Shamorie Ponds leads St. John’s into March, with the future of New York City basketball in his hands. With 10 seconds left and St. John’s trailing by one in a pivotal February Big East clash, there was zero debate over who would get the rock. Everyone inside Carnesecca Arena, the on-campus Queens, New York, home of the Red Storm, knew the ball was going to Shamorie Ponds. Sure, junior transfer Mustapha Heron was hot and Marvin Clark had nailed four 3-pointers, but now it was crunch time. It was time for the man recruited for exactly these moments to give the Johnnies a bucket with their season on the line. Seven seconds left. After fighting through a mugging from two Butler defenders to collect the ball at the top of the key, Ponds pivoted and drove right, muscling his way to the goal for a foul and crashing to the floor. He rose holding his left shoulder — his shooting arm — but proceeded to tie the game at the free-throw line. He missed the second free throw, then added three more points and an assist to clinch the 76–71 St. John’s victory in overtime. |