Game – Page 2

Lasting Impressions: St. John’s defeats C.W. Post 110-80 in Exhibition

October 26, 2011 by Jaden Daly 3 Comments

It was the start of a new era on Tuesday night, and if these forty minutes are any indication, it’s going to be one fun ride on the corner of Union and Utopia this season.

On a night where the new-look Red Storm took the court for the first time since losing to Gonzaga in last year’s NCAA Tournament, each of the six members of head coach Steve Lavin‘s recruiting class scored in double figures as St. John’s tallied a resounding 110-80 victory over Division II opponent C.W. Post of Long Island.

Led by God'sgift Achiuwa (left), Nurideen Lindsey (center), and D'Angelo Harrison (right), St. John's defeated C.W. Post 110-80 in an exhibition Tuesday night. (Photo: Daniel Martin/JohnnyJungle.com)

“I was pleased with the first outing,” said assistant coach Mike Dunlap, who filled in for Lavin while the coach continues to recover from successful surgery to treat prostate cancer. “The players feel pretty good about the work they put in.”

Junior forward God’sgift Achiuwa was the first to make an immediate impact, leading the team with 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting. “I didn’t expect it to come so easy,” said the Nigerian-born big man, who was serenaded by chants of “God’s on our side!” from the St. John’s student section. “That really got me going.”

St. John’s took their time trying to establish their identity early, before using their athleticism and length to wear down C.W. Post in the second half. More of what this team is all about and what to expect in the second of two exhibition games next Tuesday against Division III St. Mary’s of Maryland will be explained in tonight’s lasting impressions, which returns to this space for its first full season.

Lasting Impressions
– St. John’s was 11-2 when at least four players scored ten or more points in a game last season. Tonight, six (all six members of the new recruiting class) provided double-figure scoring efforts, marking the first time this many players accomplished this feat in Steve Lavin’s brief tenure. Included in that group for the Red Storm were three players (D’Angelo Harrison, Phil Greene, and Achiuwa) who posted 20-point performances. As a team, the team shot a staggering 66 percent (50-for-76) from the field.

– Despite only collecting 36 rebounds as a team, the big men did what they had to do to keep St. John’s in the game. God’sgift Achiuwa (21 points, nine rebounds) and Moe Harkless (14 points, 14 rebounds) provided the right mix of offensive and defensive productivity, but accumulated seven fouls between them. If Achiuwa and Harkless can stay out of foul trouble as the season progresses, (Harkless racked up two offensive fouls in the first eight minutes) St. John’s will have an inside presence to stand up to the size mismatches that will favor Big East adversaries the likes of Connecticut and Syracuse.

– Following a week of quiet confidence that established him as one of the early leaders on this young team, D’Angelo Harrison (20 points, four assists) struggled to find his shot early on. Noted for his long-range prowess, Harrison only made two of his seven triple attempts, but started to heat up down the stretch when he drained mid-range jumpers and a trifecta from the left corner late in the second half. When used correctly, Harrison could be a dangerous slasher in the Jeremy Hazell/Corey Stokes mold.

– The biggest and most pleasant surprise came from Phil Greene, who picked up the game ball with his 20 points on an 8-of-10 shooting effort that included a 4-for-6 showing from beyond the arc. Greene was quick to credit his teammates after the game for giving him open shots to set up his high offensive output. “I just wanted to let the game come to me,” the combo guard from Chicago said.

– Finally, there was something very noticeable when watching this St. John’s team run up and down the court in transition. Given their eight-man rotation, they bear more than just a striking resemblance to the 2008-09 Seton Hall squad coached by Bobby Gonzalez. That year’s Pirates team was a guard-heavy team that also ran eight men much like St. John’s, and was capable of scoring 90 points on any given night. The biggest difference at this stage is that St. John’s lacks the experience that the Seton Hall players had under their belts.

Johnnies vs. Zags in Return to Dance

March 13, 2011 by Jaden Daly 1 Comment

After nine long years of attempting to reclaim their spot among college basketball’s elite, St. John’s has finally found its redemption; and will take on a former NCAA Tournament opponent in their much-anticipated return to the Big Dance.

polee dunk — Dwayne Polee II has established himself as the most exciting dunker on the Red Storm. He will need to step up with DJ Kennedy out for the tournament.

After literally waiting for 66 teams to be announced before them, the Johnnies (21-11) were the next-to-last team proclaimed as a Tournament participant; as they were announced as the sixth seed in the Southeast regional. One of a record eleven Big East teams to make the field of 68, the Red Storm will travel to Denver for a Thursday matchup with West Coast Conference champion Gonzaga, (24-9) winners of their last nine, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Should St. John’s emerge victorious, they will face the winner of the matchup between third-seeded Brigham Young and 14th seed Wofford in Saturday’s third round; perhaps getting the opportunity to take on national Player of the Year candidate Jimmer Fredette in a pairing that will be sure to attract nationwide attention.

