Shamorie Ponds

[quote="RedStormNC" post=315721]Hope Ponds finishes strongly, huge #'s, more late game heroics, takes us to tourney (ideally at least one W), gets drafted and makes huge $$ etc. If leaves early, I also hope he finds time to finish his degree in offseason.

Love nothing more than to see him get name hung on a banner & bobblehead down the road but should be hung for graduates.[/quote]

Ponds is on pace to graduate this spring unless something changed.
 
[quote="Marillac" post=315726][quote="RedStormNC" post=315721]Hope Ponds finishes strongly, huge #'s, more late game heroics, takes us to tourney (ideally at least one W), gets drafted and makes huge $$ etc. If leaves early, I also hope he finds time to finish his degree in offseason.

Love nothing more than to see him get name hung on a banner & bobblehead down the road but should be hung for graduates.[/quote]

Ponds is on pace to graduate this spring unless something changed.[/quote]


Something must have changed.
 
A vote for two SJU of the past;
Tony Jackson; averaged 20'points and over 15 rebounds a game in his first season ( freshmen were ineligible ) was MVP in both the Holiday Festival , an eight team tournament , scoring 33 points and getting 22 rebounds in the final vs St. Joseph's , a top ten team , and scoring 21 points and getting 27 rebounds in the NIT final vs Bradley , a top five team. Named third team AA as a soph and first team as a Jr. and Sr. Even Looie said he had a better jump shot than Mullin. His career totals don't stand out because a career was 80 games when he played.
Dick McGure; none of us saw him play for SJU and his career totals are puny for basketball was a different game when he played but one fact stands out about Dick. The night of the SJU vs Geo game in 1985 ,the MSG program contained an article naming the top players in college bb to play at MSG in each of the five decades from the thirties to the eighties. Five SJU players were selected by a group of experts ,Harry Boykoff , TonyJackson, Alan Seiden , Chris Mullin and Dick who also was the only SJU player to be named to the all time team along with a who's who of the greatest players of all time. Mikan, Russell,Gola , Oscar, Baylor, Kareem etc.
 
Austour, we were knocked out of the tournament in the 1st round in Malik’s senior season. You’re referring to his junior season.
 
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[quote="Marillac" post=315725]I wish I could remember Sealy. I definitely watched games he was in on channel 9, but I just can't remember. Terry Dehere of SH I remember.[/quote]

 
Shamorie is "Slick" indeed, but Malik was pure "Silk"

Sealy (2,401 points) was on pace to surpass Mullin (2,440) as the programs all-time leading scorer, but we lost in the first round of the Big East and NCAA Tournament to end his collegiate career.
 
Sealy also a great defender and as I recall a 4.0 student. I used to see him around campus and he was cool just walking. Silk is good description. In that movie he did with Whoopie Goldberg he played the prima dona NBA guy who spoke about himself in the third person (like Maher) but that wasn't him at all.
 
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Best players? From memory

George Johnson - without a doubt one of our best players ever. Strong rebounder, defender, scorer.

Walter Berry - 2 years or not, is on the list. No Walter, no final 4. Senior season upped all of his numbers including rebounds, at 23 ppg and 11.1 rebounds. Ron Rutledge's favorite all time SJU player .581 career FG %.

Chris Mullin - of course

Sealy - all been said, smooth as silk. 4 year average of 18.9 ppg, 6;9 rebounds, 1.9 steals.

Jackson - Yes, he had a great nba career. Averaged 10 ppg and 5.0 assists, but also was very slow for a guard. I remember him trying to guard Pearl Washington during senior year, and it was embarrassing. I don't know where he fits in all time SJU greats.

Artest - Was our Magic Johnson. Could score, rebound, pass, defend, handled the ball well at his size. Head case, and the Knicks instead drafted some guy named Weis from France instead who never played. Put him at small forward on our Final 4 team and we probably win it all. (With Berry at the other forward of course)

Felipe Lopez - measured against all the hype he never lived up to. Still a good career here but not quite in an elite group.

D'Angelo Harrison - tough as nails, left it all out on the court. I would say he was more of a scorer than a dead eye reliable shooter. On the list.

Really hard pressed to add anyone else but Shamorie, but I'd admit I'm not trying very hard.
 
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As mentioned earlier....Mel Davis (they didn't call him "Killer" for nuthin'.) and Billy Schaeffer.

[quote="Beast of the East" post=315794]Best players? From memory

George Johnson - without a doubt one of our best players ever. Strong rebounder, defender, scorer.

Walter Berry - 2 years or not, is on the list. No Walter, no final 4. Senior season upped all of his numbers including rebounds, at 23 ppg and 11.1 rebounds. Ron Rutledge's favorite all time SJU player .581 career FG %.

Chris Mullin - of course

Sealy - all been said, smooth as silk. 4 year average of 18.9 ppg, 6;9 rebounds, 1.9 steals.

Jackson - Yes, he had a great nba career. Averaged 10 ppg and 5.0 assists, but also was very slow for a guard. I remember him trying to guard Pearl Washington during senior year, and it was embarrassing. I don't know where he fits in all time SJU greats.

