DJ Kennedy

The Road to St. John’s Basketball: DJ Kennedy Before the Red Storm

June 9, 2011 by Daniel Martin Leave a Comment

Before “Big Play” DJ Kennedy made his way to Queens, he was already playing basketball in the spotlight.

As part of the Pennsylvania Boys’ Class AAAA Championship team at Schenley High School (PA) in 2007, he played alongside current San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair on a squad that finished 29-3. While Blair decided to stay in town to play college ball at Pittsburgh, Kennedy headed to New York City to play for Norm Roberts at St. John’s.

Arriving in Queens, Kennedy did not start out as the focal point, either. After an impressive freshman season by forward Justin Burrell, Kennedy looked to be the swingman complement to another dominant big man down low. In his freshman year, Kennedy played 27 minutes per game, averaging nearly 8 points and 6 rebounds.

djkennedyhandsup — Kennedy is currently rehabbing the knee injury he suffered during the Big East Tournament against Syracuse. (Photo: Zimbio)

But, after a facial fracture sidelined Burrell, Kennedy had to step up in his sophomore season. Playing seven more minutes per game, Kennedy nearly doubled his scoring output, averaging 13 points and almost 7 rebounds. He also began to show his ability to fill up the stat sheet, adding 3 assists per game.

When the dawn of his junior year came, hopes were high and expectations were even higher. The Red Storm added four quality recruits to the roster, including two junior college transfers, Justin Brownlee and Dwight Hardy. Kennedy was made to be the leader from the outset and, though the team fell short of expectations, the 6’6” swingman had the best season of his college career.

Averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, he gained a reputation as one of the most versatile players in the Big East. His length allowed him to not only attack the basket to score points, but he shot a career-high 38% from 3-pt range. He led the Red Storm in nearly every major statistical category and became a team leader, going into his senior season.

Under the new Lavin administration, Kennedy moved from the spotlight to a complementary role, alongside Hardy and Brownlee. His greatest contributions came on defense and on the boards, as well as being a more-than-viable third option in Lavin’s offense.

His most impressive game came February 10th at Madison Square Garden against UConn, when he scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in an 89-72 victory.

Unfortunately, in the Big East Tournament against Syracuse, Kennedy went down with a knee injury early in the first half, an injury that cut his season short. The Pittsburgh native had successful surgery to repair the knee and is working through the 8 month rehab process on his road back to basketball.

Though he had to watch his team take part in the NCAA Tournament from the sidelines, DJ Kennedy’s mark on this program will be indelible. During his senior season, he passed St. John’s legend Walter Barry on the Johnnies’ all-time scoring list. He will be remembered as one of the integral pieces that helped turn this St. John’s program around. Without David J. Kennedy and the rest of these seniors, the national Red Storm brand would not be what it is today, on its way toward being one of the most recognizable in the country.

Check out JohnnyJungle.com’s previous Road to St. John’s pieces on Dwayne Polee II, Malik Stith, and Paris Horne.

Kennedy Out “Indeterminate Amount of Time” With Torn ACL

March 11, 2011 by Daniel Martin 1 Comment

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.

NCAA BASKETBALL: JAN 30 Duke at St. John's — Kennedy tore his ACL in St. John's loss to Syracuse Thursday afternoon. (Photo: Icon/SMI)

“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.

Not Enough Juice In The End

March 10, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

At various points this afternoon, it seemed like it was not only possible, but destined to happen. The ten men that make up St. John’s senior class have done many things together, but beating Syracuse had not been one of them. Barring a third showdown in the NCAA Tournament, it looks like a win against the Orange will stand as the lone accomplishment missing from their resumes.

Paced by five players in double figures, including a career-high 12 points from freshman Fab Melo, the Orange (26-6) finally wore down St. John’s (21-11) and put the game away, defeating the Johnnies by the final of 79-73 in their Big East quarterfinal matchup. Next up for Syracuse will be Connecticut, who defeated Pittsburgh 76-74 on a Kemba Walker buzzer-beater. If recent history is any indication, tomorrow night’s semifinal matchup between the Huskies and Orange will be an epic, as their last Big East tournament contest was the legendary 127-117 Syracuse victory in an instant classic that took six overtimes to resolve. Besides Melo having the game of his life, Brandon Triche (22 points) was the biggest factor for a Syracuse team making their second semifinal appearance in the last three years.