“Today was a special day for our players and as a coaching staff, being able to watch up close the experience our team has had,” said head coach Steve Lavin, who also makes his return to the “Big Dance” for the first time since 2002. “Being able to participate in the NCAA Tournament is an experience that I’ll never forget. “It’s a tough challenge; but overall, we think we could do it,” said Justin Burrell, the Big East’s Sixth Man of the Year. Teammate Sean Evans offered this when asked of how it felt to be announced live on national television: “I think it was better than I dreamed up. You can’t picture how it’s going to feel.”

St. John’s and Gonzaga are no strangers to one another on this stage, as the Red Storm were eliminated by the Bulldogs in the 2000 NCAA Tournament when Gonzaga was the tenth seed in the West regional and St. John’s was a No. 2 seed fresh off winning the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden. Gonzaga defeated St. John’s 82-76 in that game, continuing one of their many Cinderella runs that have come to be a trademark for the Jesuit school from Spokane, Washington. The Red Storm may ultimately need to overcome two de facto road games, as Gonzaga (Spokane) and Brigham Young (Provo, Utah) are close enough to Denver to attract a large portion of their hometown fans rather easily if the Johnnies intend to be among the final four Southeast regional teams in New Orleans during the second week of the tournament.

Most importantly, St. John’s will be entering their first NCAA Tournament in nine years with heavy hearts and a motivation to succeed after D.J. Kennedy suffered a torn ACL in the Johnnies’ Big East tournament quarterfinal loss Thursday afternoon against Syracuse. Sean Evans, Kennedy’s roommate and closest friend on the team, wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “Do It For D.J.,” with the phrase “I’m my brother’s keeper” on the back. “Fans hit up my Twitter asking what they could do for D.J., so I started the slogan,” said Evans of the rallying cry that is slowly becoming a trending topic on the popular social network. Star point guard Dwight Hardy recognized Kennedy’s status as one of the leaders of this team as well. “The first person I looked at was D.J., and I thanked him for everything he did for us,” said Hardy after the team received word of its selection. “We’ve got his back.” Coach Lavin paused for a moment to reflect on the impact of one of his ten seniors before calling the occasion a “real bittersweet moment” for Kennedy, “and will be until our journey is complete.” The journey resumes this Thursday, with one goal and one motivation:

DO IT FOR D.J.

A Juicy Rematch With The Orange

March 10, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Back on January 12th, Syracuse came into Madison Square Garden and handed a St. John’s team that had won three of its first four Big East games its first and only loss in the “World’s Most Famous Arena” this season by the final of 76-59. Four Orange players scored in double figures that day, led by Kris Joseph (18 points) and Brandon Triche. (15 points) Two months later, it’s been a tale of two different teams as the ‘Cuse and the Johnnies collide at the Garden for round two in the Big East quarterfinals. While Syracuse was undefeated following their victory over the Red Storm, they proceeded to drop six of their next nine before ending the regular season on a five-game winning streak. As for the boys from Queens, they have won ten of their last twelve in a run that saw the Storm take down one Top 25 opponent after another. On top of that, Syracuse remains the only Big East team that this year’s senior class has never beaten. Can the Johnnies rewrite history one more time en route to what would be their seventh win against a ranked opponent? Game time is less than four hours away.

Game Information

St. John’s University (5th seed, 21-10) vs. Syracuse Orange (4th seed, 25-6)

Date: Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Time: 2:30 pm

Venue: Madison Square Garden (Big East tournament quarterfinals)

TV: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch play-by-play, Doris Burke and Fran Fraschilla color, Beth Mowins sideline reporter)

Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko play-by-play, Tarik Turner color)

WSJUradio.org (Dan Martin play-by-play, Tim Dimas color)

Syracuse Orange (25-6, 12-6 in the Big East)

Very rarely has there been a team so dominant on a neutral court to the point where it could be considered a second home court, but the Orange are just that good at Madison Square Garden. In addition, their rabid fan base travels well and can influence the game at any given time. Look for the Syracuse faithful to be on their feet from the opening tip as they bring the Carrier Dome tradition of standing until the Orange scores a basket into midtown Manhattan. Jim Boeheim’s team is also balanced and defensively gifted in the form of four double-figure scorers and Big East Defensive Player of the Year Rick Jackson, who has underwent a makeover of sorts to become one of the league’s most imposing inside presences. The aforementioned Joseph and Triche are the long-range specialists on this team, and we would be remiss not to include Scoop Jardine as a game-changer at the point guard position. Syracuse’s bench isn’t known for its productivity, but freshmen C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters anchor a group of reserves that brings a high-energy attitude and fundamental awareness to the game that belies their young age. Finally, Syracuse just isn’t Syracuse without its world-famous 2-3 zone defense.

