Johnny Jungle

The 6th Man of St. John's Basketball

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Former St. John’s Forward Justin Brownlee Signs to Play in Mexico

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Less than one week after fellow St. John’s graduate Justin Burrell signed to play in Japan, another member of the Red Storm Class of 2011 is headed abroad to play professionally.

Brownlee hopes basketball in Mexico is a stepping stone to a future career in the NBA. (Photo: Icon/SMI Select)
Justin Brownlee, the 6’7″ forward who played two years in a St. John’s uniform, has signed to play with the Toros de Nuevo Laredo (New Laredo Bulls) of the Mexican National Basketball League.

“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA and hopefully I can accomplish that,” said Brownlee, in a press release. “Thanks [to the fans] for all of the support, I really appreciate it. I am about to go to Mexico and try to represent for St. John’s.”

The Georgia native was integral to the Red Storm’s success last season, averaging just over 12 points and 5 rebounds per game, including strong performances that earned him Most Outstanding Player of both the Aeropostale Holiday Festival and Great Alaska Shootout.

Brownlee, like all members of the St. John’s basketball Class of 2011, was recruited by former St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts. He chose the Red Storm, coming out of Chipola Community College (FL), over Memphis, Kansas, Tennessee, and Arizona.

“For a front line player his size, Justin possesses a rare combination of playmaking and shotmaking,” said head coach Steve Lavin, who coached Brownlee for one season in Queens. “Our Johnnies’ basketball family is pleased to know Justin will be continuing his playing career at the next level.”

Nuevo Laredo is located just inside the Mexico-United States border, about 160 miles from San Antonio, Texas. The Toros are coming off their first championship last season, winning the 16-team league.

Top 15 Prospect Chris McCullough of Salisbury School (CT) Talks St. John’s, Recruiting

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Though former St. John’s guard Dwight Hardy is now signed to play in Italy, the legacy he left in Queens could be a motivating factor in the college decision of Top 15 2014 forward Chris McCullough of Salisbury School (CT).

McCullough was one of the big risers during the July live recruiting period. (Photo: Dave Krupinski)
“We’re good friends,” McCullough said of his fellow Bronx native. “I’ve known him since I was about seven. He’s talked a lot told about how it’s a good school and the coaches and fans support you all the way.”

JohnnyJungle.com spoke to the sophomore in early July, a time when he called St. John’s his “dream school.” McCullough went on to have one of the most impressive July recruiting periods of any prospect in the country, bursting into the conversation when it comes to elite players in the Class of 2014. ESPN currently ranks him as the #11 overall prospect.

And high-major schools, especially in the Big East, have caught on.

He now holds offers from St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Iowa State, Hofstra, Temple, Rutgers, Providence, and Connecticut, with interest reaching to schools as far west as Kansas and Washington.

“It felt good,” McCullough said of seeing his stock rise so steeply in July. “But I’ve seen a lot of kids go from Top 15 and drop. Every year I work harder and harder to produce so I can stay on top.”

With the pickup in interest recently, he maintains that his recruitment is “wide open” and has taken unofficial visits to Rutgers, St. John’s, Connecticut, Providence, and Seton Hall.

The lanky 6’8”, 215lb forward is a Chris Bosh-like prospect, with size and length, to go along with the ability to handle the ball and attack the rim. Only a sophomore, he already has a solid skill set offensively, including being able to face up in the post. He is most dynamic in transition, where he can get out and finish above the rim.

McCullough is a natural matchup problem. His athleticism is too much for bigger, slower forwards, and he uses his length to reach over smaller, quicker forwards.

He is most effective when he can get out and run in transition and uses his long arms to block a lot of shots on the defensive end.

But, the word that will stick with McCullough in the coming years is “raw.” He needs polish on the offensive end to make his game more well-rounded. With that “rawness”, he must work to be more aggressive and does not yet have the “killer instinct” that could make him dominant.

On the recruiting front, McCullough says he is looking for a strong relationship with a coaching staff at the school he commits to.

“A good relationship with the coaches is important,” he said. “Also, the way that they run their program and how I fit there.”

(Photo: Daniel Martin/JohnnyJungle.com)
On paper, McCullough appears to fit well into Steve Lavin’s system at St. John’s: a long, lanky forward who can run the floor and cover a lot of space in a full-court press and zone defense.

