Jaden Daly

Red Storm Ends Three-Game Skid With 56-50 Win Over Fordham

December 18, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

It’s been said that revenge is a dish best served cold. Yesterday at Madison Square Garden, not only was it cold, it was also not easy on the eyes by any means.

Taking on Fordham University for the first time since last year’s upset loss at Rose Hill Gym, St. John’s (5-5) overcame a six-man rotation to defeat the Rams (4-6) by the final of 56-50 in their Holiday Festival matchup, ending a three-game losing streak. Three Red Storm players scored ten or more points, led by D’Angelo Harrison (15 points, six rebounds) and Moe Harkless. (13 points and 16 rebounds for his third consecutive double-double)

“The second shot opportunities really hurt us, and a lot of it has to do with their length,” said Fordham coach Tom Pecora. “We got some really good looks early and we didn’t make them. They (St. John’s) do a great job finding the ball on the weak side and closing you out.”

St. John’s faces Texas Pan-American in their final tuneup before opening Big East play, but not before we leave you with the ever-popular lasting impressions from yesterday’s matinee at the Garden.

Lasting Impressions
– Above all else, the effort St. John’s yesterday has to go down as one of the better outings of the season considering the Red Storm only played six men. For the first time this season, four starters played each of the forty minutes. Only Sir’Dominic Pointer (eight points, seven rebounds) was relieved during the game.

– The turning point of the game was an 18-0 St. John’s run spanning the end of the first half and start of the second stanza. Fordham struggled to hit a shot in this stretch much as they had throughout the game, as they only managed a 30 percent clip from the field in a statistic that proved to be their downfall.

– Fordham capitalized off turnovers, but St. John’s made a bigger difference in the paint and on second chance opportunities. In those two categories, the Red Storm outscored the Rams 34-20 and 20-7, respectively.

– Finally, our game ball goes to Moe Harkless. The freshman forward posted his third consecutive double-double by registering 13 points to go with a career-high 16 rebounds. When used effectively on either end of the ball, Harkless is very reminiscent of Seton Hall big man Herb Pope both from a talent level and skill set perspective, and that is something St. John’s can use with conference play now just nine days away.

St. John’s Returns To MSG For Holiday Festival Meeting With Fordham

December 17, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Twelve days ago, St. John’s dropped their third straight game when they fell to Detroit on the road. Since then, the atmosphere around the Red Storm program has underwent a complete 180.

Shortly following the Detroit game, point guard Nurideen Lindsey announced his intentions to transfer once final exams were completed at the end of the semester. With Lindsey on the verge of departing, Phil Greene will likely see the lion’s share of the minutes at the point starting today as St. John’s takes the court for the first time in twelve days when the Red Storm hosts Fordham in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden. Once a two-day tournament, the Holiday Festival is now a one-day soiree; and the Johnnies will have revenge on their minds against Fordham, who erased a 21-point deficit with two 16-0 runs in the second half to upset St. John’s on their home court in the Bronx one year ago. The Red Storm then used that game as motivation for their captivating run through the Big East into the NCAA Tournament. Below, JohnnyJungle.com helps you get caught up on all the background information heading into the long-anticipated rematch in midtown Manhattan.

Date: Saturday, December 17, 2011
Location: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
Time: 2:30 PM EST
TV: MSG Plus (Mike Crispino, Brandon Brown)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
WFUV 90.7 FM, wfuv.org (Kyle Kesses, Ricky Cibrano)
Online: WSJURadio.org (Mike Rossillo, Kieran Lynch)

St. John’s Red Storm (4-5)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin (2nd season, 25-17; 170-95 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 6.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 39% FG, 71% FT, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 13.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 35% FG, 32% 3pt, 82% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.4 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 56% FG, 44% 3pt, 41% FT, 1.0 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 11.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 51% FG, 76% FT, 1.1 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 14.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 43% FG, 64% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.8 BPG, 1.8 SPG)

Key Reserves:
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 3.7 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 43% FG, 40% 3pt, 71% FT, 1.7 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– Good things come in small packages. Not in terms of height, but numbers. Now that Nurideen Lindsey is on his way out, St. John’s will be employing a six-man rotation until Amir Garrett is declared eligible. Garrett will not be able to suit up until Wednesday at the earliest, so the Red Storm will have an even shorter bench for at least one game should Lindsey not play. With that being said, the margin for error decreases just as much. In order for the Red Storm to walk out of the Garden winners, they need to cut down on their average of 14 turnovers per game; and only two players in the rotation have more assists than turnovers.

