White Defeats Red in Scrimmage 84-72, Durand Johnson Scores Game-High 32 Points

(USA Today Images)

Saturday, at Carnesecca Arena, in the first public team scrimmage for the St. John’s Men’s basketball season 2015-2016, Durand Johnson scored an amazing game-high 32 points, leading Team White in a 84-72 victory against Team Red. For a first look at Chris Mullin’s team and coaching skills, let’s just say fans were pretty impressed.

Team White was on fire, especially with the contributions of Johnson, who converted 11-of-17 shot attempts and made 5-for-8 3-pointers. Federico Mussini finished with 17 points and eight assists, Darien Williams finished with 11 points, Tariq Owens finished with 10 points, and Kassoum Yakwe finished with eight points and 12 rebounds. Team White shot 42.0 percent (29-of-69) overall and made 16-of-22 free throws (72.7 percent).

Team Red featured strong players including, Marcus LoVett, who finished with a team-high 22 points, eight assists and five steals. Red also had four players post double-figures in the scoring column. Ron Mvouika finished with 16 points, Yankuba Sima finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, Malik Ellison finished with 14 points, and Christian Jones finished with five points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

Graduate transfer from Missouri State, Mvouika, opened the game with his first of four 3-pointers in the game to power an 8-0 run for Team Red. Williams and Johnson quickly responded with consecutive triples to help White get on the board, eventually tying the game at 10 at 15:27. Johnson had 18 points at the break. Mussini made consecutive 3-pointers to put White up by 11, 39-28, with just 3:51 to go in the first half.  The first half finished with a 47-34 advantage for White, who did not trail in the second half.

Johnson was 8-for-9 from the field after a layup 36 seconds into the second half that put White up 49-36. Red was then only behind by seven, 49-42, after Mvouika made a 3-pointer and a tip-in by Sima at the 17:11 mark. Johnson then made four-straight free throws which pushed White’s lead back to up to 12 before Red reassembled again. Mvouika made two 3s and Lovett added three of his own that cut the White lead to just four, 60-56, with 9:12 left.

Williams responded to Team Red with a 3-pointer, where Johnson also answered with a layup-and-one, which made White regain a double-digit advantage, 68-57, with 7:45 left. Team White eventually gained a 15-point lead with less than two minutes left to play and were victorious knocking down six-straight free throws.

The Red Storm returns to Carnesecca Arena on Nov. 4 with a 7 p.m. exhibition game against St. Thomas Aquinas, which can also be watched on ESPN3.