Questions I posed Paul, and his responses:
1) From outside it seems as if the Johnnies momentum has stalled. Is that true? Also how about their development?
"The momentum from an outside perspective certainly seems to have stalled but I was certainly cautious of the early hype as St. John’s ran through an early non-conference that ranked ranks No. 336 in KenPom.com’s adjusted efficiency measure. However, they started Big East play outplaying Seton Hall then blowing out Marquette, building legitimate buzz. They followed up with a rare win at Georgetown but Shamorie Ponds actually suffered a back strain that has limited him since the Red Storm are 1-2 in that stretch".
2) Have one or two guys other than Ponds emerged as a consistent scorer?
"There are plenty of scoring options to complement Shamorie Ponds but a clear-cut No. 2 has yet to emerge. Auburn transfer Mustapha Heron, a former five-star recruit, was thought to be that guy heading into the season — and he has played well, particularly as a spot up shooter — but hasn’t yet left his imprint on a game for 40 minutes. LJ Figueroa has been remarkably efficient but is limited as a one-on-one scorer".
3) Defensively what is SJU doing schematically? Is it effective?
"The lack of depth on the roster has limited St. John’s ability to press, which given their athleticism, particularly in the front court and wings, has been very useful in spots".
4) Has the Keita guy's return been fruitful?
"Since returning from a knee injury that kept him out for almost 2 months, Sedee Keita has gradually worked his way back into playing shape and has flashed potential as a rim protector but has seen his time on the court limited by foul trouble. The jury is still out on his role with the team this season as the team has excelled with small-ball lineups".
5) Are you happy where the Johnnies are at this point? Have they met your expectations?
"I think St. John’s are right around my expectations heading into the season — a talented team on paper that has yet to display any consistency. With that said, they’re currently projected just inside the NCAA Tournament field and that was undoubtedly the expectation heading into the season by fans, spectators, and those around the program. We’ll find a lot about St. John’s in the next four games as they host Georgetown before 3-game road trip with trips to No. 2 Duke and No. 12 Marquette".
1) From outside it seems as if the Johnnies momentum has stalled. Is that true? Also how about their development?
"The momentum from an outside perspective certainly seems to have stalled but I was certainly cautious of the early hype as St. John’s ran through an early non-conference that ranked ranks No. 336 in KenPom.com’s adjusted efficiency measure. However, they started Big East play outplaying Seton Hall then blowing out Marquette, building legitimate buzz. They followed up with a rare win at Georgetown but Shamorie Ponds actually suffered a back strain that has limited him since the Red Storm are 1-2 in that stretch".
2) Have one or two guys other than Ponds emerged as a consistent scorer?
"There are plenty of scoring options to complement Shamorie Ponds but a clear-cut No. 2 has yet to emerge. Auburn transfer Mustapha Heron, a former five-star recruit, was thought to be that guy heading into the season — and he has played well, particularly as a spot up shooter — but hasn’t yet left his imprint on a game for 40 minutes. LJ Figueroa has been remarkably efficient but is limited as a one-on-one scorer".
3) Defensively what is SJU doing schematically? Is it effective?
"The lack of depth on the roster has limited St. John’s ability to press, which given their athleticism, particularly in the front court and wings, has been very useful in spots".
4) Has the Keita guy's return been fruitful?
"Since returning from a knee injury that kept him out for almost 2 months, Sedee Keita has gradually worked his way back into playing shape and has flashed potential as a rim protector but has seen his time on the court limited by foul trouble. The jury is still out on his role with the team this season as the team has excelled with small-ball lineups".
5) Are you happy where the Johnnies are at this point? Have they met your expectations?
"I think St. John’s are right around my expectations heading into the season — a talented team on paper that has yet to display any consistency. With that said, they’re currently projected just inside the NCAA Tournament field and that was undoubtedly the expectation heading into the season by fans, spectators, and those around the program. We’ll find a lot about St. John’s in the next four games as they host Georgetown before 3-game road trip with trips to No. 2 Duke and No. 12 Marquette".