By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Mitchell Plombon had some adjusting to do when the 6-foot-7 post first transferred to Saint John's University from NCAA Division II Winona State University at the semester break last season.

The former state all-star pick led St. Cloud (Minn.) Cathedral High School to back-to-back appearances in the Class 2A state tournament as a junior and senior, and finished his prep career with 1,584 points and 874 rebounds. Plombon's dunk in the 2018 state semifinal (on Minnehaha Academy's Chet Holmgren, now one of the nation's top recruits) made ESPN.

So his talent was never in doubt. 

But he still had to find his place on a loaded Johnnies' roster that finished 27-2 overall, won the MIAC tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Division III playoffs before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought the season to an abrupt halt last March.

"Honestly, though, it was easier than I thought it would be," said Plombon, who ended up seeing action in 19 games after first joining the team prior to a trip to Oregon over the holiday break.

"My teammates were super-welcoming. I couldn't have asked for more. (Fellow post) Lucas (Walford, whom Plombon was backing up) was especially helpful. He'd transferred here from (Division II) Augustana (S.D.), so he knew where I was coming from. 

"And he was always willing to give me advice and help out."

But Walford graduated following last season and signed a contract to play professionally with the Drogheda Wolves in Ireland's National Basketball Division I. 

So Plombon knew he would be in line to play an expanded role at SJU. If this season actually happened – which for a time did not seem a sure bet.

The ongoing pandemic impacted offseason training and the team's ability to practice last fall. 

The start of the basketball season was postponed. And it wasn't until last month that the MIAC President's Council voted to approve a plan to permit condensed regular-season competition in winter sports.

That meant an abbreviated basketball season in which each conference team taking part (Carleton, St. Olaf and Macalester opted out of the winter sports season) would play one another once for a total of nine games.

Teams could then add up to four non-conference games (including against MIAC opponents).

And when the Johnnies opened play on Jan. 29, Plombon was indeed in the starting lineup – scoring 11 points as his team rolled past Saint Mary's 87-64 in a non-conference matchup at Sexton Arena.

"We knew he was going to be a big part of what we were doing this year," said SJU head coach Pat McKenzie '04, whose team's scheduled game against Concordia Wednesday night (Feb. 3) in Moorhead was postponed due to COVID-19 protocol.

"He's a big, physical kid who can make a lot of things happen. Having him in there gives us a great 1-2 punch in the post with (returning All-MIAC first-team pick) Zach Hanson."

Restrictions imposed by the pandemic made offseason training more challenging than usual. But Plombon said he did everything he could to make sure he came into the season ready to contribute.

"It made it tougher to get into the gym over the summer, but we just had to find a way," he said. "That's kind of the motto for this season … just find a way.

"One of my buddies has a weight room so I would go over there and lift. When it came to shooting, I'd shoot at my parents' house outside or wherever I could find a hoop. I really focused on trying to get into the flow of what we want to do offensively and making myself better on the defensive end as well."

McKenzie was already impressed with the skills Plombon brings to the court. He first got to see him in action when Plombon came to summer camps at SJU as a kid. And the Johnnies recruited him hard out of high school before he decided on Winona State, where he redshirted as a freshman in 2018-19.

"Going to Winona was a good experience for me," Plombon said. "I learned a lot down there and I wouldn't change a thing about my decision. But I missed being close to home. That was probably the biggest factor in my decision to transfer.

"I'm really into outdoor stuff like hunting and fishing. I missed that aspect of being up here. I was coming home a lot. So, at the end of the day, Saint John's felt like it would be a better fit for me. It was a hard decision to make, but it was a good one."

The Johnnies are certainly glad to have him in the fold.

"He's just a great guy," McKenzie said. "He picks things up really quickly. For him to come in as a transfer midway through the season, and still adjust as fast as he did, speaks volume about the kind of worker he is."

Because he redshirted as a freshman at Winona, and because the NCAA has ruled athletes won't be assessed a year of eligibility this season, Plombon could remain at SJU for a few more seasons.

The global business leadership major, who is considered a sophomore in terms of basketball, is still figuring out how all that will work. 

But right now, his focus is on the season directly in front of him.

"It's kind of crazy," he said with a chuckle. "I guess I could be here until I'm almost 26. I don't know what's going to happen there. I'll make those decisions when the time comes.

"Right now, our goal as a team is just to improve with every game we play. We've seen how you can't take anything for granted. So we want to make the most of every chance we have to get out on the court."