St. John’s uses sharp shooting to cut Paul VI down to size
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Version 0 of 1. For a St. John’s team whose tallest starter measures in at 6 feet 5 inches on a goo d day, ball movement is paramount to success, especially against its bigger Washington Catholic Athletic Conference counterparts. With that in mind, St. John’s skipped several passes along the perimeter to start Thursday’s fourth quarter at Paul VI, each throw connecting the dots until Jeff Dowtin Jr. emerged from a screen to bring the play into focus. Using the space created by the Cadets’ constant motion, the senior rose for a three-pointer that splashed through the net and invigorated St. John’s to pull away for an 80-64 win over the No. 6 Panthers in Fairfax. Dowtin’s fourth three of the night also opened up the space necessary for teammate Anthony Cowan Jr. to go to work after a slow start. Following a soaring slam by Kylia Sykes, the Maryland signee erupted for 13 straight points on an assortment of transition drives and deep threes to cap his 32-point effort. “Me and Jeff, our chemistry is so strong on the court and our lineup is so versatile that we can feed off each other to make plays,” Cowan said. “I struggled a little at first, but with the way we play, my teammates put me in the right opportunities to get going.” The Cadets’ height disadvantage surfaced at the game’s outset as the Panthers turned several offensive rebounds into second-chance points and free throw opportunities. But St. John’s soon evened the playing field behind Dowtin’s sharpshooting and the team’s cohesive play in building a 38-33 halftime lead. “We basically play five guards, so we’re used to being seen as undersized,” said Dowtin, who had 22 points. “Difference is, this year, we’re used to playing with each other and we know how to use it to our advantage.” At the start of the second half, Paul VI’s size again came into play, this time in the form of All-Met swingman V.J. King. The 6-7 senior attacked the rim for the Panthers (3-1, 1-1), getting to the foul line 19 times and throwing down a thunderous jam that helped tie the score at 44 midway through the third period. But even as King poured in 23 of Paul VI’s 31 points in the second half, it wasn’t enough to keep up with the Cadets’ balanced attack. After a Cowan three broke the tie, Dowtin and Dejuan Clayton nailed two more three-pointers to push St. John’s (5-0, 2-0) back ahead. Cowan and King (34 points) proceeded to trade baskets until Cowan, in the midst of his fourth-quarter flurry, squared up for a shot from well beyond the arc. Once the ball found the bottom of the net, pushing the lead to 12, Cowan turned to the Paul VI fans to tell them what they already knew. “It’s a wrap,” he yelled before cracking a smile as he and his jubilant teammates ran back down the floor. |