– Greene means go. Phil Greene has had some of the greatest moments of his young career inside Madison Square Garden, and the Chicago native returns to the “World’s Most Famous Arena” with the keys to the Red Storm offense following the Lindsey transfer announcement. Greene’s primary assignment will likely be fellow freshman Devon “Fatty” McMillan in defensive matchups, with Branden Frazier perhaps moving over from his position off the ball. Against a Fordham team that is susceptible to yielding the open shot, Greene and D’Angelo Harrison will likely be the targets early and often.

– Take advantage of the mismatch. Fordham will likely start three guards, but Chris Gaston is a small forward that is forced into the power forward spot due to the Rams’ undersized roster. This lack of height will give God’sgift Achiuwa the chance to exploit a small Fordham lineup and beat Gaston into the low post. Sir’Dominic Pointer gives up two inches to the 6-7 Gaston, but has the athleticism and speed to cut the New Jersey product off inside if need be as well.

Coming over the Triboro Bridge and into Midtown looking for their second consecutive win over St. John’s are the pride of the Bronx.

Fordham Rams (4-5)
Head Coach: Tom Pecora (2nd season at Fordham, 11-26; 166-152 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Devon McMillan (5-10 Fr., 11.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 33% FG, 63% FT, 3.3 APG, 2.0 SPG)
G Branden Frazier (6-1 So., 10.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 38% FG, 56% FT, 2.8 APG, 1.7 SPG)
G Bryan Smith (6-2 Fr., 9.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 39% FG, 31% 3pt, 50% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.7 SPG)
F Chris Gaston (6-7 Jr., 14.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 40% FG, 75% 3pt, 55% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.9 BPG, 1.3 SPG)
F Kervin Bristol (6-10 Sr., 4.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 52% FG, 40% FT, 2.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
G Alberto Estwick (6-3 Sr., 3.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 34% FG, 25% FT)
F Marvin Dominique (6-7 So., 3.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 47% FG, 83% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Score. Plain and simple. Fordham has only eclipsed 70 points twice this season, whereas St. John’s has done so in four games. However, the Red Storm have yet to top the 70-point plateau since scoring 72 in the losing effort against Arizona one month ago at the Garden. The offensive dropoff on the part of the Red Storm gives Fordham an additional glimmer of hope, but the Rams’ 38 percent clip from the field will need to be improved against a St. John’s team that can and will hit an open shot if given the opportunity.

– Combo guards. Freshman Devon “Fatty” McMillan and sophomore Branden Frazier both have the ability to run the point for Tom Pecora, but only Frazier has demonstrated an equal talent to excel off the ball. Frazier, who committed to Hofstra last season only to follow Pecora to Fordham once he took the job there in March of 2010, was a huge factor in the Rams’ upset win at Rose Hill Gym against the Red Storm last year, tallying 16 points and five assists despite early foul trouble.

– Win the battle of the boards. Pecora’s team has done that on average this season, outrebounding their opponents by a slim 38-37 margin. A major part of that is forward Chris Gaston, who needs 11 rebounds today to average a double-double for the season. Gaston’s innate ability to track down the ball wherever it may be on the court gives him the advantage against a rather inexperienced duo of God’sgift Achiuwa and Moe Harkless, both of whom are still adjusting to the style of play in their first seasons at the Division I level.

So, Who Wins?
Fordham will be looking to prove that last year was no fluke. The homecourt advantage that was so deeply in their favor twelve months ago at Rose Hill is gone, replaced by the bright lights of Madison Square Garden and the memories of Red Storm magic created within the past year. Malik Stith may be the only member of the team still around for St. John’s, and there is no doubt that the junior guard remembers the image of Fordham fans rushing the court in the wake of the Rams’ 84-81 victory last season. This game won’t be the prettiest one you’ll see this year, but sometimes the game is a war. It will be a lot closer than people think now that St. John’s has a smaller bench than they have been accustomed to, but Goliath gets his revenge on David this time around only because Fordham is still a work in progress.

Final Score: St. John’s 71, Fordham 61

Red Storm Lose Third Straight, Falls 69-63 To Detroit on Dick Vitale Night

December 6, 2011 by Jaden Daly 2 Comments

No one ever said it was going to be easy.

Playing their first game following a 22-point loss to top-ranked Kentucky, St. John’s (4-5) dropped their third consecutive contest, losing on the road to the University of Detroit (4-6) by the final of 69-63. The loss came on a celebratory night for the Titans, as they honored former coach Dick Vitale, now an ESPN analyst, by dedicating their home court to him.

Ray McCallum (21 points) and Chase Simon (20 points) led the way for Detroit, while a double-double from Moe Harkless (19 points, 11 rebounds) and a 10-point outing from Detroit native Sir’Dominic Pointer were the lone bright spots for the Red Storm.

