Coming into the 2010-2011 season, two major storylines surfaced for this St. John’s team. The first, most prominently, was that of this senior-heavy class, trying to make one final push into the NCAA tournament in, this, their final season. The other, one that was somewhat of a wildcard, though still tied to the ultimate success of this senior class, was could be found in the lanky, 6’7” frame of freshman Dwayne Polee II.
Even before the first time he stepped on the court for the Red Storm, expectations were high. Committing just weeks after Steve Lavin was named head coach, Polee II was one of the most coveted unsigned players in the Spring signing period, ultimately turning down offers from Oregon and Georgia to join the Red Storm. Because of the quick series of events that landed Polee II in Queens, fans knew little more about him than the video of the high-flyer they had seen in online mixtapes or heard about through blog chatter.
Now, at the midpoint of his first year in Queens, the Los Angeles native has had his ups (16 pts in his college debut vs. St. Mary’s) and his downs (0 pts on 0/3 shooting in just 7 minutes vs. St. Bonaventure). He has certainly shown flashes of brilliance, his first game against St. Mary’s being his most well-rounded game, getting into the passing lanes on defense, shooting from distance, and topping it off with a sensational dunk in transition that gave fans a taste of what the future holds. But, at other times, he has seemed out of rhythm, as during his 2/7 shooting night in only 8 minutes vs. Wagner. Overall, he has put up solid numbers for a contributing freshman, averaging 6.0 points a 3.0 rebounds per game.
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