St. John's Joson Sanon Shines with 'Coke Butter Cheese' Jumper

Sophomore guard scores 15 points off the bench in Big East Tournament semifinal win over Seton Hall.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 7:27am

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Joson Sanon, a sophomore guard for the St. John's Red Storm, had a standout performance in the team's 78-68 Big East Tournament semifinal victory over Seton Hall. Coming off the bench, Sanon scored 15 points and hit three 3-pointers, helping the top-seeded Johnnies win their fifth straight conference tournament game. Sanon, who has been earning more minutes, described his smooth jump shot as 'Coke butter cheese,' a slang term that drew laughs from head coach Rick Pitino, who is high on Sanon's potential and believes he can be one of the better players in the Big East next season.

Why it matters

Sanon's breakout performance comes at a crucial time for St. John's, as they look to make a deep run in the Big East Tournament and potentially earn a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. The sophomore's emergence as a reliable scoring threat off the bench could be a key factor in the team's postseason success.

The details

Sanon entered the game against Seton Hall with a simple mindset: 'We need some 3s.' The 6-foot-5 guard delivered, hitting three 3-pointers and scoring 15 points in 23 productive minutes. Pitino, who is high on Sanon's upside, believes the sophomore can be one of the better players in the Big East next season and even thinks he has the potential to be a first-round NBA Draft pick after another year at St. John's.

  • Sanon scored 15 points and hit three 3-pointers in St. John's 78-68 Big East Tournament semifinal win over Seton Hall on March 13, 2026.
  • Sanon has scored in double figures in three of the last six games for St. John's.

The players

Joson Sanon

A sophomore guard for the St. John's Red Storm who has been emerging as a reliable scoring threat off the bench.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's Red Storm, who is high on Sanon's potential and believes he can be one of the better players in the Big East next season.

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What they’re saying

“I told them, 'We need some 3s,' and when Coach put me in, I did my thing.”

— Joson Sanon, Sophomore Guard (New York Post)

“Coke butter. Excuse me. I'm learning.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach (New York Post)

“Joson's physically the most talented ballplayer on the team. He's only going to grow. He made a big-time play down the stretch defensively and he's grown as a defensive player, and that's exciting because he's so much better defensively. He's so much better doing other things [besides] scoring.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach (New York Post)

What’s next

The winner of the St. John's vs. Seton Hall game will advance to the Big East Tournament championship game on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

The takeaway

Joson Sanon's breakout performance off the bench in the Big East Tournament semifinal showcases his potential as a key contributor for the St. John's Red Storm. His ability to provide a scoring spark and his improved defensive play could be crucial for the team's postseason success.