As St. John’s takes a brief hiatus for final exams, we leave you with some lasting impressions from the Johnnies’ road trip before the Red Storm return to the court one week from Saturday against Fordham at Madison Square Garden.

Lasting Impressions
– Call it coincidence, but St. John’s is a different team when they don their alternate black jerseys. Sadly, the curse of the black reared its ugly head once again last night. St. John’s has won just one game in the black, which came on senior night last March against USF.

– The ball handling skills of Nurideen Lindsey are really becoming a cause for concern after another ineffective night at the point. Lindsey did contribute seven rebounds, but only scored four points, and more importantly, committed six turnovers, while failing to register an assist on the night. When Lindsey fires on all cylinders, this team is a different unit, but it has yet to be seen since the Philadelphia native’s near-triple-double last month against UMBC.

– At the start of the season, Sir’Dominic Pointer was the relative mystery among the newcomers. Nine games into the season, one can now make the argument that the freshman swingman is arguably the best player on the roster, despite his reduced minutes in comparison to some of his teammates. Pointer provided yet another well-rounded effort last night, finishing with ten points, eight rebounds, and two highlight reel-worthy dunks in the opening half.

– As expected after last night’s result, the game ball will be awarded to Detroit point guard Ray McCallum. The coach’s son led all scorers with 21 points and, just as he did against Notre Dame earlier in the season, took the game over on more than one occasion. McCallum was singlehandedly responsible for putting the game away, as he went on his own personal run of eight points in a span of 72 seconds to answer every St. John’s threat down the stretch.

St. John’s Continues Road Trip Against University Of Detroit

December 5, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Shortly after St. John’s fell victim to top-ranked Kentucky in their road opener, those close to the program insisted that the Red Storm’s defeats against the Wildcats and Northeastern the week before could be compared to last season’s losses to St. Bonaventure and Fordham, as games that the team could use as a turning point for their campaign.

Just four days after their humbling experience in Lexington, the Red Storm head into the Motor City to face Horizon League contender Detroit on a night where the Titans’ home court will be dedicated in honor of former head coach and ESPN analyst Dick Vitale. JohnnyJungle.com gets you caught up on both teams below in preparation for tonight’s clash in Motown.

Date: Monday, December 5, 2011
Location: Dick Vitale Court at Calihan Hall; Detroit, Michigan
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN2 (John Saunders, Fran Fraschilla)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (4-4)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin (2nd season, 25-16; 170-94 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Nurideen Lindsey (6-3 So., 12.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 47% FG, 57% FT, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG)
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 5.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 40% FG, 67% FT, 1.5 APG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 13.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 37% FG, 32% 3pt, 80% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.5 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 12.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 53% FG, 73% FT, 1.3 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 14.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 43% FG, 63% FT, 1.4 APG, 2.0 BPG, 2.0 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 55% FG, 57% 3pt, 45% FT, 1.1 SPG)
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 4.1 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 48% FG, 40% 3pt, 71% FT, 1.6 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– That was then, this is now. Losing their two previous games by a combined 36 points could cause a lapse in concentration, but the St. John’s coaching staff will make sure their players focus on the task at hand against a Detroit team that is regarded as the class of its conference by a number of analysts. After all, as head coach Steve Lavin has made clear several times, the season is a marathon.

– Get the leader involved. In each of the two games where St. John’s has lost Nurideen Lindsey to either foul trouble or inefficiency, the results have been forgettable at best for the Red Storm. Lindsey needs to establish himself early and often to give the Johnnies their best chance for a road victory, as he has clearly become the man who makes the motor run offensively for the boys from Queens.

– Cancel the one-man show. St. John’s was burned by Joel Smith in the Northeastern game last week, and they will face a similar talent in Detroit guard Ray McCallum Jr. (more on him later) If St. John’s can force the supporting cast to step up, the game plays into their favor.

Now it’s time to meet the opponents tonight, representing the Horizon League.

Detroit Titans (3-6)
Head Coach: Ray McCallum (4th season at UD, 47-59; 217-208 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Ray McCallum (6-2 So., 14.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 44% FG, 84% FT, 3.2 APG, 1.6 SPG)
G Jason Calliste (6-2 Jr., 9.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 40% FG, 33% 3pt, 83% FT, 2.3 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G Chase Simon (6-7 Sr., 16.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 41% FG, 30% 3pt, 70% FT, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Doug Anderson (6-6 Jr., 10.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 57% FG, 43% 3pt, 89% FT)
F LaMarcus Lowe (6-10 Sr., 7.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 52% FG, 73% FT, 3.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
F Evan Bruinsma (6-8 So., 6.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 56% FG, 50% FT, 1.1 BPG)

Keys To Victory:
– McCallAttack. Ray McCallum doesn’t get the bulk of the minutes in the Detroit lineup just because he’s the coach’s son. He gets them because he’s the best player on the team. McCallum has already shown a national audience just how much of an impact he can make when he hit three early three-pointers against Notre Dame in a game the Titans nearly stole on the road at the Joyce Center. He doesn’t do it alone either, as swingman Chase Simon and sharpshooter Jason Calliste are there to back him up if need be. However, the sophomore point man will be the man to watch tonight, and he will look to put his own stamp on the outcome.

