Marcus LoVett Leaving St. John’s
By SEAN BOCK Sophomore guard Marcus LoVett will
St. John's sophomore guard Marcus LoVett will miss
The last time Shamorie Ponds played a game at Madison Square Garden, he won a PSAL championship with Thomas Jefferson High School with St. John’s coach Chris Mullin in attendance.
On Sunday, Ponds will play his first game at the Garden in a St. John’s uniform when the Red Storm (5-6) meet Penn State (6-5) in the Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival at 11 a.m. Rutgers (10-1) takes on Fordham (5-6) in the second game of the doubleheader.
“I think the best part was being able to get my first win at The Garden,” Ponds said of the March 12 win over Lincoln in which he went off for 31 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five steals, including 21 second-half points in a 90-61 rout.
Without an injured Marcus LoVett, Shamorie Ponds went off for St. John’s on Monday night.
With Lovett in a walking boot because of a sprained ankle suffered during practice, Ponds scored a career-high 25 points in a 76-70 win over Cal State Northridge at Carnesecca Arena.
“I don’t think all that much changed,” said Ponds, the former Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson star. “I just tried to be more aggressive and be a leader. I wanted to be more vocal, get all of my teammates involved, and dig out a win.”
Head coach Chris Mullin said the loss of LoVett — who will get an MRI on Tuesday — impacted his rotation.
By CHRIS BARCA
NEW YORK –– St. John’s freshman Shamorie Ponds wasn’t about to let fellow guard Marcus LoVett hog all the attention.
After LoVett went for 19 points and seven assists in last Friday’s season opener against Bethune-Cookman, it was Ponds who opened eyes on Monday. The Brooklyn product dropped 21 points to go along with a game-high 10 rebounds and four assists, leading St. John’s to a 77-61 win over Binghamton at Carnesecca Arena. The Johnnies are now 2-0 heading into Friday’s matchup at Minnesota in the Gavitt Tip-Off Games.
“We bring the best out in each other,” said Ponds, the former Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson star. “We’re the smallest guys on the floor but we have the biggest heart and the biggest voice.”
After a solid but uninspiring eight-point performance against Bethune-Cookman, Ponds came out of the gate firing on Monday, scoring seven of the Red Storm’s first 15 points through 10 minutes.
BY CHRIS BARCA
NEW YORK — St. John’s has a keeper on its hands.
Dynamic redshirt freshman Marcus LoVett was as good as advertised in Friday’s season opener, as the point guard dominated on both sides of the ball to lead the Red Storm (1-0) past Bethune-Cookman, 100-53.
“It was fun playing with my brothers out there,” LoVett said. “It was great. It felt so good to be out there and able to play.”
Despite ceding the start at point guard to sophomore Malik Ellison, LoVett was the brightest star in a young but impressive backcourt on Friday at Carnesecca Arena.
