Rutgers basketball: Harper, Bailey dazzle but St. John’s rallies to win exhibition

PISCATAWAY – It was only an exhibition game, but one thing appears abundantly clear about Rutgers basketball for the 2024-25 season: There’s never going to be a dull moment.

Freshmen phenoms Dylan Harper (20 points on 8-of-16 shooting) and Ace Bailey (25 points, 4-of-9 on 3-pointers) wowed the raucous crowd of 4,200 at Jersey Mike’s Arena, but Rutgers showed its youth down the stretch as St. John’s rallied to prevail 91-85.

Harper and Bailey delivered exactly what one might expect: Highlight-reel moments, big production and some rookie defensive lapses. Perhaps most noteworthy of all: They took the result hard in the locker room afterward.

“It’ll pay off in dividends down the line, because I know how much the guys cared about this game, and this game didn’t count,” captain Zach Martini said. “We were pissed off. We thought we were the better team. We didn’t block out well, we turned the ball over down the stretch.”

The Johnnies rallied from a 13-point deficit and overcame a 22-0 Scarlet Knights run thanks to a forceful showing on the offensive glass and dominance in the paint. Rutgers owns the No. 25 ranking in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, but St. John’s, which just missed the cut, looks worthy of being ranked. The Red Storm closed the contest on a 14-2 run.

“It comes down to learning how to win,” captain Jeremiah Williams said. “In a tight game every possession matters, small details matter. We’ve got a lot of new pieces so it’s going to take some time.”

In the postgame locker room, Williams said, the vibe among the players was “like it was a real game. We know we’re still 0-0, but we approach it like it’s real.”

Proceeds from the exhibition’s ticket sales benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Fans got their money’s worth in terms of entertainment, if not the final result.

“We’re going to learn to win,” Martini said. “There’s no doubt in my mind about that.”

FIVE TAKEAWAYS

1. Rutgers bench, thumbs up

Jordan Derkack and P.J. Hayes don’t get top billing or even secondary billing for Rutgers, but they were essential for the Scarlet Knights Thursday.

Derkack notched the ultimate glue-guy effort. The Colonia High School grad and Merrimack transfer posted four points, a team-high seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks mostly in relief of Williams, who had a tough outing. Derkack’s spectacular first-half block of St. John’s forward Aaron Scott, which stymied a fast break as flew into the play from way behind, sparked a standing ovation.

“He’s tough,” Pikiell said. “He’s a multi-position guy and he’s got a great energy about him.”

San Diego transfer Hayes, the last guy added to the roster in the offseason, was a model of effiency: 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field, including 2-of-2 from deep. He made all three of his free throws, handed out two assist and didn’t turn the ball over once in 17 minutes. He also used the shot fake to freeze St. John’s defense on multiple occasions.

“We have the pieces,” Pikiell said.

2. Kadary Richmond came on strong

Don’t let the stat line fool you: St. John’s point guard Kadary Richmond (9 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks, 1 turnover) was the best player on the floor when it counted most. The postgrad transfer from Seton Hall was in total command on both ends over the final five minutes.

“It seems like he’s been in college for a long time, and he’s so talented, and he’s big,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said.

The Richmond-Harper showdown didn’t materialize as expected because Richmond logged just seven first-half minutes due to foul trouble, and Harper rarely defended him. Pikiell left that to Williams and junior wing Jordan Derkack.

How valuable was Richmond for the Johnnies? When Rick Pitino pulled him after his second foul, St. John’s led 17-8. Then Rutgers went on a 22-0 run.

“He’s a good player,” Williams said. “That’s it.”

Richmond finished with a plus/minus of plus-20, the highest of the game.

“He’s tremendous,” Pitino said. “I love coaching him because he does all the little things.”

3. Starting lineup surprise

There was one minor surprise in the starting lineup as Pikiell sent sophomore guard Jamichael Davis out with Harper, Bailey, Williams and center Emmanuel Ogbole. That’s three guards, a wing and a big, and St. John’s took advantage by posting a 10-4 rebounding edge early on, including four quick second-chance points.

Davis finished with 9 points on 3-of-9 shooting, with 3 rebounds, 3 fouls and 2 steals in 27 minutes. It seemed like Pikiell was rewarding him for his offseason work ethic.

“J-Mike, these guys will tell you, has he had a bad day in practice?” Pikiell said. “Real pleased how he’s gotten better in every area.”

Martini, Derkack and freshman Lathan Sommerville were the first wave off the bench, with Hayes and postgrad guard Tyson Acuff rounding out the 10-man rotation. Acuff’s entry was surprising since he’s had just a week of practice under his belt after missing three-and-a-half months due to a fractured foot. He looked rusty in his two-minute cameo.

Freshmen forwards Dylan Grant and Bryce Dortch did not play.

4. Tough night for three-headed center

During his 11-minute postgame press conference, Pikiell referenced his team’s rebounding struggles at least eight times. St. John’s went plus-9 on the glass, including a 21-13 edge on the offensive boards, and outscored Rutgers 46-30 in the paint.

“The backboards obviously hurt us,” he said. “We haven’t been rebounding well in practice and we’ve got to do a better job with that.”

The biggest question about Rutgers, how they would compensate for losing standout center Cliff Omoruyi to Alabama, was on display Thursday. Pikiell is going to use a three-headed monster at center with the brutish Ogbole, the talented but raw Sommerville and the experienced Martini. The rotation there clearly needs some tinkering because St. John’s owned the battle in the post with 6-foot-9, 240-pound junior Zuby Ejiofor (27 points, 13 rebounds), a vastly improved player who Pitino is sky-high on.

“As a team we’re not boxing out the way we want to be, the way we should be,” Martini said. “Credit to (Ejiofor); he played a great game.”

Ogbole struggled with his positioning. It will be interesting to see how much leeway he gets if he doesn’t progress.

5. Midseason atmosphere

The fan turnout of about 4,240 was undoubtedly hampered by the Mets and Yankees playing in the league championship series, and the fact that this was televised on the Big Ten Network (with former Rutgers center Austin Johnson as the analyst). But it was still a good crowd for a game that doesn’t count, and the folks who showed up brought regular-season intensity.

“On one of the baskets. I subconsciously started screaming and that’s not my style,” said Martini, who was making his debut here. “The energy in the RAC is contagious. It’s a fun place to play.”

And the turnout along press row – 40 media members and 20 NBA scouts – was unprecedented for any game in this building. There were games in the not-to-distant past when you could count the reporters and scouts on one hand.

Times have changed on the banks.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers basketball: Harper, Bailey dazzle but St. John’s rallies to win