Published: November 14, 2005
Queens, N.Y.
Four players score in double figures to
lead St. John's to 40-point win over head coach Norm Roberts' alma
mater.
Box Score
Postgame Quotes
Lamont Hamilton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had a team-high 18 points to
lead a group of four St. John's players in double figures, and the
Red Storm bench chipped in with 39 points, as St. John's cruised to
a 102-62 exhibition win over Queens College at Carnesecca Arena
Monday night. The Red Storm held the Knights to 29.8 percent
shooting and forced 23 turnovers, including 12 steals, and
dominated inside, scoring 66 of its 102 points in the paint in the
win.
St. John's will look to build on its balanced effort with its
regular season opener on Saturday night against Maryland-Eastern
Shore. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. at Carnesecca Arena, the
first of six consecutive games on the Red Storm's home court.
St. John's broke open a 28-24 game with eight minutes remaining
in the first half with a quick, 12-0 spurt that was sparked by rim
rattling dunks by
Cedric Jackson (Columbus, N.J.),
Dexter Gray (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) and
Anthony Mason Jr. (Memphis, Tenn.). The Red Storm scored all 12
of the unanswered points in less than two minutes and went on to
close the period on a 25-7 run.
Hamilton scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the first half,
and preseason All-BIG EAST selection
Daryll Hill (Queens, N.Y.) filled up the stat sheet with eight
points, three steals, six assists and just one turnover. For the
game, Hill and backcourt mate
Eugene Lawrence (Brooklyn, N.Y.) combined for 15 assists and
just one turnover, a major part of the team's 66 points in the
paint and 51.9 percent shooting (42-of-81).
Hill would finish the game with 12 points, 11 assists and four
steals, while Gray added 14 points and six rebounds and Jackson 10
points, three boards and three assists.
Ryan Williams (Queens, N.Y.) pitched in with eight points off
the bench, and Lawrence scored nine points, had a perfect 4:0
assist-to-turnover ratio and got to the free throw line a team-high
seven times.
"They spend a lot of time together and the veteran guys have
taken in the newcomers and made them feel comfortable here at St.
John's," head coach
Norm Roberts said after the Red Storm's 40-point win over his
alma mater. "I think our guys understand their roles and what they
can do to help our team and we try to define those as much as we
can."
The St. John's lead never fell below 18 in the second half and
extended to 40 for the first time with 2:30 remaining, as the
team's second unit closed out the win. Big men
Tomas Jasiulionis (Richmond, Va.) and
Aaron Spears (Chicago, Ill.) played most of their minutes in
the second half, and combined for 15 points and nine rebounds (five
offensive) in limited time. Combined with efficient efforts from
forwards Hamilton and Gray, the Red Storm front court scored 47
points and connected on nearly 75 percent of its shots
(20-of-27).
Mason Jr. had a game-high eight rebounds from his wing position,
leading the Red Storm to a huge 55-29 advantage on the glass.
Thirteen different players got on the score sheet, including 10
with at least five points, and 11 players saw at least 10 minutes
of action. St. John's scored an even 51 points in both halves and
scored its 100th point on a layup by
Devin Mayo (Upper Marlboro, Md.) with 33 seconds remaining.
Bradd Wierzbicki got to the free throw line 15 times and led
Queens College with 24 points. The junior guard hit 14 of his 15
attempts from the charity stripe to account for over half of the
team's free throws. Forwards Clyde Chapman and Shaun Bertin each
scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds, and Lance Hazel
dished out a team-high four assists.