Storm The Paint
Fansided

Marcellus Earlington is the X-Factor for the St. John’s basketball team

By Michael Szabo

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 17: Marcellus Earlington #10 of the St. John's basketball team shoots a free throw against the Xavier Musketeers during a Big East Conference game at Madison Square Garden on February 17, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 17: Marcellus Earlington #10 of the St. John's basketball team shoots a free throw against the Xavier Musketeers during a Big East Conference game at Madison Square Garden on February 17, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The St. John’s basketball program has many budding stars but one forward stands above the rest and is the X-Factor for a successful 2020-21 season.

On Wednesday afternoon the St. John’s basketball program handed out its individual award recipients for the 2019-20 season and sophomore Marcellus Earlington was awarded the Lawrence R. Thomson Memorial Award.

The award is given to the Most Improved Player on the team this past season and Earlington blew his freshman year numbers out of the water.

More from Storm The Paint

Earlington played in 32 games for the Johnnies in his sophomore campaign, starting four, and averaged 9.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game. In a majority of those games, especially later on in the season, the 6-foot-6 forward showed how he can be a lethal scoring threat for St. John’s next season.

It’s challenge to point at one specific game for the sophomore’s breakout but on February 8 against Creighton, he finished with a double-double scoring a career-high 25 points and ten rebounds, and then on February 17 against Xavier in he went for 17 points which was tied for the team high.

Lastly, against Georgetown in the Big East Tournament the Stony Point, New York native inspired the Red Storm’s late comeback scoring 17 of his 19 points in the second half on 60-percent shooting from 3-point range.

While the consistency in Earlington’s game hasn’t been as prevalent, he has shown flashes that could lead into a potential larger role for the Red Storm’s offense for next season.

As a player that could have opted to play football at Rutgers instead of basketball at St. John’s, Marcellus Earlington’s football background gives him tremendous athleticism and physical presence on the hardwood.

ALSO READ: St. John’s gives out individual awards for 2019-20 season

The former Don Bosco Prep (NJ) star’s physical presence allows him to dominate the paint at times, while getting offensive rebounds and cleaning up any missing opportunities at the him left by his teammates.

Earlington’s paint presence, along with the fact that many talented big men across the Big East are leaving because of graduation or pursuing a professional career, opens the door for the budding St. John’s star to improve upon his sophomore season and bring a different dimension for the Red Storm offense.

To elevate his game even more, Marcellus Earlington continued to develop his shooting ability as well, which will only benefit his impact in the paint which is his bread and butter.

ALSO READ: Size and paint protection shouldn’t be an issue for St. John’s

The rising junior is a perfect fit in Mike Anderson’s system and the style in which St. John’s wishes to play at both in transition and on the defensive end of the court.

Each of these qualities can lead to a massive jump and Marcellus Earlington’s play and he should be looked upon as an X-Factor heading into the 2020-21 season.

Home/Player Profiles