A confident Joel Soriano leads St. John's past Niagara for 7-0 start

What a difference 12 months can make.

Through seven games last season, Joel Soriano was averaging 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game — and those numbers were about to decrease in the next three contests.

But this season, Soriano has been as big a reason — both physically and theoretically — as anybody for St. John’s undefeated start through seven games.

He posted his sixth double-double with 21 points and 19 rebounds as St. John’s defeated Niagara, 78-70, at Carnesecca Arena on Saturday afternoon. Both were season highs for the 6-11 senior.

“Last year, if I’m being honest, I wasn’t as confident as I am right now,” Soriano said. “I think that’s a big part and I’m working way harder this year.”

Soriano is averaging 15.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. At the conclusion of Saturday’s game, his 89 total rebounds led all Division I players.

“Just goes to show hard work pays off, but it’s only the beginning,” Soriano said. “It’s early in the season. I want to give credit to my coaching staff and teammates for believing in me.”

St. John’s played shorthanded without guard Posh Alexander, who was an All-Big East honorable mention selection last season. He is in the concussion protocol after taking a hit in the head in the Red Storm’s 76-69 overtime victory over Syracuse at Barclays Center on Tuesday.

After Saturday’s game, coach Mike Anderson said it’s still unknown how long Alexander will be out and that the final decision will come from trainers and doctors. But with Alexander out, Anderson challenged his other players to raise their level of play.

“Coach said before the game we need our guys to step up, not just me, everybody,” Soriano said. “[Alexander] plays a big part and I feel like we did that in spurts. We just have to do that for 40 minutes now.”

St. John’s controlled the majority of the opening 20 minutes, taking a 37-28 lead into halftime. The Red Storm opened the second half on a 6-0 run to expand their lead to 43-28 before a Niagara timeout. Niagara (3-3) climbed back from there, closing to within 57-52 with 8:11 left in the second half.

After a thrilling overtime victory over Syracuse on Tuesday and the holiday, Anderson said he saw his team get tired during stretches of the game. Saturday had all the makings of a “trap” game against a perceived inferior opponent.

“That’s one of those games where as a coach you’re worried about,” Anderson said. “I was up all night long just worried about it because you are coming off a high and you know your guys are human, but at the end of the day, we made enough plays”

Four Red Storm players finished with 10 points each: O’Mar Stanley (six rebounds), Dylan Addae-Wusu (four rebounds, two steals), Montez Mathis (three steals) and David Jones.

Noah Thomasson had 24 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Purple Eagles (3-3).

After the seventh game of the season a year ago, Soriano totaled eight points and 19 rebounds in 39 minutes in his next three games. That’s unlikely to happen this season.

“He is looking to impose his will on both sides of the floor and he’s become more of a vocal leader when things are not going well. He keeps the guys together,” said Addae-Wusu, who added that the team has nicknamed Soriano “Big Beasty.”

Said Anderson, “He’s playing with his size, the weight room has helped him out, but the biggest thing is confidence. You can see it.”