Stony Brook

St. John’s Headlines New-Look Holiday Festival

June 13, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

It’s just not a college basketball season unless the Holiday Festival is headlined by the St. John’s Red Storm inside the venerable confines of Madison Square Garden.

Fortunately for college basketball purists and old-school fans, history will once again be repeating itself, as the boys from Queens will take their talents to midtown Manhattan in what will be the second trip to the Garden for the youngest squad in program history. Most of these players will be making their debuts inside the home of the New York Knicks one month prior as part of the culmination of the 2K Sports Classic, an event that will also include Arizona, Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

Following a two-day confluence in which Steve Lavin’s NCAA Tournament participants first disposed of Davidson in a hard-fought nonconference matchup, the reigning Holiday Festival champion Red Storm will take the court at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” against Fordham University on December 17th.

Though the roster will feature just one player from 2010-2011, the Red Storm will be looking to erase the memory of a shocking upset loss to the Rams that, ironically, ended up being the turning point of last season’s miraculous run.

Rutgers will face Stony Brook in the second half of the Garden doubleheader on the 17th, but there will be no consolation or championship game the following day. As reported via Twitter yesterday by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, the Holiday Festival will now be a one-day event, as opposed to the tournament-style affair it had earned its name and reputation as, in the past.

One benefit of this one-day format is that it will give all four schools the opportunity to play a game at Madison Square Garden and avoid the letdown of losing both contests that has been felt by some teams in past Holiday Festival. However, the opportunity for teams to say they played two games inside one of the most recognizable venues in the world has been taken away.

In addition, a traditional Holiday Festival setup could have potentially provided an intriguing matchup between St. John’s and Rutgers before the two teams collided in a Big East matchup in Piscataway. Adding to the fire would be the fact that the Red Storm and Scarlet Knights would be facing each other for the first time since the controversial ending to their Big East tournament meeting last March. As if anyone needed a reminder, in last year’s game, Justin Brownlee appeared to step out of bounds and travel while throwing the ball into the crowd in a sequence that was ignored by the officials and subsequently criticized as a result.

Though the Holiday Festival is no longer a conventional tournament, one thing remains the same: All four programs will still get the opportunity to show their stuff to the Madison Square Garden crowd. Four local schools inside the Mecca of basketball eight days before Christmas; it simply doesn’t get much better than this for big-time college basketball fans.

Great Alaska Blowout

November 27, 2010 by Jaden Daly 1 Comment

After coming back from a second-half deficit to topple Ball State in overtime yesterday morning, St. John’s needed to stay focused against Drake tonight.

Boy, did they ever.

Three Johnnies ended the night in double figures and four more chipped in with eight points each as the Red Storm (3-1) rolled over Drake by the final of 82-39. The win was the first victory of 40 or more points for St. John’s since November 23, 1999; when Mike Jarvis guided the boys from Queens to an 84-43 thrashing of Stony Brook. Tonight gave Steve Lavin many reasons to smile, as not only did his team spread the love offensively; they also shot 58% (30-for-52) from the field.

Justin Brownlee led the Red Storm with 13 points while Dwight Hardy scored all of his 11 in the first half, where the Johnnies came out of the opening stanza and into the locker room with a 45-17 advantage. Sean Evans was the other St. John’s player to manage a double-figure outing, tallying 10. Rayvonte Rice and Aaron Hawley led Drake with 10 points each.

There were several keys to victory going in for the Johnnies, namely guard play and playing with confidence overall. Not only did the Red Storm backcourt contribute, but there was never a point over forty minutes where a lack of confidence could be found. In addition to Hardy’s 11 points, Paris Horne and Malik Boothe tallied eight each. Boothe also facilitated some scoring opportunities with six assists. Although quiet in the box score with just a half-dozen points, D.J. Kennedy added eight rebounds to help the Johnnies win the battle of the boards 38-24. St. John’s also exhibited better ball control by committing just 12 turnovers.

St. John’s now plays for the Great Alaska Shootout championship tonight (tomorrow morning on the East Coast) against Arizona State, with a midnight Eastern time tipoff.

St. John's Has Thunder Buzz

December 3, 2009 by Dan Bart Leave a Comment

St. John’s came into Wednesday’s game at Carnesseca Arena coming off an impressive weekend in Philadelphia, one that has created a buzz around this team which had not been seen during the Norm Roberts era. The Red Storm warmed up for their Saturday battle against Duke with a 63-55 win against the Stony Brook Seawolves.