Artest - Was our Magic Johnson. Could score, rebound, pass, defend, handled the ball well at his size. Head case, and the Knicks instead drafted some guy named Weis from France instead who never played. Put him at small forward on our Final 4 team and we probably win it all. (With Berry at the other forward of course)

Felipe Lopez - measured against all the hype he never lived up to. Still a good career here but not quite in an elite group.

Really hard pressed to add anyone else but Shamorie, but I'd admit I'm not trying very hard.[/quote]
 
[quote="Coaster" post=315795]As mentioned earlier....Mel Davis (they didn't call him "Killer" for nuthin'.) and Billy Schaeffer.

[quote="Beast of the East" post=315794]Best players? From memory

George Johnson - without a doubt one of our best players ever. Strong rebounder, defender, scorer.

Walter Berry - 2 years or not, is on the list. No Walter, no final 4. Senior season upped all of his numbers including rebounds, at 23 ppg and 11.1 rebounds. Ron Rutledge's favorite all time SJU player .581 career FG %.

Chris Mullin - of course

Sealy - all been said, smooth as silk. 4 year average of 18.9 ppg, 6;9 rebounds, 1.9 steals.

Jackson - Yes, he had a great nba career. Averaged 10 ppg and 5.0 assists, but also was very slow for a guard. I remember him trying to guard Pearl Washington during senior year, and it was embarrassing. I don't know where he fits in all time SJU greats.

Artest - Was our Magic Johnson. Could score, rebound, pass, defend, handled the ball well at his size. Head case, and the Knicks instead drafted some guy named Weis from France instead who never played. Put him at small forward on our Final 4 team and we probably win it all. (With Berry at the other forward of course)

Felipe Lopez - measured against all the hype he never lived up to. Still a good career here but not quite in an elite group.

Really hard pressed to add anyone else but Shamorie, but I'd admit I'm not trying very hard.[/quote][/quote]

I didn't see Davis play at SJU. Schaeffer only a couple of games his senior year since most weren't on TV and I was too young to go to games
 
Mel Davis (21 ppg & 17 rebs per game), Walter Berry & Artest had great two year careers for us but I can't quite put them at the same level as guys like Mullin, Sealy & Dove who played 3 or 4 years at a high level; just my way of looking at things, understand others look at it differently. George Johnson & John Warren were also excellent players who I'd put up there maybe a little bit below my top three. Warren was one of the most efficient players I remember watching in my teen age years - 52% career field goal, 81% career free throws and a very good defender.
Jackson played 4 years but the first two he had very ordinary numbers; his college career is a bit inflated by his excellent senior year and wonderful pro career. Tony Jackson was before my time but sounds like he belongs in top tier of all time greats. Book still out on Shamorie.
 
The greatest all time Johnnie hasn't come along yet. That will be the local kid who grew up a St. John's fan and ignores all the money and perks thrown at him by the big name schools and instead stays home to lead us to a National Championship. You win a title at Duke or N.C. or Kansas, or even Nova, you are easily forgotten. You win one here, you are immortal and will be idolized by St. John's fans and New Yorkers forever.
 
[quote="Ray Morgan" post=315803]The greatest all time Johnnie hasn't come along yet. That will be the local kid who grew up a St. John's fan and ignores all the money and perks thrown at him by the big name schools and instead stays home to lead us to a National Championship. You win a title at Duke or N.C. or Kansas, or even Nova, you are easily forgotten. You win one here, you are immortal and will be idolized by St. John's fans and New Yorkers forever.[/quote]


I'm being a huge fan right now, but if we ever had a team that could make a run, its this team. Maybe not win it all, but final four
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=315799]Mel Davis (21 ppg & 17 rebs per game), Walter Berry & Artest had great two year careers for us but I can't quite put them at the same level as guys like Mullin, Sealy & Dove who played 3 or 4 years at a high level; just my way of looking at things, understand others look at it differently. George Johnson & John Warren were also excellent players who I'd put up there maybe a little bit below my top three. Warren was one of the most efficient players I remember watching in my teen age years - 52% career field goal, 81% career free throws and a very good defender.
Jackson played 4 years but the first two he had very ordinary numbers; his college career is a bit inflated by his excellent senior year and wonderful pro career. Tony Jackson was before my time but sounds like he belongs in top tier of all time greats. Book still out on Shamorie.[/quote]

Can you describe how Dove played? Never saw him.

Unreal that he was a very young 37 when he died in the car accident that drove into the water.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=315797][quote="Coaster" post=315795]As mentioned earlier....Mel Davis (they didn't call him "Killer" for nuthin'.) and Billy Schaeffer.

[quote="Beast of the East" post=315794]Best players? From memory

George Johnson - without a doubt one of our best players ever. Strong rebounder, defender, scorer.

Walter Berry - 2 years or not, is on the list. No Walter, no final 4. Senior season upped all of his numbers including rebounds, at 23 ppg and 11.1 rebounds. Ron Rutledge's favorite all time SJU player .581 career FG %.

Chris Mullin - of course

Sealy - all been said, smooth as silk. 4 year average of 18.9 ppg, 6;9 rebounds, 1.9 steals.

