St. John’s got a good scare on Tuesday night, but ultimately avoided a nightmare by recovering from a nine-point second-half deficit against Bucknell to pull out a 67-63 win at Carnesecca Arena.
The Red Storm will stay in Queens for their next two games — on Friday against Monmouth and next Tuesday against Longwood — and should have a much easier time than they did with the Bison. In the final 15 minutes against Bucknell, St. John’s began looking like a team that soon could start playing up to its potential, with smothering defense and a fast-paced offense.
Now, the question will be whether St. John’s plays down to its competition in the next two games. This is a week where the Johnnies can show just how much they’ve grown. Until then, some thoughts from Tuesday:
Block Party
After compiling 13 blocks in the first two games combined, the Red Storm swatted 13 shots Tuesday, with seven coming from Chris Obekpa and four from Orlando Sanchez. Looking like the team that led the nation in blocks last season, the duo’s presence in the paint altered the game and sparked the offense, leading to several baskets in transition.
St. John’s now ranks third in the nation in blocks per game and need to stay among the elite in order to kick off the fast break, which has looked smooth and has gotten them out of stagnant, half-court possessions in which they settle for too many outside shots.
The team switched to a zone defense in the second half, but St. John’s has the potential to be a great man-to-man team. Because of their athleticism and size, the Red Storm can switch players on nearly every screen and not be stuck with many mismatches. There is a tendency for some of the players on the team to cheat for blocks or steals, leading to too many open shots, slipped screens or back doors, but the 3-point defense was much improved in the second half. That must continue to get better, especially if Obekpa can help keep traffic from coming into the paint.
New arrivals
Rysheed Jordan was limited to three minutes in the second half, as Steve Lavin stuck with a more experienced lineup, but the coach was thrilled to see the freshman guard have his first solid outing after two forgettable performances.
Jordan had seven points, with two assists and a steal, and began to show what made him one of the top recruits in the country. He scored his first basket on a steal and layup. Then, on two consecutive possessions, he hit a 3-pointer, then faked another 3-point attempt and found Sanchez on a pretty feed inside. Most importantly, he had a noticeable swagger to his step that hadn’t yet been seen. He may have just needed one good game. He may have just needed to get his confidence back.
Lost in Phil Greene’s second-half scoring outburst and Jordan’s first real flashes of what may soon come regularly, Sanchez had his best all-around game of the season.
The 6-foot-9 forward had six points, four blocks, three assists and five rebounds, doing whatever was necessary at the moment. He showed great vision for a player of his size, but still could be more aggressive, like on one play in the first half, when Sanchez faked a deep shot and drove to the rim for an emphatic slam. His defense, coupled with his activity on the offensive glass, makes him the most versatile player on the team. With his selflessness, he could lead the team in a different category each game.
More free throws than 3-pointers
Lavin said after Friday’s win against Wagner the team would shoot fewer 3-pointers and would make a point to get to the foul line more. The Johnnies then shot an unimpressive 4-for-15 on 3-pointers — their best of the season — and took a number of other deep shots, while only attempting two free throws until the final minute, when Bucknell began fouling to stop the clock.
St. John’s has too much athleticism to settle for jumpers. The emphasis on attacking the paint, especially with the new enforcement on hand-checking fouls, must return in the next few games.