Though he seems to have backed off a bit from calling St. John’s his “dream school,” McCullough says St. John’s will be in his Top 5 when he releases his list.

Along with his strong personal connection to St. John’s through Dwight Hardy, the prospect of playing close to home is also appealing, saying he would like to get his family and friends to see his games, as many recruits do.

St. John’s freshman and Queens native Maurice Harkless has helped to open the gates of possibility for prospects to stay in the city and play for Steve Lavin.

From what McCullough has said, the Red Storm are firmly near the top of his list but, as he said himself, “we’ll see what happens.”

Former St. John’s Forward Justin Burrell Signs to Play in Japan

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The man who helped anchor the paint at St. John’s for four years is headed to play professional basketball in the Far East.

Justin Burrell has signed to play for Yokohama B-Corsairs, located outside of Tokyo, Japan, becoming the third member of the Red Storm Class of 2011 to sign a professional contract.

Burrell becomes the third member of the Red Storm from the Class of 2011 to sign a professional deal. (Photo: Icon/SMI Select)
“I am extra excited. I can’t wait to be in a new country and a new city and begin a new chapter in my life.” said Burrell in a press release. “I will never forget St. John’s and the opportunities it gave me and the people I’ve met.”

Yokohama B-Corsairs is part of Japan’s second division, the B.J. League, and will feature three other American players. The team is coached by NBA alum Reggie Geary, a former Arizona Wildcat who played in the league for the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Burrell, a 6’9″, 244lb Bronx native, averaged 6.3 points and 4.9 rebounds last season, winning the Big East’s Sixth Man of the Year Award. He became an integral piece off the bench for a St. John’s team that finished tied for third in the Big East and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the program’s first trip in nearly a decade.

“[Burrell] has been a great ambassador of St. John’s basketball on our campus and in the community,” said St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin. “He will have a terrific experience overseas. Justin has helped us greatly in recruiting future Johnnies, and the St. John’s family is pleased that he has received this well-deserved opportunity to play professional basketball.”

Fellow St. John’s graduates Paris Horne and Dwight Hardy round out the group of three members from the Red Storm Class of 2011 to sign contracts overseas. Horne will suit up for Germany’s BG Gottingen and Hardy for Pistoia Basket of Italy.

Prior to the NBA Draft, Burrell worked out for a number of NBA teams, including the Charlotte Bobcats and Los Angeles Clippers. JohnnyJungle.com took a look at Burrell’s possible future in the NBA a few months ago. Check it out here.

NIA Prep Guard Darrick Wood Commits to St. John’s

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On what was, otherwise, a quiet Saturday afternoon in August, St. John’s got more news as to what their 2012 recruiting class would look like, as NIA Prep guard Darrick Wood committed to the Red Storm, via his Twitter page.

Wood becomes the second player verbally committed to play for Steve Lavin from the Class of 2012. (Photo: Playaz Basketball)
“JUST COMMITTED TO ST. JOHNS UNIVERSITY. #stjbb,” Wood said in a tweet, which was followed by a number of congratulatory responses from friends and family.

Wood is an athletic scoring guard who also had offers on the table from Georgetown, Rutgers, Central Florida, and Seton Hall. With the decommitment of Jevon Thomas in late July, the doors opened for a commitment from Wood.

He may lack strength, but makes up for that with creativity on the offensive end, with the ability to shoot and score from the mid-range, extending out toward the three-point line. He also attacks the basket well and can finish at the rim.

Wood’s name has come into the spotlight recently, thanks to his connection with St. John’s target Kyle Anderson, who plays alongside Wood on their AAU team, the New Jersey Playaz. The two had a successful summer AAU circuit together, including playing together at Hoop Group’s Pitt Jam Fest back in May.

With the Anderson-Wood connection, there were rumblings of a package deal, but the New York Post is reporting that there will be nothing of the sort. There are no indications that this commitment concretely changes St. John’s favorability when it comes to the possible future destination of the highly-touted Anderson.

The 6’8″ St. Anthony’s guard/forward will announce his decision on September 20th, the date of his 18th birthday.

Wood joins 6’7″ forward Ricardo Gathers of Laplace, Louisiana as Steve Lavin’s two commitments for the Class of 2012.

