Red Storm dominates in season opener

It was as good an opening stanza as any team could have written.

St. John’s rode a lot of hype into Tuesday night’s season opener against Loyola (Md.) and gave no one a reason to doubt. Shamorie Ponds looked as dominant as ever. Auburn transfer Mustapha Heron joined Ponds to give the Red Storm a potent 1-2 scoring punch. The team looked deep, with nine players logging at least 10 minutes. And there were thrilling plays that made a Carnesecca Arena crowd of 4,863 roar.

It added up to a 76-55 victory over the Greyhounds in an on-campus game of the Legends Classic. The Storm hosts another against Bowling Green on Friday before its semifinal with Cal Nov. 19 at Barclays Center.

Because of electrifying plays in the first half, it was entertaining despite not being much of a contest. St. John’s was up 10 points in fewer than 10 minutes and up 20 in the final minute of the half, which ended with Ponds banking in a 28-foot three-pointer on the run as the buzzer sounded. He never broke stride as he went out the door toward the locker room with the Storm ahead 48-23.

The Storm scored the first eight points after the break and led 56-23 on a Ponds jumper before coasting home.

“I thought we were really good in the first half,” coach Chris Mullin said. “There was great defense and great activity. For the most part we ran our offense well. I think that’s going to keep getting better as they play together and get some minutes.

“We threw out a lot of different lineups tonight, and that’s what we intend to do all year. Those combinations are going to take a little time, but Shamorie and Mustapha, they both have a good feel for the game, . . . . They are two very skilled, smart players. I am not concerned about that [combination.]”

Ponds had 20 points, shot 9-for-15 and dished four assists. Heron was exciting to watch and had 15 points and seven rebounds. He led the SEC regular-season champion Tigers in scoring last season with a 16.4-point average before transferring to be closer to an ill parent. The junior guard missed the team’s final tune-up for this one – last week’s unimpressive exhibition win over Division II Maryville – because he was in concussion protocol.

Heron started the highlight-reel play of the game. He had the crowd on its feet cheering when, on a fast break, he left the ball off the backboard for trailing LJ Figueroa to put down a monster slam.

“I heard LJ call that he was behind me,’’ Heron said. “I knew wherever I put it, he was going to go get it.”

“That’s what we are definitely trying to do,” Ponds said. “We’re trying to have fun. We’re playing as a team to make it fun.”

Mikey Dixon, the Quinnipiac transfer who sat out last season, had 13 points off the bench. Figueroa, who was a junior college All-American last season, had nine points and a team-high eight rebounds. Andrew Kostecka had 17 points for Loyola.

Still, the takeaway for Mullin is that this was the best he’d seen from his team since it was assembled.

“I haven’t really seen our guys play together well yet – I haven’t seen it in practice – so the first half was the first time I’ve seen them play well and energetic with effort,” he said. “[Reserves] looked like they belonged and they fit. That’s a good thing. . . Today was a good step forward.”