Malik Stith drives to the basket against Syracuse in St. John's 79-73 loss at the Garden

“I thought it was a great game,” said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. “I thought Kris (Joseph) and Scoop (Jardine) bounced back with a great second half, and Brandon really got us going.” Triche made four of the Orange’s seven three-pointers, prompting his coach to praise the sophomore shooting guard as a player who has “stepped up his shooting and kind of given us someone to go to that we didn’t have earlier in the year.” Rick Jackson had a quiet ten points and nine rebounds, dominating a St. John’s interior game that was weakened due to the early loss of D.J. Kennedy, who was helped off the court favoring his right knee in the first half and did not return. No official update has been given regarding Kennedy’s condition; but judging by the subdued and morose tones of St. John’s coach Steve Lavin and players Sean Evans and Dwight Hardy, it is much more serious than initially feared, perhaps as severe as a torn ACL and/or MCL.

“I’m proud of the way they were able to overcome adversity,” said Lavin after the game, the first in which the Red Storm suffered a loss when at least four players score in double figures. Evans, who had a second consecutive solid game with 11 points and 12 rebounds, was clearly the most devastated by the loss of his teammate Kennedy, who is one of his closest friends on the team. “I think it hurts me as much as it hurts him,” said the senior from Philadelphia. “I’m going to play as hard as I can for D.J. and the rest of the team.” Hardy, whose 22 points led St. John’s and tied Triche for the game high, said that if Kennedy didn’t get to play down the stretch, “it’s going to be devastating.”

St. John’s overcame a lackluster start in which Syracuse opened the game on a 14-5 run to take a five-point lead heading into the intermission. The Orange then proceeded to come out of the break on a 9-1 run highlighted by trifectas from Jardine and Triche to take a 41-38 lead. The rest of the second half went back and forth until an inbounds play designed for Jackson was executed to perfection. The only difference is, Triche found a fast-breaking Fab Melo instead; and the Brazilian rookie laid it in to break a 68-all tie and give Syracuse a lead it would not relinquish.

While the Orange await UConn for the right to play for a conference title, St. John’s will head through the Midtown Tunnel back into Queens to await their fate on Selection Sunday. Although the Red Storm are considered a lock for the 68-team field, it is still unknown as to where they will play or what seed they will receive. Until then, here are this afternoon’s lasting impressions on a game that defined the words “Big East battle.”

Lasting Impressions

After Kemba Walker’s game-winning heroics, the UConn-Pitt game was going to be a tough act to follow. Syracuse and St. John’s may not have provided a dramatic ending the way Walker did two hours prior, but the quality of the game was just as good, if not slightly better.
After not living up to the hype throughout the regular season, Fab Melo now has two consecutive double-figure scoring outings. Melo had 10 against DePaul last Saturday, and set a new career high with 12 today against St. John’s. After the game, Jim Boeheim explained that his freshman center had been practicing well, so he expected some improvement from the man voted preseason rookie of the year in the Big East.
Never underestimate Brandon Triche. The sophomore has made it easy to forget Andy Rautins in upstate New York, and his 22 points (albeit on 5-for-13 shooting) provided another clutch effort for the Orange, who have turned the tide after a four-game losing streak midway through the conference schedule that Scoop Jardine called “the best thing that could have happened to us,” as it kept the team together.
Even with the loss, take nothing away from St. John’s. They are one of the better teams in the country, and should be rewarded as such this Sunday night, perhaps with a 5 seed; maybe even a 4 depending on how much the selection committee values a Big East conference that will more than likely send eleven teams to the Big Dance.
Finally, if this truly was the last time he took the court, let’s take a moment to recognize the career of one David J. Kennedy. “The Hitman” was a cornerstone of this St. John’s team for four years, blossoming from a raw left-handed swingman under Norm Roberts to a polished playmaker that could score and work behind the scenes under Steve Lavin with equal precision and capability. A player like Kennedy will not be forgotten anytime soon on the corner of Union and Utopia, and his contributions to the restoration of St. John’s basketball are simply too extensive to mention. The man who wore jersey No. 1 on the court will almost certainly be player No. 1 in the minds of St. John’s fans around the world when the Red Storm’s return to glory is referenced.

DJ Kennedy Passes Walter Berry

February 17, 2011 by Timmy Dimas Leave a Comment

Let the scoring watch begin for senior forward, DJ Kennedy.

Last night versus Marquette, Kennedy scored 15 points adding to his career total which now sits at 1432 points. Those 15 points also allowed him to pass not one but three guys on St. John’s scoring list. Lavor Postell, Walter Berry and Willie Glass all stood ahead of Kennedy and now stand behind him. Kennedy started the season as number 32 on the list and now is in sole possession of number 14.

Postell played at St. Johns from 1996-2000 scoring 1,427 points. Berry played from 1984-86 scoring 1,424 points and Willie Glass, a teammate of Berry for two years, played from 1983-87 scoring 1,419 points.

The 6’5” senior out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been a four year starter for St. John’s and a jack of all trades with his ability to score, pass, rebound and defend as well as be a leader on the court for his teammates.

