St. John’s Extends Winning Streak to 10 Games
On Monday night, Zubie Ejiofor stepped up big in the second half, helping St. John’s continue their winning streak, now at 10 games. He finished the game with 25 points, contributing six of those during overtime, alongside seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals in the Johnnies’ narrow 87-82 victory over Xavier.
Ejiofor leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, and blocked shots. It’s quite impressive, really. As a senior tri-captain, he’s also in the conversation for national recognition this season.
Coach Rick Pitino expressed his admiration, stating, “He’s one of those five players who give their all every single day in practice, in individual competition, every game, and in my life.” He compared Ejiofor’s commitment to that of past players like Danis Jenkins and Billy Donovan. You can feel the difference when a player shows up ready to compete every day—it really does elevate the team’s performance.
It’s kind of surprising that Ejiofor hasn’t been named a Player of the Year candidate yet; at least, that’s what Pitino thinks. “I don’t know why he’s not named Player of the Year,” he remarked, clearly baffled by it.
Ejiofor was recognized as the Big East’s preseason player of the year and is still a frontrunner for that award as March approaches.
In other news, the Detroit Pistons announced the conversion of former St. John’s player Danis Jenkins’ two-way contract into a standard NBA contract, which—if reports are accurate—could be worth $8 million over two years. It’s interesting how Jenkins, who went undrafted, has managed to secure a backup point guard position in Detroit during just his second professional season.
“I think it’s great,” Pitino noted about Jenkins’ journey. He emphasized the player’s persistence and hard work, crediting him for developing from his earlier days as a JUCO player into a reliable point guard. Pitino also spoke of Jenkins’ intensity and leadership, which really make a difference on the court.
However, not everything is perfect—sophomore guard Joeson Sannon did tweak his ankle during the game, but Pitino is optimistic he’ll be ready for Saturday’s match against Providence. I mean, with this winning streak, they tied for the second-longest in the program’s history, just behind the 14-game streak set back in the 1984-85 season.
