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Flying early tomorrow morning, so onto the next one...
48th in Offensive efficiency
97th in Defensive efficiency
Results from key games (first three games neutral)
Daniss Jenkins 6’4 180 grad transfer (Iona)
Jordan Dingle 6’3 195 grad transfer (Penn)
Glenn Taylor 6’6 205 junior (transfer from Oregon State)
Chris Ledlum 6’6 225 grad transfer (Harvard)
Joel Soriano 6’11 255 fifth-year returnee
Nahiem Alleyne 6’4 200 grad transfer (from last year’s champs)
Zuby Ejiofor 6’9 240 sophomore transfer from Kansas, #47 recruit of 2022
Simeon Wilcher 6’4 180 freshman, #34 recruit of 2023
Brady Dunlap 6’7 190 freshman, Notre Dame decommit, punchable face
Drissa Traore 6’8 215 sophomore
LESS COMMONLY USED BENCH PIECES (played in 40%-70% of games; mostly against mid-majors)
KEY INJURY
RJ Luis 6’7 195 sophomore transfer from UMass. 14 points, 3 steals in only game this season.
Thirty-seven years later, Rick Pitino is back in the Big East and after St. John’s has spent most of the last two decades as an afterthought, the buzz is back in Queens.
Is there substance that matches the hype? Not quite yet. Non-conference losses to Michigan, Dayton and Boston College means that the Johnnies have just one top-100 win prior to this week’s matchup against Xavier and UConn.
However, with twelve new players, there’s room for St. John’s to improve as the season moves on.
According to his interview with the Blue Ribbon Report, Pitino spoke of the Anderson-era Johnnies as a team that lacked culture, so on the portal they looked for players that fit three criteria: shooting, athleticism and work ethic.
Athleticism and work ethic drives Pitino’s defense that keeps opponents guessing: a full-court press; switching between man and zone and sturdy rim protection as a final layer of defense to allow perimeter defenders to play aggressively and force turnovers.
Continuing his excellent play from last season, Joel Soriano was the Big East’s only player who averaged a double-double. A two-way threat, Soriano has now added the three-point shot to his arsenal. His backup, Zuby Ejiofor, is a tough, physical rim-runner who is an excellent rebounder, but the team’s offense takes a major hit whenever he is on the floor in place of Soriano.
St. John’s starting backcourt: Daniss Jenkins, Jordan Dingle and Glenn Taylor, were each their previous team’s best scorer off the bounce, as was also injured wing RJ Luis, so the fact that St. John’s has one of the lowest free throw rates in the nation is a major surprise.
That being said, Jenkins is reprising the point guard role that broke out his career at Iona. Playing pick-and-roll sparingly at his previous spots, Pitino has modeled Jenkins into his ideal pick-and-roll point guard in the way he can control the tempo, dish and score, when needed.
Last season, Jordan Dingle was the second leading scorer in the nation, so his modest scoring so far makes it seem like he’s a volcano waiting to erupt. He’s a three-level shot maker with the ability to take over the game, but he’s not a strong defender, which caps his ceiling playing for Pitino.
An incredible athlete who was one of the best slashers in the Pac-12, Glenn Taylor has embraced his role as St. John’s glue guy where he’s transitioned into a low-usage, high efficiency wing. He’s strong on the ball and is a good positional distributor, but is still learning Pitino’s defense. He’s playing a lot now, but I can see his minutes decreasing once Luis returns.
St. John’s most trusted bench piece is, not surprisingly, Nahiem Alleyne. His role in Queens doesn’t look much different than what we saw later in the season in Storrs: a high-efficiency, versatile big guard who defends well and can hit a big perimeter shot.
Freshmen Wilcher (UNC decommit) and Dunlap (Notre Dame decommit) are backups, but their long-term potential is clear. Wilcher is still getting used to the college game, but the big point guard’s athleticism, toughness and skill flashes. For a skinnier wing, Dunlap is a surprisingly tough and scrappy defender who isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty, however, his calling card is scoring. I expect him to be a very good Big East player soon.
Starting at power forward, Chris Ledlum brings a mix of BBIQ, skill and strength. I don’t understand how he’s perpetually listed at 6’6 225 – he’s bigger than that. He’s slow on the ball, but a powerful cutter off-ball and he can score anywhere on the court. Like Dingle, Ledlum is adjusting from being an alpha-Ivy Leaguer to a secondary scorer, but Ledlum is also a great rebounder and has basically no holes in his game.
