Is there a St. John's resurgence amongst us? Well, St. John's certainly doesn't have anyone drinking the Kool-Aid yet, albeit the Johnies are off to their best record in recent memory. While the 7-1 Red Storm may have played Duke tough, St. John's has yet to see another formidable foe. They defeated an SEC puppy in Georgia (one which exposed the Red Storm's defense at times) during the Junior Varsity-like, undercard game (of the BIG EAST/SEC Invational) before a half-empty Madison Square Garden Wednesday night. There's still a search warrant out for their fan base, which needs to come harder this year. Especially with a wide open Big East. Their first Big East game is at the tail end of the month against Georgetown, whom they sent home … [Read more...]
St. Johns Revival?
Longtime diehard St. John's Basketball fans are envisioning a sudden St. John’s resurgence. The light at the end of the tunnel isn't luminary, albeit sure as hell visible. In a city that bleeds basketball while simultaneously smothering high-end recruits in hype, hyperbole and hearsay (see Telfair, Sebastian for more on that one), the Johnnies should be inking top-tier prospects. Norm Roberts and company are burning to right the ship, upgrading the astern with homegrown talent. Lightning-quick local products blessed with moist jumpers, handle, guile and pin-point passing ability and a propensity for penetrating the teeth of defenses have evaded the local team's grasp. After a dismal 2008-09 campaign during which stud 6-7 swingman … [Read more...]
Kicking It with Malik Stith
Malik Stith just got off the phone with Norm Roberts. Coach Roberts asked his Class of 2009 recruit to fill him in on how the first day of classes went, as well as how the first team workout played out. The newly-minted St. John's University guard explained that this type of workaday loyalty, from a coach who seems to treat his team like a surrogate family, played a significant role in his decision to attend St. John's. Stith narrowed his laundry-list of potential Division-I suitors down to St. John's and La Salle. He enjoyed a productive visit to La Salle and maintained a strong relationship with the coaching staff. So, harkening back on the recruiting process, Stith said it was a tough decision to write off La Salle--a team which … [Read more...]
