Ojiya Sellers Key to St. John’s Offensive Performance
In the context of St. John’s University basketball, Ojiya Sellers’ performance has a significant impact. When he’s engaged in the game, particularly in scoring, the team tends to thrive. However, when his scoring is low and he’s less involved, that’s when the struggles begin.
In fact, if Sellers scores in double digits, the team averages a remarkable 91.6 points per game, with him attempting around 11 shots. On the flip side, when his game quiets down, St. John’s only scores about 81.7 points, and his shot attempts drop to six.
“It starts with trying to put him in situations where he can succeed,” said Zuby Ejiofor. “Clearly, he’s one of our best shooters. It’s our role to create opportunities for him. When he’s hitting shots, the team’s performance just improves.”
Interestingly, Sellers had an off game recently against Harvard, scoring just four points on two for five shooting. Over the last two tournaments, he’s only made four three-pointers and his average has dipped to 8.3 points across the last six matchups.
“Coach keeps reminding me to shoot the ball whenever I can,” Sellers reflected. “There were definitely moments against Harvard where we could have been more aggressive. I watch a lot of movies, so I know there are areas I can improve.”
It’s apparent that opposing teams recognize Sellers’ importance to St. John’s strategy and are trying to limit his impact. Yet, he also bears a responsibility to not let the opponent dictate his effectiveness on the court.
“I need to not let their defense get in my head or influence how many shots I take,” he acknowledged. “We need to be assertive when shooting.”
On the health front, Ian Jackson and Dillon Mitchell recently missed practices due to illness, but both are expected to be in the lineup for the upcoming game against Georgetown.
Looking back at recent New Year’s Eve games, things haven’t been pleasant for St. John’s. Last year, they narrowly lost to Creighton, and in 2022, they faced significant defeat against Seton Hall. The team has struggled on this day, going 0-10 since 2008, with the majority of those games away.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that St. John’s holds a nine-game winning streak against Georgetown, which gives them some hope heading into their next match.
