Uncertainty & Cancellations Hang Over SJU
A mountain of uncertainty has enveloped St. John's, with the likely prospect of an 18-day layoff prior to their next game.
Big East conference matchups against Marquette and Georgetown have both been cancelled, and the action the league will take in postponement, or a potential reschedule remains to be seen.
While we've come to expect an inevitable disruption and the unexpected that comes with the territory of an uptick in Covid cases, the timing of it all is putrid.
SJU put up a woeful offensive performance during a recent loss to a downtrodden Pittsburgh team, a game which re-emphasized the value of Julian Champagnie's presence in the offense.
St. John's committed a torrent of turnovers, shot just 7-of-14 from the free throw line and lacked the interior grit and rim protection en route to giving Pittsburgh 28 free throws.
With Joel Soriano and Tareq Coburn out due to protocols, progress is once again stalled. Soriano invested so much into shedding weight and transforming his body to play at the souped-up pace St. John's enforces. He quickly shed in the vicinity of 23 pounds, moving lighter on his feet and adjusting to better eating habits thanks to guidance from teammates and fellow New York natives Posh Alexander and Dylan Wusu.
And, despite appearing quiet on the offensive end during a string of games, Soriano recently notched a near double-double with 10 points and nine boards. He appeared to be turning a corner in his skillful, instinctive drive.
Coburn, the Hofstra transfer and NYC native, provides veteran scoring and battle tested poise as a graduate student. Depending on testing protocols and how the process plays out, both players could potentially return for an early January 2022 matchup against DePaul.
The most significant concern revolves around Champagnie and the timetable of his return. Make no mistake about it, the commanding inside outside scoring presence and defensive versatility of the local New York City native gives St. John's a psychological lift.
Despite the recent chaos and disappointment, there has been some positive notables in the development of St. John's bench. O'Mar Stanley is becoming more involved in the offense and has proven he is worthy of extended minutes. Stanley has a workmanlike presence on the glass and has been adept at scoring around the rim and taking bigs out of the paint with his short-range jumper.
Long Island Lutheran product Rafael Pinzon, the 6-foot-6 guard, appears more confident and has shown he could provide timely shot making.