The crowd of 5,453 at Barclays Center was on its feet. The game was in the balance. Ten seconds remained in overtime. And Shamorie Ponds’ mind was elsewhere — thinking back to one of the more heartbreaking losses of his career.

“Coming down the last shot, I had replayed it in my head, how [I] lost in the Barclays [in high school],” the Brooklyn native said. “I wasn’t trying to go out like that.”

Ponds missed a late free throw that day in 2014, costing Thomas Jefferson a shot at its first city title in five decades. He won’t have to look back on Tuesday night with any regret — the smooth southpaw made sure of that.

Ponds’ left-handed runner high off the glass with 4.8 seconds left in overtime sent the Red Storm past dogged VCU, 87-86, giving them the Legends Classic championship.

“He makes those shots,” St. John’s coach Chris Mullin said. “Shamorie has a gift, and he’s got an incredible touch. He made a few [shots] in the second half that are probably shots only he can make.”

“I’m just happy that we’re champs,” said Ponds, who set a Legends Classic scoring record with a two-game total of 67 points in the tournament’s 12th year of existence and earned MVP honors. “It means a lot. It’s a step that we never took.”

VCU’s Marcus Evans drew air on the other end, and it looked as if there was contact from Ponds. But there was no whistle, and no complaints after the game from the Rams (4-1).

“They probably made one more play than we did,” VCU coach Mike Rhoades said.

A night after Ponds scored 32 points in a comeback victory over California, the Big East Preseason Player of the Year was even better, making up for off nights from Mustapha Heron and Marvin Clark II, who combined to shoot 6-of-25 from the field. Ponds poured in 35 points, to go with seven steals, seven assists and four rebounds as the Red Storm rallied from an eight-point second-half deficit and improved to 5-0 for the second consecutive year.

The Legends Classic title is the program’s first since the 2010 Great Alaska Shootout. That team reached the NCAA Tournament — the goal for this year’s team, which already has come from behind in the second half of three wins.

“We were in some tough situations these last two nights,” Mullin said. “We fought back, didn’t hang our heads. That’s really where our experience comes in. They truly believe they can win the games. That wasn’t a fact these last few years.”

Struggling defensively for large stretches and allowing 13 made 3-pointers, the Red Storm trailed most of the evening. They didn’t have an answer for VCU wing Isaac Vann (30 points, 11 rebounds) and were behind by three entering the final minute of regulation before Ponds scored on back-to-back driving layups. Evans hit one-of-two free throws with 5.8 seconds remaining to pull VCU even, and Clark failed to draw iron on the other end to force overtime.

In the back-and-forth extra session, Ponds scored the Johnnies’ final six points, and nine overall, either scoring or drawing fouls on strong drives into the lane. VCU couldn’t stay in front of him.

He played 44 minutes, one day after playing 35. Mullin’s assistants kept telling the coach to give him a breather. Mullin wouldn’t.

“I wasn’t taking him out,” he said.

Ponds rewarded him.

“He put on a show,” Mullin said. “He played at one of the highest levels I’ve seen for two games straight in 48 hours.”