6 Best Teams Circa 01'-02'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001%E2%80%9302_St._John%27s_Red_Storm_men%27s_basketball_team

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002%E2%80%9303_St._John%27s_Red_Storm_men%27s_basketball_team

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010–11_St._John%27s_Red_Storm_men%27s_basketball_team


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013%E2%80%9314_St._John%27s_Red_Storm_men%27s_basketball_team

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014–15_St._John%27s_Red_Storm_men%27s_basketball_team

Let's debate, have at it.

I mean it is the Elite 8 team that was a play away from the final four but the Lavin '11 squad was screwed playing the tournament without DJ and they also got seeded lower than they should have been because of it.

It is just our luck that DJ would tear his ACL in a game we probably shouldn't have been in but were because of....incompetent refs. Wild man.

1. Elite 8
2. 1999-2000
3. 2010-2011
4. 2014-2015

Also talent-wise 2013-2014 was solid. The problem there was no heart was in it and did not mesh incredibly well. That team had real potential if they had chemistry. They wanted no business of Robert Morris or NIT because of snub so played like it.

I mean it is the Elite 8 team that was a play away from the final four but the Lavin '11 squad was screwed playing the tournament without DJ and they also got seeded lower than they should have been because of it.

It is just our luck that DJ would tear his ACL in a game we probably shouldn't have been in but were because of....incompetent refs. Wild man.

Lol snub? They didn’t show up against providence in the BE tourney when they had a chance.

It’s not fair to include that 98-99 team in this poll.

This year's group is special. The toughness, professionalism, and competitiveness that MH and LJF have brought them is beyond expectations. Senior leadership from Marv and Justin, and of course the superstar Shamorie. I'll put them ahead of 2015 and probably 2011, barring results.

The potential to be the best team since the Elite8 roster is there for them. It looks like they're bound for damn near 25 wins. 

It’s not fair to include that 98-99 team in this poll.

The 98-99 and 99-00 teams are so clearly better than any team we’ve had since Louie retired.  This poll should just be post Jarvis to have any kind of debate.

I’d remove the bootsy Barkley teams and add the Marcus hatten team to the debate.  Not the best team but those guys played tough d and had Marcus....made a ncaa tourney and won a NIT.  They shouldn’t be excluded here. 

The 98-99 and 99-00 teams are so clearly better than any team we’ve had since Louie retired.  This poll should just be post Jarvis to have any kind of debate.

I agree with 98-99...it’s not even close. 99-00 is at least debatable, but I’d choose them. My next pick would be this season. I think we win a game in the tournament and I think we make the Big East championship game.

I felt we’d didn’t have a chance with either Lavin tournament team.

I’d remove the bootsy Barkley teams and add the Marcus hatten team to the debate.  Not the best team but those guys played tough d and had Marcus....made a ncaa tourney and won a NIT.  They shouldn’t be excluded here. 

Fair arguments, voting said it too, I've edited.

I think the ‘11 tournament team was the best so far, though I think this team has a higher ceiling. Just a matter of if it will be reached consistently.

Lol snub? They didn’t show up against providence in the BE tourney when they had a chance.

That was a very close game against Providence. Also- lets not forget that Providence won the Big East Tournament that year so I would not consider it a bad loss. 20 wins should have been enough that year. My thought was this- with a snub that bad, I would not even have accepted an NIT invitation because knowing the guys on the team I knew that Robert Morris was a disaster in the making. If one is that close, its not the worse thing to sit out having fallen short of ultimate goal and being motivated for next season.

Fair arguments, voting said it too, I've edited.

Thanks for being open minded!

I think the '11 team pre-DJ injury was special and we would have made a run that year had he not gotten hurt.  We simply decimated Duke that season which is pretty crazy.

After that it's a tough call.  This team has the potential to be next (or even beat the '11 team since we can't be sure what would have happened if DJ stayed healthy) but we'll see how they finish.  The Hatten teams showed grit and heart that the rest of the teams on this list didn't as much, so I'm partial to them.

The 13-14 team had the most talent, but underachieved, mostly because Sampson, Sanchez, and Pointer were too similar to really work together.  That year felt like a disappointment, despite the 20 wins, and was probably the beginning of the end for Lavin (I actually think he did a better job the following year, even though he was not brought back).

The 2010-2011 team was a senior laden group, with a chip on their shoulders.  It took them awhile to adjust their games, to fit in with the new offensive and defensive schemes that Lavin and Dunlap put in.  Once they did though, in about mid-to-late January, it was pretty much smooth sailing, until the DJ injury.  That was the best team, IMO.

That was a very close game against Providence. Also- lets not forget that Providence won the Big East Tournament that year so I would not consider it a bad loss. 20 wins should have been enough that year. My thought was this- with a snub that bad, I would not even have accepted an NIT invitation because knowing the guys on the team I knew that Robert Morris was a disaster in the making. If one is that close, its not the worse thing to sit out having fallen short of ultimate goal and being motivated for next season.

Providence and us were at that time competing for an ncaa bid, the only way we get in is if we beat them. We came out in the first half and completely laid an egg, made a nice run in the second half and fell short. There was nothing close to a “snubbing” for that team.

Providence and us were at that time competing for an ncaa bid, the only way we get in is if we beat them. We came out in the first half and completely laid an egg, made a nice run in the second half and fell short. There was nothing close to a “snubbing” for that team.

If only Jakarr dunked that ball...

If only Jakarr dunked that ball...

Goddamnit you’re right! Probably just would have lead to more heartbreak either in the next round or not hearing our name called on selection Sunday anyway.

Can we wait to see how this season ends before we start ranking this years team?

That 13-14 team was loaded with talent and depth.  Easily Lavin's worst job as a coach.  You had a second team of juniors Branch, Greene and Pointer, plus God's Gift who would be a "god" send on this current team.  I know Phil and Dom started but was assuming a lineup of Sheed, D-Lo, Sampson, Sanchez and Obekpa.  How that team did not make the dance is beyond is crazy.

The 13-14 team had the most talent, but underachieved, mostly because Sampson, Sanchez, and Pointer were too similar to really work together.  That year felt like a disappointment, despite the 20 wins, and was probably the beginning of the end for Lavin (I actually think he did a better job the following year, even though he was not brought back).

The 2010-2011 team was a senior laden group, with a chip on their shoulders.  It took them awhile to adjust their games, to fit in with the new offensive and defensive schemes that Lavin and Dunlap put in.  Once they did though, in about mid-to-late January, it was pretty much smooth sailing, until the DJ injury.  That was the best team, IMO.

2010-11 team was the best that year post '99 we took down:

#3 Duke
#9 UCONN
#4 Pitt
#15 Nova
#11 ND
 
Finished with 21 wins with a stacked BE that will never be that strong again. 16 teams 8 bids.