Backup power forward Drissa Traore is the other Johnnie who Pitino wanted to keep around from the Anderson era and it makes sense why: he’s a lunch-pail, hard-nosed, high-motor athlete who is a defensive specialist who provides enough spacing to keep defenses honest.
Looking at their box scores against top-talent, Pitino will play 10, sometimes 11 players, but the core of their playing time comes from their starting five and Alleyne. Outside of Alleyne, their backups are true backups, so considering that St. John’s is playing its best opponent of the season, I expect tighter rotations.
Good test against another tough, physical team.
St. John’s (8-3)
#61 in KenPom
#61 in KenPom
48th in Offensive efficiency
- 2nd in offensive rebounding
- 58th in offensive tempo
- 60th in A/FGM (57.2%)
- 89th w/ a 35.5 3P%, but just 33.9% of FGAs are from three (269th)
- 203rd w/ a 49.3 2P%
- 198th in turnover prevention
- 352nd in Free Throw Rate
97th in Defensive efficiency
- 29th in 3PA/FGA prevention (30.9%); 260th in opp. 3P% (35%)
- 29th in block rate
- 34th in opp. 2P% (44.6%)
- 58th in overall turnover caused rate
- 124th in A/FGM prevention (48.3%)
- 248th in defensive rebounding rate
- 262nd in FTA/FGA prevention
- 286th in defensive tempo (18.0 seconds/possession)
Results from key games (first three games neutral)
- L 73-89 v Michigan (KP 44)
- L 81-88 v Dayton (neutral; KP 41)
- W 91-82 v Utah (neutral; KP 34)
- W 79-73 at West Virginia (KP 133)
- L 80-86 v Boston College (at Barclays; KP 93)
- W 81-66 v Xavier (KP 41)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: 23-29 mpg
Daniss Jenkins 6’4 180 grad transfer (Iona)
- 11.2p, 4.1r, 6.0a, 2.8 TO, 2.1 steals, 45.3 2P%, 27.3 3P%, ⅓ FGAs from 3, 1.0 FTA, 80 FT%
Jordan Dingle 6’3 195 grad transfer (Penn)
- 11.3p, 1.7r, 1.5a, 1.9 TO, 1.1s, 50 2P%, 37 3P%, ½ FGAs from 3, 1.6 FTA, 62.5 FT%
- 2nd lowest defensive rating on team
Glenn Taylor 6’6 205 junior (transfer from Oregon State)
- 6.5p, 2.4r, 2.1a, 0.9 TO, 44 2P%, 45.8 3P%, ½ FGAs from 3, 1.7 FTAs, 58.8 FT%, 0.8s,
- Lowest defensive rating on team
Chris Ledlum 6’6 225 grad transfer (Harvard)
- 10.9p, 7.9r, 1.9a, 1.9 TO, 1.3 s, 0.8b, 42.7 2P%, 35.7 3P%, ¼ FGAs from 3, 2.0 FTA, 75 FT%
Joel Soriano 6’11 255 fifth-year returnee
- 18.0p, 10.5r, 1.5a, 1.3 TO, 66.3 2P%, 7-9 from 3, 4.4 FTA, 75.0 FT%, 1.9b
MOST COMMONLY USED BENCH PIECES (Alleyne gets 15.7 mpg, all others between 8-11 mpg) Overall, the bench plays 30.8% of all minutes (189th in nation)
Nahiem Alleyne 6’4 200 grad transfer (from last year’s champs)
- 6.9p, 48.1 2P%, 38.2 3P%, about ½ FGAs from 3.
Zuby Ejiofor 6’9 240 sophomore transfer from Kansas, #47 recruit of 2022
- Per-40 #s: 15.1p, 13.7r, 4.6b, 40.6 2P%,
- Best defensive rating on team
Simeon Wilcher 6’4 180 freshman, #34 recruit of 2023
- 2.5p, 1.2r, 1.5a, 1.0 TO, 33.3 2P%, 33.3 3P%, ⅓ FGAs from 3
- Third lowest defensive rating on the team
Brady Dunlap 6’7 190 freshman, Notre Dame decommit, punchable face
- 2.3p, 2.0r, 2/3rd FGAs from 3, 23.1 3P%
Drissa Traore 6’8 215 sophomore
- 2.9p, 1.5r, 63.6 2P%, 4-9 from 3
LESS COMMONLY USED BENCH PIECES (played in 40%-70% of games; mostly against mid-majors)
- Sean Conway 6’4 200 grad transfer from VMI; good shooter, strong-bodied guard
- Cruz Davis 6’3 170 sophomore; Sadiku Ibine Ayo 6’6 210 sophomore from Iona
KEY INJURY
RJ Luis 6’7 195 sophomore transfer from UMass. 14 points, 3 steals in only game this season.
