The St. John’s basketball team is still a work in progress, but its defense appears to be rounding into midseason form as it continues to turnover its opponents at a very high rate to begin the season.
In its 39-point victory against Iona on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, the Johnnies forced 19 turnovers – 15 of which came in the first half and resulted in 26 points.
Many of the giveaways by the Gaels was directly due to the Red Storm’s pressure defense, an aspect of the game that has been very important to Rick Pitino.
“I think the thing we do better this year than last year is press,” Rick Pitino said after the 104-65 romp. “I think that’s the one thing that’s way ahead of all the other things we do.”
In the season opening victory against Monmouth, St. John’s turned 20 turnovers into 21 points. The Red Storm averaged 19.3 turnovers forced per game during the preseason
“I’m glad we’re getting some success with it early on, disrupting teams, causing some turnovers, getting some extra possessions for the team,” Ian Jackson explained. “I guess it’s just working.”
St. John’s pulled off its press in the second half with the game already decided and its lead at 31 points.
“I mean, I know it always worked but we’re just getting it done and it’s helping us right now,” Jackson added. “I think, right now, we’re just doing it at a high level. We understand how to take the ball away, when to trap, when to go and get steals.”
The newcomers on the St. John’s roster are also loving the pressure defense that the team is utilizing.
“I love it,” Tounde Yessoufou, who went for 23 points and three steals, said about the press. “I’m an energy guy. I feel like the whole team this year is committed to do the hard work.”
“I think the exciting thing is you don’t want to let your brother down by doing some little mistake, so we’re all committed to press as much as possible and make sure the other team turns it over as much as possible for us to go on the fastbreak.”
No. 13 St. John’s (2-0) will have another chance to sharpen its defensive skills against Colgate (0-2) on Wednesday (7:00 p.m. ET, Peacock) before playing its first power conference opponent of the season, Syracuse, next Sunday.
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