In a season that has been full of ups, the Johnnies have undoubtedly been dealt their lowest low.
Senior forward DJ Kennedy has suffered a torn ACL in his right knee that will keep him out for “an indeterminate amount of time”, the team announced Thursday evening. The injury will require surgery, with a recovery time that could be between six and eight months.
Kennedy went down with just over 14 minutes remaining in the first half of St. John’s loss to Syracuse at the Garden Thursday, falling to the ground after making contact with a Syracuse player on a drive to the basket.
Immediately after going down, Kennedy motioned for the trainers to tend to him while in visible pain. After being examined, he was helped off the floor by teammates Kevin Clark and Jamal White.
“I’ve wanted to play in the NCAA Tournament since I picked up a basketball in grade school, and this is a real blow,” Kennedy said. “I am disappointed on a personal level, but I am happy that I will be with my teammates on the road during the tournament, supporting them the way they always support me.”
Kennedy was taken to the Hospital for Special Surgery for an MRI, which revealed the torn ligament.
“This is a tough time to lose both a leader and vital member of our team,” said head coach Steve Lavin. “Our basketball family is determined to bring an inspired effort to pay tribute to D.J. Kennedy for his outstanding contributions to our program. Our players recognize we would not be participating in the NCAA Tournament without D.J.’s efforts. He will continue to add value as we continue our postseason journey.”
The 6’5” swingman from Pittsburgh, PA has been a key contributor in all four seasons with the Red Storm, including leading the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, three-point and free throw percentage, steals, and minutes played last season. This season, in a more balanced offense that highlighted Kennedy’s versatility, he averaged 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals.
His 17 points, including 11/12 from the free throw line, helped St. John’s get a key road win early in the year, on the road against West Virginia. He also tallied back-to-back double-doubles late in the year, including 12 points and an impressive 14 rebounds in a win over #14 Villanova.
This group of nine seniors, which will always be remembered in St. John’s history as the team that revitalized this storied program, has stuck together since their first day in Queens and, as Sean Evans echoed in the press conference following Thursday’s loss, they are more than a basketball team.
“D.J. is a big part of this team, and this hurts me because we’re close on and off the court. It’s not many times you see D.J. and you don’t see me, or you see me and don’t see D.J., so it’s going to be hurtful but I think it’s going to be fuel to the fire and we’re going to have to step up,” said senior forward Sean Evans. “I’m going to play as hard for D.J. and for all my teammates.”
After being knocked out of the Big East Tournament with their loss to Syracuse, the Johnnies will await Selection Sunday when their seed in the NCAA Tournament will be announced.
#TeamHitman