By Joseph Staszewski
The bright future of St. John’s was on view in Queens last weekend, and it wasn’t the guys playing in Red and White at Carnesecca Area.
If you were one of the many St. John’s fans who made the trip to Christ the King Saturday for the main event of the Apparel Challenge, Shamorie Ponds gave you plenty of reasons to take your eyes off the Red Storm’s 14-game losing streak, because of his behavior both on and off the court.
It well documents how good a player the Thomas Jefferson guard is. The No. 36-ranked recruit in the nation by ESPN, Ponds scored a game-high 29 points to help the Orange Wave beat Christ the King 68-65. He is averaging 28.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game and has Jefferson in the conversation for best team in New York City, with a very good chance at winning a city title in March.
But it was what happened once the game was over that told you just how big an impact Ponds can have at the next level. People holding cell phones and cameras surrounded him while he conducted his postgame interview before being mobbed by autograph and picture seekers.
The attention and the obligations aren’t always easy, but it’s just part of being Shamorie Ponds right now
“It’s fun, but it could be annoying sometimes, but I just do it,” Ponds said.
Ponds couldn’t make it back to the locker room without being asked by kids for his signature and granting requests from adults who wanted to take photos with him. He took every picture and signed whatever he was given—including sneakers.
“They are just telling me they can’t wait for me to come next year,” Ponds said.
Ponds understands what he’s become around New York City. He is willing to handle the responsibility that comes with being the face of high school basketball in the five boroughs as well as the face of St. John’s No. 17-ranked recruiting class. That group recently added German sharpshooter Richard Freudenberg to go along with former Kennedy guard Bashir Ahmed, partial qualifier Marcus LoVett Jr. and Tennessee transfer Tariq Owens.
“That’s some good additions,” Ponds said. “I feel we are going to have a good shot next year.”
Ponds isn’t a camera hog, a sweet talker or the most charismatic person in the room. His answers are often short, sweet and directly to the point. It’s his ever improving game, being the first New York City kid to commit to coach Chris Mullin and the Red Storm and his genuineness that have caused his reputation to grow.
Mullin can only hope other local fans are watching Ponds and dreaming of what can be and that the kids getting his autograph dreaming of one day being him.
