Grab your antacid tablets. Be sure to stock up on Pepto Bismol. Consume a light meal on game days.
Early indicators suggest that St. John’s supporters are in for a roller coaster ride this winter. St. John’s, off to its first 6-0 start since 2018-19, won the Empire Classic in tumultuous manner over the last two days at Barclays Center. It faced double-digit deficits in both games’ early half. It went on lengthy stretches when the defense was tough and shots were falling, but was unable to close out the games, only to ultimately victory.
It is an intriguing club, led by rookie Andre Curbelo, a major talent who can also make supporters rip out their hair. Curbelo, like the team as a whole, may be terrific one moment and prone to error the next. He can slash through opponents and produce passes that only a handful of players in the country are capable of, but he will also commit needless and occasionally thoughtless errors.
It is still very early in the season, and St. John’s victories over Temple and Syracuse will not generate national headlines. It is notable that a club that struggled to win close games last season, going 4-9 in games decided by six points or fewer, has won consecutive nail-biters. There are places that want improvement. The Johnnies commit an unacceptable 14.8 turnovers per game on average. The choice of shots may be improved. St. John’s could have made both of these victories considerably simpler if it had performed a few alterations.
On November 22, 2022, Andre Curbelo celebrates St. John’s win over Syracuse.
However, this is unquestionably Mike Anderson’s most skilled team to date. Big man Joel Soriano has recorded five double-doubles in six games and may be the Big East’s most improved player. DePaul transfer David Jones, averaging a team-high 17.2 points, looks capable of stepping into the No. 1 scorer’s role vacated by Julian Champagnie. Posh Alexander has performed admirably on defense and is one of the most versatile guards in the conference. Fellow returnee Montez Mathis has improved throughout the board. There is scoring depth, five players averaging at least 9.7 points, that was absent in earlier years.
The previous two days, St. John’s shown both its potential and its flaws. The crew of Anderson was as erratic as the weather. One thing I have learnt about this gang is that you cannot take your eyes off of them.
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During his tenure here, Anderson’s in-game coaching has been questioned, and I have been one of those detractors. The poor beginnings will eventually come back to haunt this squad. However, the fourth-year coach has established a pattern of halftime alterations this season. After halftime, St. John’s has outscored its seven opponents by 74 points.
That’s an enormous amount. Against Syracuse, he cleverly matched Judah Mintz, the Orange’s star rookie, with Alexander, who restricted him to four points after halftime. Mintz scored 16 points throughout the first half. At the start of overtime, he chose Dylan Addae-Wusu over Mathis to guard Syracuse’s Joe Girard III because he desired a more rested defender. Addae-Wusu prevented Girard from scoring in the overtime period. This squad has played with greater precision and concentration since halftime. That is a credit to the coach.
Further Posh
Alexander is a unique player who can influence the game without scoring. Even though he averaged 6.5 points per game at Barclays Center, he was a plus-22. St. John’s, though, requires him to be more offensive-minded. Clearly, he is now lacking confidence in his jumper. This season, he has tried eight 3-pointers but has yet to make one. He must pose a greater danger to this team. The team lacks shooters, which makes the floor easier to defend, and his passivity at times hindered the Johnnies’ performance in the Empire Classic.
Posh Alexander shoots against Syracuse Corey Sipkin/New York Post Close group
During the trophy presentation, there was a really moving moment when Soriano embraced Esahia Nyiwe and Nyiwe could be seen crying. He had been absent from the squad since the passing of his younger brother, Naayian, and was grieving his loss. Several team members then embraced the two individuals. It provided a glimpse of a close-knit community that appears to be quite fond of one another.