St. John’s started off strong against the Seawolves, posting a 12-1 run to start the game. While Stony Brook started off slow, they were able to draw closer, going on a 8-2 run that drew them to within 5. But they would not gain any more ground against the Red Storm, who held control throughout the remainder of half. St. John’s went into the break staked to a 10 point lead, 30-20.

Image Courtesy of Johnny Thunderbirds Facebook

The second half was more of the same, as St. John’s and Stony Brook traded baskets for much of the period. But The Seawolves could not draw close to St. John’s, and the result of the game never seemed to be in doubt. St. John’s built the lead to as much as 18 points with 2:18 minutes left in the game. Stony Brook would make a charge during the last two minutes of the contest, but St. John’s walked away with the victory, 63-55.

Coach Roberts went with Sean Evans, Justin Burrell, DJ Kennedy, Malik Boothe, and Paris Horne as his starting 5 against the much smaller Stony Brook squad.

Sean Evans continued to build on the monster campaign that he has had thus far this season, scoring 12 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in the win. Evans continues to make an argument that he is a legitimate big man, displaying impressive low post moves on both offense and defense. Evans seems to have grown into his role as St. John’s go-to-guy down low, and he is thus far relishing in this role. Evans scored his 12 points on 5-10 shooting from the floor.

DJ Kennedy led all scorers with 19 points on 5-8 shooting from the floor, including 3-5 from beyond the three point line. He was also able to grab 5 rebounds, 2 of them on the offensive end.

Justin Burrell totaled 7 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Burrell shot 3-5 from the floor. He appears to be injured during the first half, as he was seem grabbing his neck and then later wearing a neck brace. But he reemerged during the second half.

Malik Boothe also scored 7 points against the Seawolves, on 1-6 shooting from the floor. He did most of his damage from the three point line, going a perfect 4-4.

Justin Brownlee led all players coming off the bench with 11 points on 4-9 shooting from the field. Brownlee has been perhaps the nicest surprise for the Red Storm this year, as he has proved to be a reliable guy coming off the bench. He was also impressive on the defensive end, grabbing 7 rebounds.

Keys to Victory

Step on the Gas: During the early goings of the first half, St. John’s was able to play an up-tempo style of play that confused the Seawolves and allowed the Red Storm to build a big lead. Although the Red Storm were never really able to replicate what they did during the early 1^st half, they nonetheless were able to take advantage of Stony Brook’s main weakness and turn it into a big lead.

Grade: B

Dominate Inside: During the times of the game when St. John’s was making a run, rebounding was the key. Both teams struggled shooting the ball, and the difference was who was able to pick up the garbage and turn it into easy points. Sean Evans and Justin Brownlee served as the garbage men for St. John’s, scooping up rebounds and turning them into points. St. John’s finished the game with a 39-31 advantage in the rebounding category.

Grade: B+

The Swish Sound: DJ Kennedy certainly heard that sound against Stony Brook, as he had an impressive shooting day on his way to leading the team with 19 points. He was especially impressive shooting from beyond the arc, going 3-5 from three point land. Paris Horne and Malik Boothe did not have good games shooting the ball, but Kennedy picked up the slack and allowed St. John’s to come away with the large margin of victory.

Grade: B

Make Them Earn Every Point: During the first half St. John’s played a gritty style of basketball that was refreshing to see. The Red Storm were diving for every loose ball, harassing the Stony Brook ball handlers, and creating a general confusion among the Seawolves. It was the kind of play that beats a team like Duke. While they did not continue that play for the full 40, it was still nice to see that the Red Storm can play like that when they want to. I hope we see a full 40 minutes of that on Saturday down in Cameron.

Grade: B+

A Rolaid’s Free Ending: It seems like during the beginning of every season St. John’s has the tendency to play down to competition and not play a full 40 minutes of basketball. We saw it against Brown, and we might see it again, but they did not give in to Stony Brook on Wednesday. St. John’s built a big lead during the early goings, and were able to retain that lead. The result was never in doubt, St. John’s is 6-0.

Grade: A

Final GPA:: 3.32

Thunder on the Island

December 1, 2009 by Pico Dulce 3 Comments

Ambiance: Conan the Barbarian (as played by California’s governor) on what is best in life (video link, opens in a new window)

These feel like heady days for St. John’s. The Johnnies have enjoyed media mentions from the likes of Sports Illustrated Seth Davis (who seems to think the Red Storm will make the NCAA Tournament this year) and ESPN’s Dick Vitale. Notes from Foxsports’ Jeff Goodman and some love from Will Leitch at New York Magazine. A few

Justin Burell dunk. By Icon Sports Media.

votes in the coaches’ poll and the AP poll. Some of the fans are getting downright giddy about a team that can compete with the nation’s best.

