St. Peter’s coach Bob Leckie in the audience. He served as a Lions’ assistant during Julian’s time there and coached St. Peter’s from 2001-06. With the win St. John’s raised its record to 7-2 while St. Peter’s dropped to 1-4 with the loss.