Kassoum Yakwe was considered one of the five bes💜t Big East freshmen a year ago by the league’s coaches, a shot-blocking menace with long arms who was a two-🌄way factor in the paint.
Through 11 games, however, that playe💖r has yet to return. His numbers 𝕴are down across the board — averaging just 4.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and shooting 40 percent from the field in 22.1 minutes per game. He has yet to score in double figures after doing so six times in 26 games a year ago, one reason St. John’s is off to an underwhelming 5-6 start.
Yakwe, still blocking shots at a high rate (3.0), put the blame on himself, saying the stark drop in his offensive numbers has been 💦about him more than anyone else. Playing with more talented guards has been an adjustment. It has meant less shots — he averaged 5.6 attempts last year, 3.4 this year — and opportunities with the ball, a faster game.
“Sometimes, I’ll be overthinking. I’m still trying to work on [my] approach,” the 6-foot-7 Yakwe said in a phone interview in advance of Sunday’s game at the Garden against Penn State꧂ in the annual Holiday Festiva♏l (11 a.m., FS1). “I’ve been working hard to figure out when to make my moves. I think I need to be more aggressive with the ball.
“Sometimes I’m jus💜t not aggressiౠve. I just pass the ball, don’t look at the rim.”
Yakwe’s advisor, Tidiane Drame, met with coach Chris Mullin on Friday to discuss concerns about his progress, a source said. Mullin described Yakwe as more of an “active/rhythm” guy rather than someone he would just give the ball in the post, and just hasn’t played consistently yet. St. John’s lack of transition game hasn’t helped him, eitheꦺr. Also of note, Yakwe is young for a sophomore, just 19 years old.
“I do think it’s a matter of putting a real good game together and feelin🅷g good༺ about himself,” Mullin said. “The other parts are all in place — his daily work, his attitude, is all good. We just want him to break out.”
Yakwe insis♓ted the rough start hasn🍰’t affected him too much mentally. His said his belief hasn’t faded.
“I’m confident — I’m confident in myself,” Yakwe saಌid. “Sometimes, the game doesn’t go well on the offensive side. Sometimes it doesn’t go the way I want it to. I’m still working at it.”
Freshman point guard Marcus LoVett, who has missed the past three games with a sprained ankl🅺e, is expected to be available against Penn State, according to Mullin. Junior forward Amar Alibegovic (knee) will miss his second game in a row.
The second part of Sunday’s doubleheader will feature For🦄dham against Rutgers and new coach Steve Pikiell — who has the Scarlet Knights off to a 10-1 mark, their best start since the 1975-76 season. Though the schedule has been sꦦoft — Rutgers lost to Miami, the only quality high major opponent it has faced, and has beaten a number of weak low-major foes — it lost these games in previous years. A win Sunday would set up an intriguing Garden State showdown with Seton Hall next Friday at the Prudential Center.