The St. John’s basketball program has battled for the eligibility for four of its players this offseason but there was no one more important to get on the court than British point guard Quinn Ellis and it showed on Wednesday night against Drexel.
In the Red Storm’s first exhibition game of the season, Ellis proved why he was sought after by other programs such as Duke and Louisville and how he can control everything for the Johnnies.
He finished with three points, six rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and four steals while only taking two shots from the floor. He was never out of control and always one step ahead of the defense, although the Dragons were not the toughest of competitors on this night.
It was only just over 24 hours prior to tipoff that St. John’s learned that Quinn Ellis had been cleared by the NCAA to participate this season. It was news that put a massive smile on head coach Rick Pitino’s face as he left a Jamacia courtroom following Keyshawn Hall’s eligibility hearing.
“I was super happy to finally be cleared,” Ellis said after the game on Wednesday night. “Obviously, today was a little bit of nerves to start, but once the game started, I felt like it was a solid game, a lot of ups-and-downs. We got a lot of things to work on, but I feel like it was a solid start.”
During a 24-3 run for St. John’s midway through the first half, Ellis recorded three rebounds, three assists, a steal, and block. It essentially put the game away prior to halftime, although the 29-point margin is not the primary focus in the preseason.
“Quinn’s the only one on the team who really understood how to play,” Rick Pitino explained. “He didn’t even care about looking at the basket. He knew it was the first game. He played like a veteran when everybody else was hunting 3’s early in the game.”
The point guard position for St. John’s behind Ellis is shaky.
Ian Jackson, who struggled at the spot last year, can be viewed as the backup despite his starting shooting guard position while forwards Keyshawn Hall and Babacar Sane also handled the ball when Ellis wasn’t in the game.
Avery Brown, a Columbia transfer who was brought in to fill that spot on the roster, didn’t play until the second half.
“He’s the leader on the court, there’s no question about it,” Pitino added.
“He’s a very quiet guy. He leads by example..I walked away tonight saying, ‘He’s outstanding,’ and I didn’t say that about anybody else.”
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