No, Aaron Scott shook his head. Nothing has changed for him.
His self-belief hasn’t waned. Doubt hasn’t crept in. He still believes in his ability to knock down shots, even if very few have fallen for him of late.
“My confidence is high right now. I know I can make shots. I’ve done it before countless and numerous games,” the St. John’s senior forward said Monday, as the Johnnies prepared to face Xavier on Tuesday night in Cincinnati. “It’s going to fall. It’s the game of basketball, highs and lows.
“I’m not getting too low. It’s just the game of basketball. You’re supposed to have fun. Shots not falling — it’s cool. Do something else to win the game. That’s what I’m doing.”
He did it in Saturday’s victory over Butler. Scott had seven rebounds, two blocks, and two steals while leading St. John’s with a plus-20 in 26 quality minutes.
However, the 6-foot-8 newcomer has struggled on offense.
The team’s best on-ball defender has scored in double figures in only two of his last ten games.
In that time, he is shot 8-for-41 from three. St. John’s recruited him from North Texas because of his defense and grit, as well as his ability to stretch the floor. Scott shot 37% from beyond the arc last year. This season, the number has dropped to 26.9.
Teams are focusing on Scott, forcing him off the 3-point line. It has resulted in contested shots and fewer attempts. Coach Rick Pitino has encouraged him to attack more to keep the opposition honest.
“That is not an excuse. “Everybody gets scouted,” Scott explained. “I need to improve my movement to find better shots. Find my open shots.
Pitino emphasized the importance of moving without the ball, reaching the rim and foul line, grabbing offensive rebounds, and utilizing backdoor cuts rather than relying solely on spotting up. Aaron is a veteran, and I never worry about him. He fully commits to you. He just needs to figure out why he is not getting the same looks.”
Scott is clearly not alone.
St. John’s has struggled with three-point shooting for a long time, making only nine in four league games in 59 attempts, but the team is still 3-1 and 12-3.
Scott believes it will benefit everyone, not just himself. Meanwhile, the team’s shooting woes have largely not hampered them.
“We are still winning,” Scott explained. “I think people forget that we are still winning. It is impressive, but I am not surprised. We have a team of dogs, a team of hard workers. We do not need to make threes. We get it [through] offensive rebounds, drives, and transition. We have just been doing other things, so if we miss shots, it is fine.”
Zuby Ejiofor, a forward, was named to the Big East honor roll for the fourth straight week.
According to a source, freshman guard Jaiden Glover (wrist) is doubtful to play against Xavier.
He has not been able to practice for several days. He suffered the injury before Saturday’s win over Butler.