Credit: GR Productions
Catalon Returns, Pirates Defeat St. John’s 57-48
Published: Saturday, January 25, 2025
by CJ Weipz
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – The Seton Hall women’s basketball team (14-5, 6-2) took down the St. John’s Red Storm (11-9, 1-8) after a massive fourth quarter from the Pirates. Savannah Catalon returned to the squad today after missing the last month with an ankle injury, scoring 12 points and grabbing four boards in her first game back.
“I think everyone can see the value of Savannah Catalon coming back...she's not just a special player, she's a special person,” Coach Tony Bozzella said following Catalon’s return to the court.
The Pirates trailed by three heading into the final frame of action in front of a sold-out Walsh Gymnasium, but the Seton Hall defense locked down on their home court; they held the Red Storm to just nine points in the fourth. Catalon also notched three steals in the last 10 minutes, leading to seven Johnnie turnovers.
Both squads took their time settling into the game this afternoon. St. John’s turned the ball over 11 times in the first quarter, but the Pirates couldn’t capitalize, scoring only nine points off those turnovers and shooting sub 30% from the field in the same period.
The rest of the half featured more of the same. St. John’s leading scorer for the afternoon, Ber’Nyah Mayo, finished the first half with seven points and the team’s first 3-point basket of the game. The Johnnies shot a respectable 10 of 27 from the field, capped off by a 7-0 run to tie the game up at 24 entering the halftime break.
Coach Joe Tartamella and company propelled off that momentum, taking their first lead in the third quarter and getting up by as much as nine points on the road. The Red Storm knocked down a pair of quick three-pointers to come out of the break, with a Kylie Lavelle three-pointer setting the score at 39-30 in favor of the visitors. Catalon and Jada Eads responded quickly, closing the deficit to just a single point going into the fourth quarter.
From there, it was all Pirates. After a Lashae Dwyer layup began the quarter, the Red Storm would not score another basket until the 2:16 mark in the game. After some late-game stoppage fouls, the Pirates would end up with their sixth conference victory and continue to stay undefeated after losses.
Faith Masonius led the Pirates with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Mayo finished with 18 points and three assists for St. John’s.
The Pirates will take on Butler in Walsh Gymnasium on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. You can catch all the action only on 89.5 FM WSOU, the flagship station for Seton Hall Women’s Basketball.
CJ Weipz is an Assistant Sports Director and can be reached at christopher.weipz@student.shu.edu.Posted in: sports,