Johnny Gardiner

St. John’s – Gonzaga Standout

The lefty will be called upon to run the show for the Purple Eagles now that James Matan’s done for the year. Against teams that don’t look like a Division I team, that should be just fine. He’s a slippery lefty with a hard shot and led Gonzaga with two goals and an assist. His first tally came when he put home the garbage on a rebound, then he blasted an EMO rip past Fyock to show off his shooting stroke.

“It’s a big adjustment (without Matan),” Gardiner said. “A lot of our plays ran through me and him, so we had to switch up the offense a little bit. We didn’t get into it as quick in the first half and it really showed.”

What might have been the most impressive about Gardiner, though, was his relentless devotion to the ride. He had a pair of caused turnovers off of it – including a strip of Figueiras – because he’s so committed to getting the ball back.