Despite trailing by as many as 16 points, St. John’s was able to fight off St. Mary’s to win 53 to 47 at Carnesecca Arena on Friday. D’Angelo Harrison led the team with 21 points and Sir’Dominic Pointer was an X-factor, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 boards.
Despite foul trouble, Chris Obekpa impacted the game with 8 points, 7 boards and 2 blocks. Rysheed Jordan scored 6 points off the bench but shot 2-for-11 from the field.
“We put ourselves in a hole but we have been there before. We grinded, got stops and Dom had an unbelievable game,” D’Angelo Harrison said.
Joey De La Rosa made his St. John’s debut and contributed heavy minutes in the 1st half with Obekpa in foul trouble. Even though Joey didn’t score, he brought a physical presence in the post and changed the game in ways that don’t show up on the stat sheet.
In a nightmare 1st half, the Johnnies scored only 18 points while turning the ball over six times. They also couldn’t stop Brad Waldow, who is St. Mary’s leading scorer and rebounder, as he put up 19 points in the opening half.
On top of the defensive struggles, the Red Storm couldn’t buy a basket. They shot 24 percent in the first half and missed multiple free opportunities at the free throw line.
It was a tale of two halves though as the Johnnies were able to make a storming comeback with a 27 to 8 run in the second half. Harrison was excellent on the offensive end and he sparked both the team and the crowd with his energy and passion.
“The crowd was great today,” D’Angelo Harrison said. The energy was there after every basket, every stop and during hustle plays. You got to credit the crowd.”
After going scoreless in the first half, Sir’Dominic Pointer bounced back nicely as he put up 11 points in second half. He also played some impressive defense, locking down senior, Waldow, with his athleticism and length.
“I used my speed on (Waldow),” Sir’Dominic Pointer said. “I used my strength to push him around and I was able to front him. The ball pressure helped too.”
The main difference in halves was the pace of the game. St. John’s was able to play their type of game as they got out in transition and that helped them settle for better shots. They shot the ball much better, 46 percent, and only turned it over twice.
Next up for the Johnnies is another matchup against a successful mid-major program, Long Beach State. They will face off against the 49ers on Monday night at 7:30 at Carnesecca Arena.
