Shows the depths this program has sunk to when there is all this discussion of a former walk on. Makes one nostalgic for the good old days of Andre Stanley and Phil Missere. Now those were a couple of walk ons that will live on in the pantheon of St. John's basketball.
No Andre Stanley and we lose to Uconn at MSG.
Phil Missere wasn’t a BE player. He was overmatched by just about every opponent he faced at the D1 level. However, he worked really hard, and occasionally, although rarely helped us win a game. I think back to the Georgetown game at MSG towards the end of the miserable 04-05 season. His put back slam dunk was a key play in securing a win over a team that featured two NBA players.
Did having that walk on change the season in a significant way? Of course not. Is that what I’m claiming Holifield would have done for us. No. It’s just another example of our careless and incompetent staff.
Norm had no choice but to let Missere be part of the team. He started the season short handed, but knew that his scholarship players would get tired and need a break. Our games in the BE are usually close. After 35 minutes we are exhausted. Ponds and Simon start throwing up forced shots and turning it over. Why? Because that’s what happens when you haven’t got your legs anymore.
Having Holifield isn’t about adding a capable BE player. It would have been a serviceable guard that could have given Ponds and Simon a breather. Who gives them a breather now? Right, no one.
It’s getting pretty boring being right all the time.