JohnnyJungle.com has recently taken a look at some other recruiting targets in the class. Take a look at a few here. Also, check out some big man targets in the Class of 2012 here.

St. John’s Recruiting Targets In ESPN, Scout Top 100 for Class of 2012: Part II

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ESPN and Scout.com released their new Top 100 rankings for the Class of 2012. JohnnyJungle.com takes a look at where some Red Storm targets checked in. Part II showcases three big men on Steve Lavin’s radar.

Joel James
Dwyer (FL) | 6’10”, 260lb C | Fort Lauderdale, FL
ESPN: #58 Overall | Scout: #71 Overall

(Photo: Courier Journal)
Jeff Borzello of CBSSports.com recently spoke to James, who detailed the current state of his recruiting. Among offers from Florida, Georgetown, Florida State, UCLA, and Maryland, the Red Storm have been in pursuit of the big man from The Sunshine State.

James is a true, bulky, collegiate-level center, compared to the more athletic forward/centers on the roster right now. He still has work to do to polish his post moves, but it seems he understands the power of his body and how he can use it to his advantage down low. But, despite his bulk, he can still get up and down the floor, which would be important, were he to be part of head coach Steve Lavin’s up-tempo, fastbreak style.

He is still not an elite defender, as he is still developing a knack for life on the low block. Ultimately, he is a physically large prospect who will continue to pick up interest, in part, because of that.

It will help his development along if he can trim some more weight, trading that for muscle. The more muscle he adds, the more potential he has both offensively and defensively in the paint.

Chris Obekpa
Our Savior New American (NY) | 6’8″, 200lb | Centereach, NY
ESPN Overall: #93 | Scout Overall: NR, #24 at PF Position

(Photo: Blogspot)
Obekpa is not a true center, like the other two in this roundup. If the 6’8″, 200lb body type sounds familiar to St. John’s fans, it’s because it is. Red Storm signees Maurice Harkless, Jakarr Sampson, Norvel Pelle, and the now-San Diego State Aztec Dwayne Polee II are all somewhere close to that mold, so St. John’s interest in Obekpa confirms a poorly-hidden secret: Lavin has a “type” and that “type” is the athletic swingman.

ESPN’s Dave Telep highlighted Obekpa as an under-the-radar defensive prospect, thanks to his high-level athleticism. In Lavin’s high-pressue, up-tempo, full-court defense, players with a motor like Obekpa’s are valuable. He alters and blocks shots down low, as well, and has long arms to cover a lot of area.

His offensive game still needs work, but his effectiveness in the open court and his contributions on the defensive end would help him to crack the rotation, were he to sign with the Red Storm. If he were to take the court with three other players 6’6″+, it could make for one of the more athletic lineups in the country.

A number of Big East schools have offered Obekpa, including Cincinnati, UConn, Providence, and Seton Hall, along with Georgia Tech, Memphis, and others.

Blaise Mbargorba
The Peddie School (NJ) | 7’0″, 230lb | Highstown, NJ
ESPN Overall: #100 | Scout: NR Overall, #27 Center

(Photo: Hoop Group/Daniel Martin)
Mbargorba’s stock is one of the big-time risers during the live recruiting period. Back in the Spring, ESPN gave him an overall rating of 82 (usually indicating mid-major status), but he is now rated a 92 and sneaks into the Top 100 at #100.

Head coach Steve Lavin and assistant coach Rico Hines watched Mbargorba at Hoop Group’s Team Camp at Albright College during the early part of the live period. The Cameroon native did not disappoint in front of so many high-major coaches, showing his wide range of talents, working on the block, knocking down the mid-range jumper, and being a force on the defensive end. His impressively long arms allow him to block or alter most every shot around the rim, changing the overall dynamic of the game when he is on the floor.

Offensively, he is hard to confine because, in addition to his size, he can float out to the perimeter and knock down the open shot, pass with efficiency, and work a two-man gave off screens with the point guard. He has solid fundamentals when it comes to learning how to create space with his long, lanky frame, giving perimeter players a high point of entry when getting the ball into the post.

He must bulk up before heading to the collegiate level, but coaches will like his polished skills, to go along with his true 7’0″ size. Vanderbilt, Clemson, and West Virginia have offered him. St. John’s interest stays lukewarm at the moment, but the Red Storm could jump in if his stock continues to rise.