Paul shares on SJU
January 9, 2018 - The 2017-18 St. John's Red Storm are a mercurial bunch, capable of dazzling, exciting play one minute, stunningly inconsistent focus the other, all combining for a 10-6 overall record, 0-4 in the BIG EAST. There's never a dull moment for head coach Chris Mullin's crew.
We reached out and contacted a Johnnie expert, Marley Paul, for insight. The premier St. John's men's basketball scribe in a crowded market, Paul covers the team excellently for RedStormReport.com. As usual, Rivals.com is THE place for college sports reporting and analysis.
Paul consented to answer several questions regarding SJU. They are presented below, as well as excerpts from his replies. For the full text, see Premium Court.
Enjoy!
How are Simon and Clark integrating into the team?
"The use of the transfer market to add Justin Simon (Arizona) and Marvin Clark (Michigan State) has paid off tremendously this season now that they’re eligible to play. They add an athletic and versatile dynamic to this team that hasn’t been present under coach Chris Mullin over the previous two seasons..."
Do you see an improved Johnnie team?
"In year 3 under Chris Mullin plenty of fans entered the season with postseason expectations which were fair. A solid 10-2 non-conference run of avoiding a bad loss positioned the Red Storm to make a threat of ending a two-year NCAA tournament drought but those dreams are fading rapidly and may be over by the end of the week. The Johnnies are at the bottom of the Big East..."
Is there a book yet on Shamorie Ponds...how do teams attack and defend him? How has ponds grown?
"At generously 6-foot-1, Shamorie Ponds has established himself as one of the most talented guards in the Big East, but his sophomore season has been less than stellar despite improving his numbers in several major categories, now averaging 19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists on the season. He’s affects the game in so many ways it’s hard to knock his overall performance but..."
Can the Johnnies defend the interior?
" When fully engaged, St. John’s is capable of making things tough for opponents in the paint. They feature two elite shot blockers, Maryland’s native Tariq Owens is among the best in the country currently swatting 3.4 attempts per game. In straight up man-to-man, the 6-foot-11 big man is capable of..."
What's up with the Johnnies and their defensive gaffes?
"They seem to constantly lose focus and make mistakes. After relying early not their defense to win games, the stout defense, which was ranked top 20 in efficiency through the early months of the season, has abandoned St. John’s. The root of the team has always been to play a high-risk high-reward style of..."