By ADAM ZAGORIA
Mustapha Heron is expected to play in St. John’s season-opener Tuesday against Loyola-Maryland after suffering a mild concussion during preseason, multiple sources close to the situation told ZAGSBLOG.
The 6-foot-5 Heron did not play in the Red Storm’s Nov. 1 exhibition win over Maryville.
Heron scored more than 1,000 points in two seasons with Auburn before transferring to St. John’s to be closer to his ill mother. He then received a hardship waiver to play immediately this season.
Last year, Heron was selected to the All-SEC Second Team by the Associated Press after leading Auburn to an SEC Co-Regular Season Championship and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Waterbury, Conn., native averaged 16.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
He and teammate Shamorie Ponds, the Big East Preseason Player of the Year, are expected to form a potent 1-2 punch for Chris Mullin’s team.
“We’re scoring talents, but at the same time, guys who are willing to get our teammates involved,” Heron said at St. John’s media day. “I think it’s just going to be — with us complementing each other and when you add all the other pieces in — it’s really going to be a great year.”
“We both play off each other and we’ve both developed to be great leaders,” Ponds echoed. “It’s definitely exciting because we go way back. He told me he was going to come to St. John’s during a (NBA) workout. We’ve both got a lot to prove, and we’re definitely going to show the world what they want to see.”
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