St. John’s Celebrates the Arrival of Long-Awaited Ruben Prey

Ruben Prey’s Dominant Second Half Propels St. John’s to Victory Over Colgate

Ruben Prey emerged in the second half, delivering a performance that exceeded expectations for No. 13 St. John’s during their commanding 90-59 victory against Colgate at Carnesecca Arena.

Despite facing foul challenges in the first half, the 6-foot-10 junior contributed significantly with nine points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in the game’s latter stages.

“He reminded me of the Ruben we saw last year, as he was energetic and active on both ends,” said head coach Rick Pitino. “He did an excellent job of moving consistently on offense and defense, which had been lacking in previous games.”

After serving as a backup for Zuby Ejiofor over the past two seasons, Prey stepped into the starter role this year. Although he started slowly, he showed marked improvement in a recent game against Iona, culminating in a standout second half against Colgate.

“I realized after the first half — having two fouls that kept me off the court — that I had to make the most of the 20 minutes in the second half,” Prey commented. “As a player, it’s vital to deliver performances you can be proud of. Now the focus shifts to Sunday’s matchup against Syracuse, where I aim to replicate this success.”

Babacar Sane made a return after missing the previous game due to an ankle injury, contributing nine points and six rebounds off the bench in just 16 minutes. His athletic prowess was on full display with an impressive follow slam late in the game, which drew a passionate reaction from the crowd.

Freshman center Theo Edema was unavailable due to a foot injury, though Coach Pitino anticipates his return for the upcoming game against Syracuse. Additionally, St. John’s secured a commitment from five-star wing Malachi Jordan of Prolific Prep (Fla.) on the first day high school players were allowed to sign with colleges.