Berry Is Bothered, but Hot St. John’s Beats UCLA, 69-65

Craig Jackson was added to UCLA’s starting lineup Saturday to battle St. John’s star Walter Berry. Jerald Jones came off the bench to give Jackson a hand and played the best game of his career.

Every Bruin on the court pitched in, in fact, and the team effort bothered Berry.

It didn’t stop him, but it bothered him.

Berry had to struggle to finish with 23 points (just under his average of 24.3), 12 rebounds (just under his 12.8) and 6 blocked shots as St. John’s defeated UCLA, 69-65, in a nationally televised game before 10,322 fans at Pauley Pavilion.

The Redmen’s record rose to 8-1 with their sixth straight victory.

UCLA’s record sank to 3-2 when the comeback came up short.

St. John’s had taken a 16-2 lead in the opening minutes, and UCLA chased the rest of the way, not closing to the four-point margin until Montel Hatcher sank an 18-foot shot with two seconds left on the clock.

Surprisingly, St. John’s jumped to its big lead while Berry was having his most trouble getting off a shot. St. John’s guard Mark Jackson was doing most of the scoring early. When the score hit 16-2, Berry had just two free throws.

Berry said: “They were sending three and four guys at me in the first half, but we sort of got around it in the second half.”

UCLA Coach Walt Hazzard said: “He was Walter Berry. You can’t expect to shut Walter Berry down. . . .

“We sent a lot of help at him in the first half. But the cream rises to the top. . . . We’d miss a shot, and there would be No. 21 with his chin over the rim getting the rebound.”

Countering the St. John’s star was the effectiveness of UCLA freshman guard Pooh Richardson, who led the way on all of the Bruin runs.

UCLA was trailing, 51-37, when Richardson scored on a follow-up layin. Jackson pulled down a defensive rebound and went to the other end to slam home an offensive rebound. Richardson came away with a defensive rebound, then directed a fast break that ended in Kelvin Butler’s layup off a pass from Richardson. After a timeout called by St. John’s, Richardson was credited with a basket on a goaltending call on Berry.

Eight straight points and the Bruins were within six. That was followed by a three-point play by Berry.

And so it went.

Richardson played 35 minutes, more than either of the Bruin starting guards, and had highs for his brief career of 15 points and 10 assists.

St. John’s Coach Lou Carnesecca was his usual charming self after the game, effusive with praise.

A year ago at Madison Square Garden, his team beat UCLA, 88-69. Asked about the difference in this year’s Bruins, Carnesecca said: “It’s just a question of maturity. They are quick, explosive, exciting. They need the one thing that you can’t rush--time.

“That club is a very hyper club. They’re enthusiastic. That club is going to make a lot of people very, very happy.”

Hazzard was not hanging his head. “We had a chance to quit when they took that 14-point lead, but we didn’t quit,” he said. “I’m proud of our team.

“I have nothing, as a coach, to be ashamed of in this game. We’re an inexperienced, young team that hasn’t identified the starting lineup yet.

“I told the team after the game the same thing that John Wooden always told us, that the most important thing is whether you can look in the mirror and say, ‘I did the best that I could do.’

“Our team, as a group, did its best. . . . That was a hell of a good basketball game. We should get some respect from everyone for the way we played.”

Berry said: “They came out and played pretty well. We just couldn’t put them away.”

Although St. John’s had the upper hand all the way, the game was close enough at the end to allow for the possibility of a grand finale.

With just under five minutes to play and St. John’s leading by seven points, Carnesecca had his team hold the ball. Even with a 45-second clock running, it’s possible to eat up time.

It was 65-57 with about 1:30 to play when St. John’s center Shelton Jones put up a quick, very ill-advised shot. The rebound went to UCLA, and Richardson turned the opportunity into a quick three-point play.

Carnesecca called a timeout and explained, vehemently, to Jones that he should not have taken that shot.

Jones was saved from further wrath when Mark Jackson made two free throws just seconds later to make the lead seven points.

The Bruins had trouble finding a shot as the clock continued to tick away. Finally, Craig Jackson scored on a rebound with 45 seconds left.

Berry went to the free-throw line to shoot a one-and-one with 30 seconds left but missed the first, and Jerald Jones came away with the rebound.

With 19 seconds to play, Jones had two free throws and made one, leaving the Bruins down, 67-63.

St. John’s guard Ron Rowan squelched Bruin hopes by hitting two free throws with seven seconds to play, leaving Hatcher merely able to make the score closer with a final basket.

Bruin Notes UCLA forward Reggie Miller went into the game shooting 68%, but he was 4 for 15 against St. John’s. UCLA Coach Walt Hazzard said: “He was due. That was good for Reggie. He’ll bounce back.” . . . Jerald Jones, a 6-5 sophomore from Vallejo who had considered playing tight end for the football team, had his career high of 13 points for the Bruins and impressed both coaches. Hazzard said: “Jerald Jones did an excellent job. You’ll see more of Jerald Jones.” And St. John’s Coach Lou Carnesecca said: “That kid, Jones! He did a good job. He’s a football player, right? Is he playing in the Rose Bowl?” No. He left the football team after a couple of weeks of practice. . . . Carnesecca, on freshman guard Pooh Richardson: “Marvelous. Marvelous. He’ll keep all those players happy. They ought to carry his bag.”