St. John's overcomes slow start to show its true potential in opening exhibition
St. John's Bryce Hopkins goes for a layup against Towson during an exhibition game on Saturday at Carnesecca Arena. Credit: St. John's Athletics/Vincent Dusovic
The hype-filled offseason for St. John’s culminated when it was ranked No. 5 in the country in the AP preseason poll that came out on Monday. Everyone finally got to glimpse the Red Storm in competition with Saturday’s nationally televised exhibition game against Towson at Carnesecca Arena. And while they didn’t exactly blow everyone away — and played an extremely underwhelming first half — one could see glimpses of what this team could be.
St. John’s shook off those first 20 minutes and an eight-point deficit at the break and scored 52 points in the second half for a 73-63 win.
There was plenty of inconsistency. The Red Storm didn’t shoot well in the first half but made 50% in the second and had 11 assists on 14 baskets. They didn’t guard the three-point arc well in the first half but held the Tigers to 2-for-12 in the second. Perhaps the best stretch was a 13-0 run in which they showed their length and athleticism in making six steals.
There was, however, one thing that was consistent: the play of Bryce Hopkins. The 6-7 transfer from Providence looked good all game as he amassed a team-high 13 points, tied a team high with six rebounds and added four assists and three steals.
Hopkins was an all-Big East first-team selection in 2022-23 for the Friars and then played only 17 games the next two seasons because of knee injuries.
His game reminded all of the player he had been before the injuries and suggests that he could be even better.
“I knew he’s going to play well tonight because he was brilliant in practice the last two days,” coach Rick Pitino said.
Pitino believes that Hopkins can rise to greatness. It’s the reason that he announced on Thursday that he would not start in this exhibition and, very likely, what brought out those two great days of practice.
“So I wasn’t trying to send a message to Bryce,” Pitino said. “I was trying to teach him about greatness. Greatness doesn’t happen without practicing great and developing that greatness inside of you . . . and that’s what he’s got to learn now. Understand, he sat out the entire year last year and he’s really not in great basketball shape yet, but I thought he was terrific tonight.
“I don’t want him to be the best player on our team or one of them — I want him to be one of the best players in the country, [and] unless he understands that, he will never reach that plateau. And I believe he can.”
Asked about that, Hopkins replied, “That makes me feel good.”
He added: “I try to do whatever Coach asks me to do and I take it as constructive criticism and I try to take it with a grain of salt. I know he only wants the best for me and I know he’s going to push me to be the best I can be. So me not starting today? I didn’t take it harshly or anything like that. Just when my number was called, I tried to come in and do my part.”
Oziyah Sellers, Zuby Ejiofor, Joson Sanon and Sadiku Ibine Ayo each added nine points for the Red Storm.
Mitchell productive
If there was a second excellent performance after Hopkins, it was Dillon Mitchell’s. The 6-8 Cincinnati transfer made contributions all over the court, finishing with eight points, five rebounds and three steals.
But as well as he played, he seemed more focused on the fact that St. John’s has to be better.
“It’s our first time going against competition . . . so [we’re] just figuring out the weaknesses, that’s the biggest thing,” he said.
Pitino rewards players who defend, and Mitchell clearly is going to be a big part of what the Red Storm do.
“I think that’s just my calling card,” Mitchell said. “I want to be known as a defender and . . . obviously everything else offensively will come. But I think the biggest thing for me is just being the best guy on the court defensively.”
Getting the nerves out
Playing a first game against competition and in front of the home crowd, Pitino thought St. John’s played tight in the first half, part of the reason it trailed by eight at halftime.
“Guys were nervous,” he said. “No matter how experienced a team you are, the first exhibition game, everybody’s nervous. But we didn’t panic. We stayed with our defense . . . [and] the offense got better.
“We’re going to play much better than this,” he added.
Pitino identified Sanon, Ian Jackson and Dylan Darling among the players who he feels are much better than they played. Jackson was in the game for less than six minutes of the second half.
Pitino was especially concerned about Ejiofor’s play. The Red Storm’s returning star had nine points, shot 2-for-10 and had only two offensive rebounds.
“I’ve been . . . telling him how they’re going to come after him and that his reputation as a hard worker is going to be tested and it was tonight, and he didn’t realize it,” Pitino said. “They’re going to block him out with everything they can. He’s going to be a marked man every single game . . . Zuby’s got to learn that [and] not get flustered.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
