St. John’s Struggles Against Iowa State: A Closer Look at the Game Performance

In a tense matchup of ranked teams, St. John’s faced a disappointing 83-82 defeat against No. 15 Iowa State during the Players Era Festival. This loss marked another challenging outing for the team, particularly for a pair of high-potential sophomores, Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon, who failed to make a significant impact on the court.

Poor Shooting Performance

The duo of Jackson and Sanon combined for a lackluster 4-of-16 shooting from the field, contributing neither points nor rebounds. Their struggles became more evident as the game progressed:

• Joson Sanon: Started the game, going 2-of-10 from the field in 27 minutes, leading to a negative scoring differential of 13 points during his time on the court.
• Ian Jackson: Came off the bench, scoring just five points and unable to find his rhythm after committing two early turnovers.

Coach Rick Pitino acknowledged the broader team dynamics rather than focusing solely on individual performance. “I don’t look at what individuals do when they give great effort. Both Joson and Ian give great effort,” he stated. “The rebounding, they’ve got to do a better job of, obviously.”

Missed Opportunities

Despite the overall struggle, Oziyah Sellers shined with five 3-pointers out of six attempts. However, a missed driving shot that could have tied the game stuck with Pitino. "I wanted him to shoot the 3. He was open and he took a tough 2,” said Pitino. “We need him to shoot 3s.”

Key Moments:

• Final Seconds: St. John’s trailed by one with 30 seconds left when Sellers opted for a challenging layup instead of an open three.
• Coaching Insight: Pitino emphasized the importance of taking advantage of open shots, hinting at a potential shift in strategy moving forward.

Ongoing Challenges for St. John’s

This defeat contributes to St. John’s troubling trend, having lost five consecutive games against ranked opponents in nonconference play, with three occurring under Coach Pitino’s tenure. The last time the Johnnies emerged victoriously against a ranked foe in nonconference action was back in 2019 against Arizona.

Highlights:

• Recent Performance: St. John’s has faced difficulties in maintaining momentum against higher-ranked teams.
• Rebounding Issues: The absence of rebounds from key players raises concerns about the team’s overall defensive strategy.

What’s Next?

As the season progresses, the focus for St. John’s will undoubtedly shift towards enhancing their rebounding techniques and capitalizing on open shot opportunities. With the upcoming games, fans and analysts alike will be keenly watching if the Johnnies can break their streak and deliver a more polished performance.

Conclusion

Despite the setbacks, the potential in players like Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon remains high, bringing a glimmer of hope for St. John’s future games. Improving shooting consistency and rebounding could be pivotal for turning the tide this season.

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