Keys to Victory

Break the zone. St. John’s coach Steve Lavin admitted his team hasn’t seen much zone defense recently, and the team has worked on it in practice. Syracuse closes to the three-point line better than most teams in the country, which will force Dwight Hardy and Paris Horne to work their way inside to score against an Orange defense that yields only 63 points per game.
Draw fouls. St. John’s hasn’t been the better free throw shooter in recent years, but they are today; as Syracuse comes in with a 66 percent clip at the charity stripe. In particular, the Red Storm will look to foul high school teammates Jardine (66 percent) and Jackson. (51 percent)
That was then, this is now. St. John’s faces an uncertain reception when they take the court this afternoon after the closing seconds of yesterday’s win against Rutgers, where it appeared Justin Brownlee traveled and stepped out of bounds before time expired despite no call from the officials. Throw in a Syracuse fan base hungry for another Garden win and you have a Red Storm team that will need to come out looking to prove that yesterday truly is in the past.
Our town, our house. That was what St. John’s men’s basketball SID and senior associate athletic director of communications Mark Fratto tweeted prior to yesterday’s game against Rutgers, and it rings true again for the boys from Queens today. St. John’s is 7-1 in Madison Square Garden this season; with their sole blemish coming at the hands of Syracuse, and the Red Storm will look to avenge a loss while taking down what would be their seventh Top 25 opponent, which would tie them with conference foe Notre Dame for most in the country.
The bucket list. Finally, as St. John’s has added new chapters to its illustrious history, their ten-player senior class has taken down one team after another for the first time. One name still remains to be slain, and that is the Syracuse Orange squad that the Johnnies face today. This element should provide the Storm with a fighting spirit throughout the afternoon as they look to exorcise their final demon.

So, Who Wins? This game will be just as much of a war as the Rutgers game was, and even the Rutgers-Seton Hall game on Tuesday was. Syracuse doesn’t get intimidated or go away rather easily, so St. John’s will need to keep the pressure on while not letting the Orange swing the momentum as they did in January on a first-half three from Kris Joseph.

Your Final: The Johnnies take down the one they haven’t got yet in a squeaker. St. John’s 72, Syracuse 71

One More Shining Moment

March 6, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Dave Krupinski of JohnnyJungle.com is the biggest fan of the big east. Check out the new naughty Volvo S60 as Volvo searches for the Biggest Fan.

It seems like St. John’s has managed to take everything it couldn’t do over the last three seasons, and finally get it done with authority in this campaign. Yet there was something that still remained unresolved: Picking up a win while wearing the Johnnies’ alternate black jerseys. You can now cross that off the Red Storm’s bucket list as well.

After not being able to put South Florida away for the first thirty minutes, No. 15 St. John’s (20-10, 12-6 in the Big East) gradually flexed their muscle in the process of grinding out a 72-56 victory over the Bulls. (9-22, 3-15) Four Red Storm players scored at least ten points, led by D.J. Kennedy‘s 16. In addition to gaining their first victory in six attempts wearing black, the Johnnies improved to 10-0 on the season when four or more players end the night with two digits in the scoring column.

“It was touching for us because the fans stuck with us through all four years,” said point guard Malik Boothe after the game. Boothe was one of ten fourth-year players honored for their careers on the corner of Union and Utopia, a ceremony that also included the four student managers on the team that were in their senior years. “It’s also something they deserve,” stated Boothe after being asked how much the win meant not just to the team, but also the newly-rejuvenated fan base that had clamored for a winner since Lou Carnesecca’s retirement two decades ago.

USF started out hot from beyond the arc, with a pair of three-pointers from Shaun Noriega, who finished with 14 points. However, the Bulls would only get one more trifecta the rest of the night, missing 11 out of 12 triples after draining the first two. St. John’s was able to play their game in the second half, scoring 12 points off nine USF turnovers. The Johnnies will play their next game in the Big East tournament, facing either Seton Hall or Rutgers in the second round of the tournament Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden after amassing a first-round bye.

With the last game of the regular season in the books, here are done lasting impressions on the final game at Carnesecca Arena in a season referred to by coach Steve Lavin as a “journey that has been an absolute pleasure, honor, and privilege” to participate in.

