Johnnie basketball ends 2025-2026 season second in conference

Despite graduating eight of their top nine scorers from an NCAA Tournament squad last season, the St. John’s basketball team exceeded expectations and returned to the MIAC title game for the sixth time in the past seven seasons.

Although the Johnnies fell to No. 11 Gustavus 75-66 in the MIAC championship, there were plenty of positive aspects to take away from the season.

“We got a lot better as the season went on,” head coach Pat McKenzie said. “We went through a lot of adversity together and hopefully that provides us with some ammunition moving forward.”

After opening the season on a slow 4-7 start, SJU turned its season around. The Johnnies finished the year going 12-4 over their final 16 games to finish 16-11 overall. In MIAC play, SJU posted an 11-5 record, tying for second place in the regular-season standings.

“There were some tough days, but I think it’s a credit to the guys. They stayed the course and were able to get us on the right track,” McKenzie said.

First-year guard Peyton Podany expressed a similar perspective on the season.

“It’s been a lot of growth and a lot of new experiences for all of us. I think we’ve grown so much individually and together as a team,” Podany said.

The rocky start to the season can be attributed to the strong quality of opponents SJU took on. The Johnnies played a challenging non-conference slate, including three games against NCAA Tournament teams with No. 3 UW-La Crosse, No. 24 Trinity (Texas) and Whitworth. Another challenge the Johnnies faced was the lack of experience with their young roster.

“A lot of it was just getting the guys used to college basketball. Getting familiar with each other and growing as teammates. Building up that camaraderie and trust takes time,” McKenzie said.

As the season progressed, several young players emerged as key contributors.

Podany led the Johnnies in points per game (15), rebounds per game (5.8), and three-point shots made (66). Podany’s 42% shooting from beyond the arc was fourth best in the MIAC.

“Peyton obviously had a great year for a freshman,” McKenzie said. “He just continued to get better.”

Podany, who was selected to the MIAC All-Conference First Team, got in a groove late in the season, scoring 20 or more points in five of the last six games of the season, including a pair of 34-point performances. “It took some time but as the season went on, my teammates were gaining trust in me, getting the ball in my hands and I was able to make plays,” Podany said. “I can’t give enough credit to my teammates and coaches for being able to put me in positions to succeed.”

Junior guard Baiden Bean also made a large impact in an expanded role this winter, taking home MIAC Honorable Mention honors. Bean recorded a conference-best 149 assists (5.5 per game), led the MIAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.4), and finished top five in steals with 43.

Junior center Vincent Hillesheim claimed the highest field goal percentage in the MIAC, shooting 70% from the floor. Hillesheim averaged 8.1 points per game, grabbed 5.2 rebounds per game, and was selected to the MIAC’s All-Playoff team along with Podany after going 11-11 from the field in the MIAC tournament.

“I thought Baiden and Vinny as the year went on, those two guys found a different gear and played really good basketball,” McKenzie said. “They were part of the reason why we had the turnaround we had.”

Looking ahead to next season, McKenzie shared his belief that the group has plenty of room to develop.

“There’s a lot of room for improvement from the coaching staff down to the players,” McKenzie said. “Everybody’s got to get better to make sure next season is different.”

Podany noted that he and the team need to get stronger in the offseason to be better prepared for the following season.

“A big thing for me and the rest of the young guys, is making sure we’re getting in the weight room. The physical aspect of the game is a big thing, and we need to make sure that we’re ready to play at this level,” Podany said.

With a sharp focus in the off-season, Podany believes the Johnnies will be better primed for the road ahead.

“We’ll be much more prepared and even better on the court next season,” Podany said. “We’re going to be working together and making sure that we’re doing all the right things to prepare ourselves for next year.”