Coach Lavin on Kennedy: “DJ will be the central figure in terms of what we do offensively. His experience, skill and confidence position him as one of the premier players in the BIG EAST. DJ’s determination, passion and leadership will set the tone for what we can accomplish as a team this season.”

Kennedy came out of high school ranked 35^th in the nation at his position and was being recruited by Georgia, New Mexico State, Wisconsin and Xavier but choose St. John’s as his destination.

Kennedy is averaging 10.4 points per game on 47.6% shooting and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game as well.

Kennedy has a chance to pass some more people as he wraps up his career here at St. John’s. Look out for who’s next right here on Johnny Jungle.

One Bat, One Team, One Goal

October 28, 2010 by Daniel Martin 2 Comments

Much has been written and said about the nine seniors on this 2010-2011 St. John’s roster. Coming up on their final season together, the last and telling test lies ahead, one that will dictate what history says became of this highly-touted Class of 2007.

Being that the majority of these players have been together for three years, working in the same system, going through the same ups and downs as a single, solidified unit, team chemistry is not a problem. “We’ve all been fighting to [make it to the NCAA Tournament] since Day 1,” said senior guard Paris Horne.

The team's brightest moment last season beating UConn at Madison Square Garden at the Big East Tournament. Can they use last season as a stepping stone? (Icon SMI)

Now, with a new energy, in part rooted in the hiring and recruiting success of Steve Lavin, this collection of veterans is poised for a run. With the same mix of attractive charisma and authoritative coaching knowledge that has paid off on the recruiting trail, Lavin seems to have this entire team on the same page and in pursuit of a top seed in the Big East this season. “They’re giving us more responsibility and teaching us how to be men and win,” said senior swingman DJ Kennedy of Coach Lavin and the rest of his staff.

But, with as much business as there has been to get ready for this season, that is not the only thing that has brought them together.

St. John’s fans got their first taste of this newly re-energized and charismatic team at Red Storm Tip-off when senior forward Justin Burrell emerged from the tunnel for his introduction, pointing to the sky and bobbing his head to “What is Love?”, a techno song made famous in the 1998 comedy Night at the Roxbury, much to the delight of his laughing teammates waiting at half court.

With a smile, recalling Burrell’s flawless performance at Tip-off, Paris Horne explained, “We’ve always joked around; I think it’s just that people never got to see it. We have fun but, at the same time, we focus and work hard.”

That “focus” has been at the center of a message from the assistant coaching staff, that of which includes Mike Dunlap and Rico Hines, both of whom have coaching experience in the NBA, along with Tony Chiles, a respected assistant at the Division I level with Drexel and Iona. It is a “focus” on team unity finally translating the personal chemistry they have off the court to positive results in games.

The first symbol of unity that has emerged for this team is what has come to be known as “Coach Dunlap’s Bat”. (#coachdunlapsbat)

The team lost the bat for a minute, we won't point fingers, but Sean @Shizzy5 Evans found it. #coachdunlapsbat (Twitter)

Though little more than a red aluminum bat with some peeling batting tape around the handle, what it symbolizes for this team is much more.

Each player has signed the bat with a marker, officially entering themselves into what DJ Kennedy has called “a brotherhood”. “We all signed it, which means we agree to work as a unit and we all have one goal.”

This bat, as simple as it may seem, embodies something much more profound and is one of the basic building blocks for a new culture of St. John’s basketball. In games last season against top-tier teams like Villanova and West Virginia, where St. John’s held a sizable first half advantage, it appeared to be a lack of cohesiveness that lead to compounded mistakes and second half breakdowns.

What Coach Dunlap’s Bat metaphorically strives to do is to bring all of these players together so they fit into one system and one scheme and stop the late-game runs that sank the team so many times last season.

As jokingly as it has been discussed, it is no laughing matter. Every three days, a new player must carry the bat everywhere they go and return it at the end of that period. And what happens if Dunlap’s Bat goes missing? As senior point guard Malik Boothe plainly put it, “You don’t wanna know.”

This culture shift for the Red Storm is not only in how they play, but how they present themselves as well. Just as Coach Lavin is always clean shaven and well-kept, he expects the same from his players. This means no more facial hair, turning back the clock for some players, back to their baby-faced high school days.

So with all this newly-found need to shave, what kind of products do the 2010-2011 Johnnies prefer? With a smile on his face, Malik Boothe answers quickly, “I never put a razor to this face. That’s my barbers job.” Boothe, who says he has gone to the same barber since 7th grade, instills the same trust in him as his teammates do when he runs the floor on gameday.

So, with a new focus, a new coach, and freshly-shaven faces, these nine seniors will take the floor on November 16th on the big stage, on ESPN against nationally-ranked St. Mary’s.

ATTENTION RED STORM FANS: Vote for Dave Krupinski on Volvo’s Big East Contest help make him and St. John’s #1