http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/2010/11/07/2010-11-07_justin_brownlee_dwayne_polee_ii_and_dwight_hardy_lead_st_johns_over_westmont_in_.htmlIn its first appearance under new head coach Steve Lavin, St. John's made quite an impression. The Red Storm unveiled a fast-paced, high-scoring approach to offense and pressuring zone defense as it pounded Westmont of the NAIA, 100-42, in an exhibition game Saturday night at Carnesecca Arena.
But the most impressive part of the night may have been something that took place off the court. Two of the nation's 50-best recruits - 6-10 Norvel Pelle from Compton High (Calif.) and 6-6 Amir Garrett from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep - attended as part of official visits and sat behind the Red Storm's bench.
NCAA rules prohibit recruits from giving interviews while on campus, but each responded well when the student section chanted their names.
St. John's went with a starting lineup of four seniors - D.J. Kennedy, Malik Boothe, Dwight Hardy and Justin Brownlee - and the freshman and former Los Angeles Player of the Year Dwayne Polee II. Polee finished with 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting in 18 minutes and the newcomer's presence in the starting five doesn't appear to have flustered the 10 returning seniors.
"He's playing well since he got here," Hardy said. "He pays attention to details. He's hard working. He adds athletic ability to the starting lineup."
Lavin was back on a coaching sideline for the first time since his final game at UCLA in 2003. He didn't go with the hair-gel look he used during his seven seasons with the Bruins, but he looked comfortable with both the team and the members of a staff that was in its first game conditions together.
In recent years the Johnnies have struggled to score and tried to play a pace to score in the 60s. Lavin and his staff have tried to address that by turning the team loose in the first few seconds of every possession and then putting more emphasis on Brownlee and Hardy in the halfcourt. He said scoring 100 every game "would be fine."
They always played hard defense, but the zone might help them better use their good team speed.
A win against Westmont, which lost to UCLA 95-59 on Thursday and is coached by Lavin's brother-in-law John Moore, may not be indicative of what lies ahead for the Storm, which opens Nov. 16 at St. Mary's (Calif.), but Lavin said fans saw a "blueprint" for what is to come.
"What we're trying to do is a similar blueprint in terms of the pressure on the ball and trying to play at a fast tempo, but also trying to use good judgement after that first initial six seconds," he said. "The first six seconds is an organized break and if they can get something in that first six seconds, we want to attack."
"He's giving us a lot of freedom," said Kennedy, who had 10 points and six assists and whom Lavin said would be the 'hub of the wheel' in the Storm's offense because of his versatility.
Brownlee had 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting, Hardy had 15 points, Paris Horne added 12 and Boothe had 12 assists and nine points for the Johnnies. Their 30 assists showed "we like playing together," as Kennedy said, and the 11 turnovers committed indicated increased attention to taking care of the ball.
Horne, Sean Evans and Malik Stith all played 18 or more minutes off the bench and should be part of a regular eight- to nine-man rotation that also will include Justin Burrell (broken hand), when he comes back later this month.
St. John's opened the contest by making its first eight shots for a 16-0 lead. They had the margin to 20 about 10 minutes into the game and to 30 after another five minutes.
"It's early in the year so you can't say 'great game,'" Kennedy said. "We feel like there's a lot of things we can clean up on. In the second half ... we didn't have the same intensity as the first. But it was a good game."
BURRELL OPTIMISTIC
Burrell is talking seriously about retuning in time for the opener. He should be allowed to resume basketball activities Tuesday, could be cleared for contact Friday and might be able to play at St. Mary's.
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