Thirty-seven years later, Rick Pitino is back in the Big East and after St. John’s has spent most of the last two decades as an afterthought, the buzz is back in Queens.
Is there substance that matches the hype? Not quite yet. Non-conference losses to Michigan, Dayton and Boston College means that the Johnnies have just one top-100 win prior to this week’s matchup against Xavier and UConn.
However, with twelve new players, there’s room for St. John’s to improve as the season moves on.
According to his interview with the Blue Ribbon Report, Pitino spoke of the Anderson-era Johnnies as a team that lacked culture, so on the portal they looked for players that fit three criteria: shooting, athleticism and work ethic.
Athleticism and work ethic drives Pitino’s defense that keeps opponents guessing: a full-court press; switching between man and zone and sturdy rim protection as a final layer of defense to allow perimeter defenders to play aggressively and force turnovers.
Continuing his excellent play from last season, Joel Soriano was the Big East’s only player who averaged a double-double. A two-way threat, Soriano has now added the three-point shot to his arsenal. His backup, Zuby Ejiofor, is a tough, physical rim-runner who is an excellent rebounder, but the team’s offense takes a major hit whenever he is on the floor in place of Soriano.
St. John’s starting backcourt: Daniss Jenkins, Jordan Dingle and Glenn Taylor, were each their previous team’s best scorer off the bounce, as was also injured wing RJ Luis, so the fact that St. John’s has one of the lowest free throw rates in the nation is a major surprise.
That being said, Jenkins is reprising the point guard role that broke out his career at Iona. Playing pick-and-roll sparingly at his previous spots, Pitino has modeled Jenkins into his ideal pick-and-roll point guard in the way he can control the tempo, dish and score, when needed.
Last season, Jordan Dingle was the second leading scorer in the nation, so his modest scoring so far makes it seem like he’s a volcano waiting to erupt. He’s a three-level shot maker with the ability to take over the game, but he’s not a strong defender, which caps his ceiling playing for Pitino.
An incredible athlete who was one of the best slashers in the Pac-12, Glenn Taylor has embraced his role as St. John’s glue guy where he’s transitioned into a low-usage, high efficiency wing. He’s strong on the ball and is a good positional distributor, but is still learning Pitino’s defense. He’s playing a lot now, but I can see his minutes decreasing once Luis returns.
St. John’s most trusted bench piece is, not surprisingly, Nahiem Alleyne. His role in Queens doesn’t look much different than what we saw later in the season in Storrs: a high-efficiency, versatile big guard who defends well and can hit a big perimeter shot.
Freshmen Wilcher (UNC decommit) and Dunlap (Notre Dame decommit) are backups, but their long-term potential is clear. Wilcher is still getting used to the college game, but the big point guard’s athleticism, toughness and skill flashes. For a skinnier wing, Dunlap is a surprisingly tough and scrappy defender who isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty, however, his calling card is scoring. I expect him to be a very good Big East player soon.
Starting at power forward, Chris Ledlum brings a mix of BBIQ, skill and strength. I don’t understand how he’s perpetually listed at 6’6 225 – he’s bigger than that. He’s slow on the ball, but a powerful cutter off-ball and he can score anywhere on the court. Like Dingle, Ledlum is adjusting from being an alpha-Ivy Leaguer to a secondary scorer, but Ledlum is also a great rebounder and has basically no holes in his game.
Backup power forward Drissa Traore is the other Johnnie who Pitino wanted to keep around from the Anderson era and it makes sense why: he’s a lunch-pail, hard-nosed, high-motor athlete who is a defensive specialist who provides enough spacing to keep defenses honest.
Looking at their box scores against top-talent, Pitino will play 10, sometimes 11 players, but the core of their playing time comes from their starting five and Alleyne. Outside of Alleyne, their backups are true backups, so considering that St. John’s is playing its best opponent of the season, I expect tighter rotations.
Good test against another tough, physical team.
