Johnnies clinch regular season title

The St John’s Basketball team earned the MIAC regular season conference championship title, for the second year in a row on Saturday, Feb. 12.

Their 68-65 Saturday win against Augsburg locked it in, but not without a struggle. Barely winning by three points, the Johnnies were able to come back with a win against the Auggies after losing to them in January, 66-67. The Johnnies had also lost to St. Olaf on Feb. 9, 70-77.

“I think the loss to St. Olaf was good for us as a team because it just gives us more of an edge. The loss motivated everyone to go that much harder in the practices leading into Augsburg,” senior guard Jake Binley said.

Thankfully, the Johnnies were able to refocus just in time for their final game of the regular season.

“We understood that we had to reset quickly and take care of business,” senior guard Colton Codute said.

“We really value consistency.” Head coach Pat McKenzie said to the Johnnies’ consistency for why they rebound so well. “As a result, we hope that the highs never get too high, and the lows never get too low. I think our whole team knew that we were better than we showed down at St. Olaf. It was simply a matter of getting back to work and focusing on our approach,” McKenzie said.

Putting the Oles and the Auggies in the past, the team is turning their focus on the postseason play that lies ahead of them. The first round of the playoffs will begin on Saturday, Feb. 19.

Reflecting on their season so far, the Johnnies remain humble and optimistic for the MIAC championships.

“I am very excited to have a chance to get into the playoffs especially considering the opportunity was taken from us two seasons ago. Our mindset now is taking one game at a time, especially considering any game could be our last,” junior post Mitchell Plombon said.

The current seniors and juniors on the team share this sentiment. After being nationally ranked for the majority of the 2019-20 season and having arguably one of the strongest teams in the history of SJU basketball, to say that the team was heartbroken by the season’s abrupt end would be an understatement.

“It is super exciting knowing that we could get the chance to go to the NCAA tournament again. That would be the third time for this senior class and since there wasn’t one last year we would love to get back there,” Binley said.

Coming back after not only an unsatisying end to 2020, but a shortened season in 2021, the Johnnies are proud of their resilience and hard work this season.

“It is a terrific accomplishment for this group. Any time you win a championship, it’s special. This is no different,” McKenzie said.

However, their work is far from over.

“Winning the MIAC conference outright has always been one of the goals for this team. This team is hungry and winning the conference was a step in the right direction to our ultimate goal,” Codute said.

Binley’s echoed Codute’s sentiment.

“Winning the regular season was great, but as a team we want to win the conference tournament as well…we know that there is still work to be done,” Binley said.

The Johnnies hope to stay grounded and focused heading into the conference tournament. They are considering each and every team as a threat at the moment to maintain their competitive edge.

“The MIAC is tough. A lot of teams are playing well and we must take every game with the approach that each team can beat us if we don’t come to play,” Codute said.

Every team will be bringing their best to each conference tournament game. Despite coming off a successful regular season that ranked them number one heading into the MIAC tournament, the Johnnies know that they can’t get overconfident.

“Playing this late in the season anyone we play can be a threat, so it is our job to be ready for everyone’s best,” Binley said.

Despite the successful end to the regular season, the last few months have not been easy for the team. In the first four games of the season, the Johnnies faced some harsh non-conference opponents that they lost to, among them UW-Oshkosh and Hope College, who they could potentially face in the NCAA tournament.

Additionally, with conference losses to Augsburg and St. Olaf and the occasional game cancellation due to COVID protocols, the Johnnies have worked hard to earn their regular season title.

However, the things happening off the court have made the biggest impact on the team’s success thus far.

“Every guy on our roster has contributed to the success of our team this year. We’ve had a number of injuries and illnesses hit our team. It has been a little bit of ‘musical chairs’ as it pertains to lineups, practices, rotations, etc.,” McKenzie said.

Versatility in the face of adversity has proven to be one of the redeeming qualities of the 2022 team.

“So many different guys have had big games on various nights. That has been a fun part of the season. In addition we have guys who haven’t seen much playing time but make our practices extremely competitive. You can’t win without all of those components in place. Fortunately, they’ve been there for us this season,” McKenzie said.

The team’s depth played a large role in their successful regular season.

“We had some key guys who missed games with injuries and the way others were able to step up shows how talented this group is,” Binley said.

Beyond the skill and talent of the Johnnies lies an even bigger factor in their success as a team: their family- like atmosphere and supportive community.

“One of the biggest things that has contributed to our success is how close this team is. I have been a part of some great teams here at SJU, but this team has become one of my favorites to be a part of. Everyone on this team gets along well and this translates to the basketball court nicely. This team is extremely unselfish, and that can be seen by how balanced our scoring has been throughout the season,” Codute said.

The Johnnies finished off the regular season Wednesday night with a 87-65 win against Gustavus.