There is a lot of talent in the St. John’s basketball program and a handful of players, specifically Zuby Ejiofor, play a key role in the success of the team but the ceiling of the Johnnies is starting to be predicated on the production of Oziyah Sellers.
Sellers is coming off a stellar second half in the No. 22 Red Storm’s 91-64 victory over Iona in which he went for 16 points after halftime on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. It was on the heels of a first half in which he only scored three points, making 1-of-5 attempts.
Hesitancy shooting was a trend with Sellers earlier in the year, something that he has recently bucked after attempting at least five 3-pointers in each of the last five games.
However, St. John’s not only needs him to be aggressive and look for his shots, but connect from the outside when he gets the opportunity.
“I feel like it definitely makes us better,” Sellers said on Saturday afternoon about how the team elevates when he’s hunting his shot.
“Even my misses are a chance for us to get offensive rebounds and things like that, so regardless of making or missing shots, I’m going to continue to shoot it.”
When Sellers makes at least three 3-pointers the Red Storm are 3-1 with its only loss coming inside the final minute against then No. 15 Iowa State by one point. His triples were critical to St. John's success against Iona, pushing its lead back to seven, 51-44, after the Gaels made it a four-point game early in the second half and a pair of triples as the Red Storm ballooned its lead.
“He kept just being a receiver six, seven feet behind the [3-point] line every time. I want him stepping in every time,” Rick Pitino said of Sellers’ mentality.
“I really believe he’s the best shooter in the country. I really believe that. I’m not just propping him up…When Oziyah is looking for his shot, we become a better basketball team, and everybody gets fired up with that.”
Pitino added that in the six years he has returned to college basketball at Iona and St. John’s, Sellers has put up shooting numbers in player development sessions that no one else has touched.
“His numbers are scary of what he does, so he’s got to do more of that.”
Oziyah Sellers is shooting 46.3-percent (19-of-41) from deep this season and his 4-for-7 performance against the Gaels came after he was just 2-of-10 in St. John’s last two games against Auburn and Ole Miss.
“It’s my job just to stay confident at all times,” Sellers added. “Regardless if I miss ten in a row, I’m still going to shoot the next one confident.”
St. John's will need that confidence to close out non-conference play on the right foot and begin Big East action with a bang.