Jackson - Yes, he had a great nba career. Averaged 10 ppg and 5.0 assists, but also was very slow for a guard. I remember him trying to guard Pearl Washington during senior year, and it was embarrassing. I don't know where he fits in all time SJU greats.

Artest - Was our Magic Johnson. Could score, rebound, pass, defend, handled the ball well at his size. Head case, and the Knicks instead drafted some guy named Weis from France instead who never played. Put him at small forward on our Final 4 team and we probably win it all. (With Berry at the other forward of course)

Felipe Lopez - measured against all the hype he never lived up to. Still a good career here but not quite in an elite group.

Really hard pressed to add anyone else but Shamorie, but I'd admit I'm not trying very hard.[/quote][/quote]

I didn't see Davis play at SJU. Schaeffer only a couple of games his senior year since most weren't on TV and I was too young to go to games[/quote]

I inadvertently left Mel and Billy off my list. Davis was one of the fiercest rebounders in St. John's history. Billy was mostly a shooter with good percentages but by today's standards was not athletic. George Johnson was another one I forgot in the 70's. I missed every game between 73 and 75 while in the military and living out of NY state.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=315807][quote="NCJohnnie" post=315799]Mel Davis (21 ppg & 17 rebs per game), Walter Berry & Artest had great two year careers for us but I can't quite put them at the same level as guys like Mullin, Sealy & Dove who played 3 or 4 years at a high level; just my way of looking at things, understand others look at it differently. George Johnson & John Warren were also excellent players who I'd put up there maybe a little bit below my top three. Warren was one of the most efficient players I remember watching in my teen age years - 52% career field goal, 81% career free throws and a very good defender.
Jackson played 4 years but the first two he had very ordinary numbers; his college career is a bit inflated by his excellent senior year and wonderful pro career. Tony Jackson was before my time but sounds like he belongs in top tier of all time greats. Book still out on Shamorie.[/quote]

Can you describe how Dove played? Never saw him.

Unreal that he was a very young 37 when he died in the car accident that drove into the water.[/quote]

For reference Sonny's game was very similar to George Johnson and Malik Sealy. Very efficient around the basket. There was no 3 point shot so most of his game was inside 17 feet. He did a lot of TV color work but because of family issues he needed to drive a taxi to make ends meet. Ironic that while he played in the glory days as a St. John's Redman he was the only player born to parents with Native American Indian blood.
 
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[quote="Redman#13" post=315804][quote="Ray Morgan" post=315803]The greatest all time Johnnie hasn't come along yet. That will be the local kid who grew up a St. John's fan and ignores all the money and perks thrown at him by the big name schools and instead stays home to lead us to a National Championship. You win a title at Duke or N.C. or Kansas, or even Nova, you are easily forgotten. You win one here, you are immortal and will be idolized by St. John's fans and New Yorkers forever.[/quote]


I'm being a huge fan right now, but if we ever had a team that could make a run, its this team. Maybe not win it all, but final four[/quote]

To put it into perspective, the team that went to the Final Four in 1985 had 4 first round draft picks, and another player that went in the third round. . Twenty years ago, we went to the elite 8 and were a bucket (and an uncalled shove) from the final 4. That team had 2 first round draft picks.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=315807][quote="NCJohnnie" post=315799]Mel Davis (21 ppg & 17 rebs per game), Walter Berry & Artest had great two year careers for us but I can't quite put them at the same level as guys like Mullin, Sealy & Dove who played 3 or 4 years at a high level; just my way of looking at things, understand others look at it differently. George Johnson & John Warren were also excellent players who I'd put up there maybe a little bit below my top three. Warren was one of the most efficient players I remember watching in my teen age years - 52% career field goal, 81% career free throws and a very good defender.
Jackson played 4 years but the first two he had very ordinary numbers; his college career is a bit inflated by his excellent senior year and wonderful pro career. Tony Jackson was before my time but sounds like he belongs in top tier of all time greats. Book still out on Shamorie.[/quote]

Can you describe how Dove played? Never saw him.

Unreal that he was a very young 37 when he died in the car accident that drove into the water.[/quote]

I remember Dove as being long, lean and athletic. Could rebound and block shots and score. Had an all around game.
 
Beast of the East wrote: Can you describe how Dove played? Never saw him.

Unreal that he was a very young 37 when he died in the car accident that drove into the water.

Beast, Dove played on the first Johnny team (1964-1965) that I ever saw in person and was the star of the team when I became a die-hard Johnny fan which probably colors my view of his game. Also, I was only 13 when I saw he and the Johnnies knock off Cazzie Russell & #1 Michigan in the holiday festival and admittedly watched basketball from a different perspective than I do these days. That was one of the first St. John's games I ever attended and definitely the first one I remember clearly. He was a sophomore (first year on varsity) that year and scored 23 against the rugged Bill Bunting in that huge upset. Dove was 6'7" but in those days that made him big enough to play as our center and/or power forward. He was very good around the basket but also had a good baseline jumper as I remember.
He was a consensus 2nd team All American as a senior and the #2 pick in the NBA draft. Also our 2nd leading rebounder of all time despite only playing 3 years. We finished 23-5 his senior year.
 
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