The Unofficial 6th Man Of St. John's Basketball
Philadelphia point guard Rysheed Jordan, the number 22 overall prospect on the ESPN Top 100, has verbally committed to St. John’s University. Jordan had been mulling over joining the Temple Owls and UCLA Bruins, but this morning he took to twitter to make his decision clear through several tweets such as “IM A JOHNNIE, NEW Full Story
JaKarr Sampson is headed back to Queens. After being ruled ineligible at the beginning of the … Full Story
This post also appears on NBCSports.com's Beyond the Arc blog. After an abrupt announcement to … Full Story
Some time had passed since a big recruiting breakthrough came for the Red Storm, but welcome news … Full Story
St. John's commit Darrick Wood (Bridgton, '12) has reopened his recruitment, according to Jeremy Bauman of Five Star Basketball. "It was based off me wanting to make the right decision for my future, me being patient with the whole recruiting process and just putting myself in the best situation," Wood told Five Star. "My AAU coaches and parents just told me to take it slow and make the right decision for me. Last time, I jumped into it because I thought the situation was right for me." Wood becomes the next in line, following JaKarr Sampson, Norvel Pelle, and Ricardo Gathers, to choose to keep their options open, after initially choosing the Red Storm. Amir Garrett, who joined St. John's in December, played alongside Wood for a … [Read more...]
And another chapter in the saga of Norvel Pelle's recruitment has been written. The 6'10 California native, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA this Fall, was thought to be signing this November and joining the Red Storm in 2012. But that may no longer be the case. Multiple sources have told JohnnyJungle.com that Pelle has decommitted from St. John's and will reopen his recruitment. Touted as one of the top big men in the Class of 2011, academic questions have been raised since the latter part of Pelle's high school career. After taking summer classes in an attempt to qualify, Pelle enrolled at The Phelps School, outside of Philadelphia. A source also tells JohnnyJungle.com that Pelle's involvement with the team has been … [Read more...]
Since news broke in September that three St. John's recruits from the Class of 2011 were to be ruled ineligible by the NCAA, questions about depth on the Red Storm roster have lingered. With indications pointing toward Amir Garrett making his St. John’s debut in the second semester, the Red Storm could have some relief in a depleted frontcourt. And more help may be on the way. Introducing, Jerry Cummings. Sources tell JohnnyJungle.com that the 6’7” swingman, who last played at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, could possibly walk onto the Red Storm in the second semester. Cummings is not currently enrolled in classes at St. John’s and says he has not spoken to the staff, but is continuing to … [Read more...]
Ed Daniels of WGNO Sports in New Orleans is reporting that Ricardo Gathers of Riverside Academy (La.) has rescinded his commitment to St. John's and will sign in the spring. Gathers, who committed to the Red Storm in the late summer, is a top 40 prospect in the Class of 2012 and was one of Steve Lavin's two commits for 2012, along with Darrick Wood of Bridgton Academy. His announcement comes on the eve of National Signing Day. As a 6'7", 240-pound forward, Gathers was seen as a piece that could solidify the Red Storm presence in the low post. Prior to committing to St. John's, he was considering LSU, Syracuse, Texas and Arizona. He was in attendance for St. John's Tip Off in October, along with Amir Garrett, Norvel Pelle, and … [Read more...]
In August, Darrick Wood watched as the NCAA ruled four of his NIA Prep (NJ) teammates ineligible to play college basketball. A few days later, the 6’3” rising senior committed to St. John’s. It was then that he knew he needed to make a change. “[NIA Prep] was having some school issues and problems with the NCAA,” Wood told JohnnyJungle.com. “I just didn’t want to be associated with that.” Wood chose to transfer to Bridgton Academy, located in small Bridgton, Maine, for his senior season, before heading to college. And along with that came an adjustment. Bridgton, Maine, boasting a population of 2,751, has very little in common with Wood’s hometown of Washington, DC, and is equally as different from Newark, … [Read more...]
Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv is reporting that St. John's signee Amir Garrett has enrolled at Bridgton Academy (ME) and will work toward college eligibility, in an attempt to qualify for the second semester and play for St. John's. "I would say that that’s the plan,” Bridgton coach Whit Lesure told Zagoria. "I know our college counselor was with him today and visited with me quickly." After being ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA less than a week ago, Garrett will join St. John's commit Darrick Wood at the North Bridgton, Maine prep school. Garrett will remain committed to St. John's, unlike his former fellow signee JaKarr Sampson, who is returning to Brewster Academy for a post-grad year and will reopen his … [Read more...]
Jeff Borzello of CBSSports.com is reporting that JaKarr Sampson, one of the nine newcomers signed to Steve Lavin's recruiting class of 2011, has decommitted from the Red Storm and will reopen his recruitment. This report comes less than one week after Sampson was one of three St. John's freshmen to be ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA. “[JaKarr] has decided to return to Brewster Academy as a post-grad student and to further his education to complete his academic requirement to attend college academically,” Sampson's former AAU coach Don Anderson told Borzello. Amir Garrett and Norvel Pelle, the other two incoming freshmen to be ruled ineligible, will be taking classes to work toward eligibility and be cleared to play … [Read more...]
After a summer filled with more twists, turns and flashes sideways than an episode of "Lost," college basketball's version of "The Decision" reached its epic culmination late Monday night when Kyle Anderson made his long-awaited verbal commitment; a pledge to play for UCLA and coach Ben Howland. Anderson made the decision via his Twitter page at about 10:30pm, ending widespread speculation over where the New Jersey product would end up. UCLA beat out hometown school Seton Hall; as well as Florida and St. John's for the services of the 6-8 point guard from St. Anthony's in Jersey City, who turns 18 today. "I chose UCLA because I feel they can help me improve my defense and we will have a good chance of winning a national championship," … [Read more...]
Before Steve Lavin took over as St. John's head coach in May 2010, the Red Storm had been out of the national spotlight for nearly a decade. But, with a team assembled by his predecessor, Norm Roberts, the Red Storm went from a 13th place in the Big East in 2009-2010 to 5th place in Lavin's first season as a head coach. This aided Lavin in signing a nine-man recruiting class that was ranked #3 in the country by ESPN. St. John's will appear on national television seventeen times this upcoming season. When you're in the national spotlight, you have to take the good with the bad. In a report filed today by Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News, St. John's freshman Amir Garrett, Norvel Pelle, and JaKarr Sampson have not been … [Read more...]
It begins to sound like the stuff of folklore. On a sunny September Saturday, in a stuffy, half-empty middle school gym, tucked away inside Jamaica, Queens, New York City, just over two miles from the campus of St. John’s University, Kyle Anderson showed why he is a consensus Top 5 player in the country. The 6’8” New Jersey product dropped 61 points (yes, 61 points) and grabbed 8 rebounds for the New Jersey Playaz in a 131-91 win in the first round of the iS8/Nike Fall Tip-Off Classic. “A lot of big-time players like to come play in iS8,” Anderson told JohnnyJungle.com of playing in the tournament. “And me being right across the bridge [in New Jersey], coming over to play every spring and fall, it’s just a … [Read more...]
