Sports

Resurgent Harrison keys St. John’s offense

D’Angelo Harrison talked a lot during the preseason about the lessons he learned from last season’s suspension and, in turn, applied once he returned to the team over the summer.

He became a different person. A better teammate.

Through the season’s first six weeks, he has backed up his words, re-emerging as St. John’s leader, remaining passionate but without the other behavioral issues.

He remains similar in one integral way, however: His on-court production. Harrison has been remarkably consistent for the Johnnies, averaging 19 points per game in 10 games, scoring more than 20 points 10 times and reaching double-figures in each contest.

With one more 3-pointer, the 6-foot-3 guard from Missouri City, Texas, will stand alone in the St. John’s records books as the school’s all-time leading marksman. He’ll surpass Willie Shaw’s 151 made 3-pointers from 2000-2003. When Chris Mullin played, there was no 3-point line.

“St. John’s has a lot of history and a lot of great players,” Harrison, who has found his deep stroke lately, making at least two 3’s in five of the Johnnies’ last seven games, said after Wednesday’s 81-57 rout of San Francisco. “It is good to be recognized as one of them. It’s a great honor and I share it with my teammates.”

“If it was up to me, I’d shoot all 3’s, but teams do a good job taking it away. Teams are not letting me shoot 3’s like that anymore. I like [the record], but I just want to win games.”

Harrison, an All-Big East preseason first-team selection, has scored consistently since the moment he got to St. John’s, averaging 16.8 points as a freshman, 17.8 as a sophomore and 19 points this year. He has done it in a variety of ways, from beyond the arc, in the lane and getting to the free-throw line. In fact, his 7.4 trips per contest to the charity stripe is a career high, a sign of his aggressiveness.

“One of the first games I saw Dee he had 48 points in a game during a summer tournament in Vegas,” St. John’s coach Steve Lavin said. “He reminded me of the guards we had to face at Arizona during my 12 years at UCLA. In addition to his scoring he has the ability to distribute the ball with his passing and playmaking. I believe Dee can amplify that aspect of his offensive arsenal and elevate our team’s play while also adding a dimension to his game.”

When Harrison gets going, his teammates’ play lifts, too. He gets more attention and as a result they find themselves open.

“He is good for us,” center Chris Obekpa said. “When they try to pressure him and double-team him, it opens up the rest of the team on the floor.”

St. John’s (7-3) has played its best basketball over the last few weeks, routing Fordham, nearly upsetting No. 2 Syracuse and hammering San Francisco. The Red Storm hope to continue this recent trend Saturday afternoon against Youngstown State at Carnesecca Arena.

“All the guys have been saying that we have to play each game hard and play like it is Syracuse or a conference game,” Harrison said. “Now we have to take care of business against Youngstown State on Saturday.”