Lasting Impressions

– The turning point in this game came after the Johnnies were able to “sound the Horne” (credit JohnnyJungle.com’s own David Berov for the expression) with a Paris Horne trifecta with just under nine minutes remaining in regulation. USF called a timeout seconds later, but the three gave St. John’s the lead for good.
– In retrospect, getting the No. 5 seed in the Big East tournament could be a blessing in disguise for the Red Storm; as they will be fortunate to pick up the pieces against the winner of a Seton Hall-Rutgers rubber match that is certain to be a war on the Madison Square Garden hardwood.
– For those keeping track of the St. John’s bucket list, beating Syracuse is the only thing that remains unaccomplished by this senior class. If the Johnnies can win on Wednesday, they will face the Orange in the quarterfinals with a shot at redemption hanging in the balance.
– Back to the game at hand, as Sean Evans picks up the unsung hero game ball. With nine points, nine rebounds and a team-high three steals, Evans had by far his most productive game of the season while facilitating the St. John’s transition game that exhibited his one-handed slam that essentially put the icing on the cake in this matchup.
– Finally, our true lasting impression is the one made by Steve Lavin in the final minutes. With the outcome of the game already determined, Lavin substituted his seniors individually in a class act so that each one could get their own special ovation.

Johnny Super ‘Nova

February 26, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Team of destiny, giant killers, or any other hyperbole can be used to describe the resurgence of the St. John’s Red Storm. However, for those interested in keeping it simple, they’re just a really good team.

Providing another performance that is sure to silence any remaining doubters while also raising their national ranking, the No. 23 Johnnies (19-9, 11-5 in the Big East) picked up their first road win over a ranked opponent in more than nine years by defeating No. 14 Villanova (21-8, 9-7) at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia by the final of 81-68. In addition to the win being the seventh straight Red Storm victory, it was also their sixth against a Top 25 opponent this season, tied with Texas for the most in the country. Yet to the boys from Queens, the ever-expanding list of accolades are still irrelevant.

“We beat six Top 25 teams, but we’re not done yet,” said Dwight Hardy, who led all scorers with a career-high 34 points. Villanova’s Corey Stokes, who led the Wildcats with 20 points, said of the Bronx native: “He’s a killer. He’s a good player. His teammates do a good job of getting him the ball.” Hardy’s teammates were also productive, with Paris Horne, (12 points) D.J. Kennedy (12 points, 14 rebounds) and Justin Brownlee (11 points, eight rebounds) all scoring in double figures as the Red Storm improved to 9-0 when at least four players tally ten or more points.

St. John’s never trailed today, as Villanova could get no closer than a 2-all tie and a 65-64 deficit in the second half. The Johnnies used bookend 16-4 runs to start and end the game, much to the delight of their head coach. “Offensively, they really found a nice rhythm,” said Steve Lavin after the game. “They’re just a team that’s playing with great confidence. They’re enjoying one another’s company.” After today’s emphatic win, one could argue that they’re playing for perhaps a 3 or 4 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Villanova coach Jay Wright, who predicted St. John’s would be a good team at October’s Big East media day, offered this praise to the kids from the corner of Union and Utopia:

“Those guys were good enough last year to win a lot of those games,” remarked Wright of a St. John’s squad that struggled to put games away one year ago. “You knew coming back that this was going to be a good team.” Villanova faces yet another good team in just two days, when they travel to South Bend to face the Big East’s second-place team in Notre Dame. St. John’s continues its road trip with a visit to the Prudential Center on Thursday against Seton Hall.

Several nuggets popped up during this game; and without any further ado, they’ll be analyzed in the ever-popular lasting impressions.

Lasting Impressions

– For starters, St. John’s all but wrapped up at least a first-round bye in the Big East tournament after Georgetown was defeated by Syracuse this afternoon. With Marquette, Connecticut and West Virginia all joining the Hoyas at seven losses; and considering that St. John’s owns tiebreakers against all four of those teams, the Red Storm cannot in essence finish any lower than seventh in the conference.
– Rather than the Coreys, (Stokes scored 20 while Fisher was held to just two on 1-of-10 shooting) the Wildcats’ big men were the key to the game. Antonio Peña and Mouphtaou Yarou were limited to five points and four fouls each as St. John’s reprised the solid effort from its interior defense that rendered Gary McGhee mortal against Pittsburgh last Saturday.
– Steve Lavin always mentions the necessity to “counterpunch” in Big East games, and the Johnnies did exactly that by answering every potential Villanova rally down the stretch with either a big shot or defensive stand.
– Even though the team would rather not speculate about awards, they are the frontrunners for them. After yet another dominant performance, Dwight Hardy is all but certain to lock up his fourth (and third consecutive) Big East Player of the Week award, putting him in the running for the Player of the Year. On the bench, Steve Lavin’s contributions cannot be ignored given what this team has endured.
– Finally, D.J. Kennedy picks up the unsung hero game ball tonight. Although he went just 3-for-9 from the field, “The Hitman” gutted his way to a quiet and understated 12-point, 14-rebound outing that picked up steam during the second half. An aggressive Kennedy is an effective Kennedy, and the Johnnies will need performances like this one from their “hub of the wheel” more frequently if they intend to be among the last teams standing in March.

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