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Recruiting: incoming guard Shamorie Ponds puts on a show; leads team to PSAL title

The star of the incoming class led his team to a pair of titles in the last week.

By Brendan Carducci

Shamorie Ponds is on a winning streak, grabbing City and State titles for his high school - and showing a taste of what he hopes to do to lift St. John's next year as a freshman guard.

About one week ago, future St. John's student-athlete Shamorie Ponds exploded in the PSAL championship game. Ponds strode into Madison Square Garden, and dominated when his team needed him most. He finished the championship game with a stat line of 31 points, 12 rebounds, six steals, and five assists.

This performance led Thomas Jefferson High School over Brooklyn's Abraham Lincoln High School. Thomas Jefferson hadn't won a PSAL championship since 1954; Shamorie Ponds cemented his place in Jefferson history. The performance also earned Shamorie Ponds Co-MVP of the PSAL City Championship.

After the game, Ponds embraced three of his biggest supporters. Head Coach Chris Mullin, Associate Head Coach Barry Rohrssen, and Assistant Coach Matt Abdelmassih were in attendance at Madison Square Garden. This heart-warming tweet was sent out later by coach Matt Abdelmassih.

After securing New York's Public title, Ponds led Thomas Jefferson High School to the Federation Championship game, where the champions of NY's districts meet to determine a state champion.

He stepped up for a game-high 27 points en route to Jefferson's semifinal victory over Long Island Lutheran. Shamorie Ponds once again turned it on when the lights shined the brightest, scoring 21 of those 27 points in the second-half.

After the game Jefferson coach Bud Pollard had this to say about Ponds.

"He’s more of a second half player, Shamorie. If he’s in a game he will feel the game out, get his teammates involved. He’s just a very unselfish kid, at halftime I always have to tell him that he has to take over and he takes over."

This is a very encouraging sign for Red Storm supporters. Shamorie Ponds thrives in big moments, and ultimately wants to show up for his city, like so many city players of past years. Ponds experienced how New York kids can walk into Madison Square Garden and command the world's biggest stage. Someone like New York star Isaiah Whitehead comes to mind, who lead his Seton Hall Pirates to a Big East Tournament Championship.

"Going into next year, watching Seton Hall, I just want to come and do the same thing… do even better [for St. John's]," said Ponds following his team’s PSAL championship victory.

Clearly Shamorie Ponds is determined to make his mark in New York City and across the nation. No better way to achieve that goal then playing under a collection of basketball geniuses at St. John's University.

Above is Shamorie Ponds official mixtape courtesy of Courtside Films. (Imaginary fire emoji's)

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