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They played the aggressor from the start. They worked together well. And they showed enough character to hold the lead when threatened. And when it was over, they gave their coach something he will always cherish.
St. John's opened the Norm Roberts era and the 2004-05 season yesterday with a 79-68
win over Wagner before 3,592 at Alumni Hall. Then, inside their locker room, the Red Storm players presented Roberts with the game ball to mark his first victory as St. John's head coach.
"That was a great moment," said point guard Daryll Hill, who led the Johnnies with 20 points and five assists. "He was very happy and he told us, 'It's just the first of many,' which was good for us to hear."
"I'm going to put that up somewhere in my house," Roberts said. "That's something special."
St. John's began its ascent from the depths of its worst season by leading this game from start to finish, an impressive feat because Wagner played relatively well. The Seahawks shot 50% and rebounded about evenly with the Red Storm. Still, none of the Johnnies' returning players was willing to admit that last year's team probably would have lost this one.
"I can't say that, but I can say that playing on this team had a totally different feel," said Lamont Hamilton, who needed two stitches above his right eye after catching an elbow and returned to finish with 13 points. "We play together better. We play harder."
St. John's shot 54% for the game - the first over-50% effort in 24 games - and went 6-for-14 on three-pointers. The Storm also had 21 assists, its highest total in 71 games (Feb. 6, 2002 against Fairfield).
"We weren't playing like individuals," Phil Missere said. "We played cohesively. You wouldn't mistake this game for one guy doing everything, which was what it was like a lot of the time last year."
Dexter Gray and Rodney Epperson had great debuts for the Storm. The 6-8 Gray started the game, shot 8-for-12 and had 17 points in 35 minutes. Epperson also started and had 12 points, made two three-pointers and had a team-high seven rebounds. St. John's also got big production from Ryan Williams and Eugene Lawrence off the bench; Williams had nine points and Lawrence five assists in 19 minutes.
Joey Mundweiller had 14 points for the Seahawks and had four of their eight three-pointers.
St. John's assumed control with an early 14-0 run that included Williams finishing a pair of fast breaks and Hamilton scoring two inside baskets. The lead was 43-27 at the half.
"I had a feeling from the way the game was going, (Wagner) would make a run," Roberts said.
He was prophetic. Wagner mounted a 14-3 run early in the second half to cut it to 54-50 with 11:58 to play.
It was still a margin of six in the final two minutes before St. John's showed it can close out a game. Gray made a three-point play and then Hill converted a layup and a pair of free throws in the final minute.
"I think people saw a team that played hard and played together and tried to help each other," Roberts said. "I think people see a light there. There is a light at the end of the tunnel."
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