– Big East experience. Detroit’s game against Notre Dame should do a great job of preparing the Titans for what they stand up against when they face St. John’s. Aside from the experience advantage the Fighting Irish have, Notre Dame’s pieces are comparable to those of the Red Storm. Detroit only lost by six points in South Bend, so if the team can transfer the positives from that night onto their home court against the Red Storm, they will be in the hunt from start to finish.

– Bubble boys. It’s never too early to be thinking about the NCAA Tournament, especially in a Horizon League where Butler gets almost all of the attention. Detroit lost both of their first two conference games, but a quality nonconference win against a high-major opponent will give the Titans the swagger they need to go up against their league adversaries and potentially secure an invite to the “Big Dance.”

So, Who Wins?

Here is a matchup in which Detroit has everything to gain and nothing to lose on the night in which they pay homage to Dick Vitale. The Titans can pick up a victory that will help their resume immensely no matter how St. John’s finishes down the stretch. On the other side of the court, however, the Red Storm need this game. With a break coming up for final exams, St. John’s can ill afford to enter the hiatus on a three-game losing streak with intra-city rival Fordham up next at Madison Square Garden. As evidenced by the Notre Dame game, Detroit will give St. John’s all they can handle, but the Red Storm rights the ship in the end and comes home one game over .500.

Final Score: St. John’s 70, Detroit 63

Top-Ranked Kentucky Overpowers St. John’s 81-59

December 2, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Thursday night’s matchup between St. John’s and Kentucky had all the makings of an NCAA Tournament-caliber game when it was first revealed in May. Three ineligible players and a star-studded opposing lineup later, six and a half months can make a world of difference.

After holding their own through most of the first half against the top-ranked Wildcats, the Red Storm (4-4) were simply outplayed down the stretch by Kentucky (7-0) on the way to an 81-59 victory for Big Blue Nation on their home court of Rupp Arena. While God’sgift Achiuwa (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Moe Harkless (16 points, 10 rebounds) posted the first official double-doubles of their young careers, the night belonged to Kentucky. Terrence Jones led all scorers with 26 points; while projected No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Anthony Davis finished just two blocked shots short of a triple-double, tallying eight rejections to go his 15 points and 15 rebounds.

“He changed everything about the game,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari about his freshman forward from Chicago. “He blocked shots, he scored baskets, he rebounded tough, he came up with balls.”

Kentucky welcomes No. 5 North Carolina into Lexington on Saturday, while St. John’s plays their second road game of the season Monday night against the University of Detroit and sophomore point guard Ray McCallum Jr. Until then, we leave you with some lasting impressions from tonight’s game, one in which the Red Storm can certainly use as an instructional tool throughout the season.

Lasting Impressions
– First and foremost, Sir’Dominic Pointer provided yet another spark off the bench with nine points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes. Ironically, Pointer’s contributions have been minimized on the two occasions in which he has been inserted into the starting lineup. The swingman from Detroit has quietly made a name for himself as the first of only two options on the bench through eight games this season.

– Just as they were for the final four minutes against Arizona, St. John’s turned into a different team without Nurideen Lindsey on the court. The sophomore point guard fouled out with 3:24 remaining in regulation; but unlike the Arizona game, the outcome was decided well before that. Lindsey did finish with five turnovers and just one point, which came at the free throw line.

– Anthony Davis was indeed impressive with his near-triple-double; but the star of last night’s show was Terrence Jones, and for that he is awarded with the game ball. Jones’ season-high 26 points came with nine rebounds, four blocked shots and four steals in what goes down as one of the better all-around stat lines for any player in the nation through this point in the season. Jones also demonstrated an ability to draw fouls far beyond his years, as the sophomore was able to get to the free throw line sixteen times last night. He hit eleven of those foul shots to go with a 7-for-12 shooting effort from the field that also included a three-pointer.

– Finally, Kentucky won this game in transition with an overpowering offense that has some pundits already anointing them as the favorites to win the national championship, but consider this: Even though Kentucky scored 20 offensive rebounds and set a school record with 18 blocked shots, the Wildcats are still a young team that has yet to take on a team of equal talent. Tomorrow’s game against North Carolina will go a long way in determining whether or not Kentucky is a legitimate contender, or just a good (not yet great) team that is just better than its weaker competition.

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