Labaron Philon Jr. Had 25 points as No. 15 Alabama took care of non-conference foe fifth-ranked St. Johns with a 103-96 victory on Saturday.
Philon’s deep 3-pointer put the Tide up 98-88 with two minutes remaining and they didn’t look back. He shot 10-of-17 from the field in his second straight 20-point outing.
This game was a battle from the jump. Both teams came out firing, and the first half didn’t disappoint. St. Johns leaned heavily on Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins to keep pace. Ejiofor was on fire early, scoring 21 points and grabbing 4 rebounds before halftime, while Hopkins chipped in 15 points.
On the other side, Alabama relied on Philon and Aden Holloway who. Were doing their part to keep the Tide rolling. Holloway scored 15 points with a steal, and Philon Jr. Added 10 points along with 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Alabama shot well, hitting 48.8% from the floor and knocking down 40% of their threes, which helped them build a 53–44 lead at halftime.
St. John’s struggled a bit from deep, shooting just 14.3%, but made up some ground at the free-throw line, going 19-for-23. Rebounding was close, with Alabama grabbing 21 boards to St. John’s 18.
Coming out of halftime, Alabama held a 9-point lead, and momentum looked like it was swinging their way. But St. John’s wasn’t going down without a fight. They showed real grit and maturity, fighting back hard despite being down nearly double digits.
Alabama’s Bol Bowen turned up the heat in the second half, scoring 10 more points to finish with 17 on the night. Meanwhile, Alabama’s defense locked down on Ejiofor, holding him to just 6 points after halftime, forcing St. John’s to rely on others for offense.
Fortunately for St. John’s, Oziyah Sellers and bench player Ian Jackson stepped up big, each scoring 12 points in the second half to help keep the game close. Despite their efforts, Alabama’s defense held strong, and they came away with the upset win, 103-96.
More: St. John's basketball makes history not done since Lou Carnesecca's first team in 1965
Alabama’s second-half stars included Holloway, who added 21 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Bowen pulled down 9 rebounds. L. Wrightsell also made a big impact with 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals.
For St. John’s, Ejiofor finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, Hopkins had 14 points and 4 boards, and Sellers and Jackson both contributed 14 points each, with Sellers pulling down 7 rebounds and Jackson 4.
Both teams shot well in the second half. Alabama hitting 48.1 percent, while St. John’s even better at 49.2%. Rebounding was close too, with Alabama grabbing 43 boards and St. John’s 42.
In the end, Alabama’s defense was the difference-maker, especially with how they limited Ejiofor in the second half. Bowen and Wrightsell led the charge, while Sellers and Jackson kept St. John’s competitive until the final buzzer.
More college basketball news:
- Rick Pitino reacts to St. John’s opening win
- Ohio State loses point guard commitment
- AJ Dybansta makes debut for BYU
- Jalen Rose on TNT college basketball coverage