Speaking of polls: did you know? Upcoming opponent Stony Brook is in the “Others Receiving Votes” of a top 25 poll… of mid-majors, as compiled by CollegeInsider.com. So they’re kind of like the mid-major version of St. John’s now – knocking on the door of the top 25 with stirring victories over the New Jersey Institute of Technology (who have won 2 games!), Wagner, and Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Seawolves are 5-1, with a loss to Rhode Island on the record. While at first glance this is one of the least fearsome games on the schedule, they are not to be taken lightly.

The Seawolves have roughed up opponents on defense, stifling their ability to get quality shots off and limiting their second chances/ offensive rebounds. They have played a slow, deliberate pace, except in the fast paced demolition by Rhode Island. To their credit, the Seawolves did hold Rhode Island under their lowest point total of the season (matched in the next game against Davidson), so they had to be doing something right. Last night, Stony Brook raced to a 47-24 advantage against Lehigh and seemed to cruise the rest of the way.

Now, Stony Brook’s opposition has been weak, but they are showing glimpses of a team that could be a problem. In games like this, the Red Storm has to make a point to not overlook the opponent, and to work on shoring up deficiencies:

The Johnnies need to make the paint inhospitable for other offenses, and allow fewer offensive rebounds to opponents. Allowing 11 second chances to the other team per game is going to catch up with this team. And this team has allowed middling teams to score a lot of points at higher efficiencies than they normally score.
They need to dictate the tempo – which they have not done yet, playing instead at their opponents’ tempo (see: the slowdown Temple and St. Bonaventure games).
St. John’s needs to shoot better from outside – they are shooting 31.5% from beyond the arc this year. Whether this is a problem with shooters getting their feet set or a problem with screening, they have to address the issue.
The team needs to get Paris Horne back on track, and get Justin Burrell consistent shots. Despite some fans’ talk about his game, he can be a difference-maker on offense and a post presence.
They can work on having different players handle the ball coming up.

Most of all, the Red Storm needs to not cut the game as close as they cut the Brown game. Do not take the Seawolves lightly. Do not get excited about the team’s first television appearance of the year. Do not get sucked in to the giddiness; it’s a long season, and those were only 5 games. The team might see the light at the end of a dismal tunnel, but they still have to keep digging. Ernie Anastos would agree, in so many words (NSFW).

Game Information

Tip Off: 7:00 PM, Wednesday, December 2
Location: Carnesecca Arena, Queens NY
TV: SNY
Radio: Bloomberg 1130AM and WSJU Radio

Team Reviews

Stony Brook (5-1)

stonybrook2

35 G Muhammad El-Amin SR 6’5 210: 14 ppg* 2.6 rpg* 45.2% FG* 33.3% 3pt

10 G Bryan Dougher SO 6’1 185: 12.2 ppg* 3.5 rpg* 2 apg* 33% 3pt* 90.9% FT

30 G Chris Martin JR 6’1 223: 9 ppg* 3.8 rpg* 77.4% FT

23 F Dallis Joyner SO 6’7 250: 6 ppg* 5.3 rpg

24 G-F Tommy Brenton SO 6’5 215: 7.5 ppg* 9.8 rpg* 3.7 apg* 2.7 spg* 64.5% FG

Bench

12 PG Eddie Castellanos SR 6’1 180: 18.7 mpg* 2 ppg* 2.5 apg

11 G Marcus Rouse FR 6’0 170: 16.8 mpg* 5 ppg* 50% 3pt

20 F-C Desmond Adedeji SR 6’10 305: 12.8 mpg* 8 ppg* 2.8 rpg* 61% FG

1 G-F Preye Preboye FR 6’6 220: 12.8 mpg* 4.5 ppg* 3.2 rpg* 1 spg

Scotch Plains’ Brian Dougher is the team’s leader in minutes and is second in shots taken per minute among the starters. He takes the majority of his shots from beyond the 3-point line, and can get hot. Muhammad El-Amin is more likely than Dougher to put a shot up, but takes his attempts within the arc. He is decent at handing out assists. Swingman Tommy Brenton is generally a non-shooter but is effective when he puts up shots. His real value to the Seawolves is as a monster rebounder on both ends, and a very good assist man with few turnovers. The Red Storm need to check him on rebounding situations.

Dallis Joyner is a wide body in the post and is an okay rebounder, but he turns the ball over a lot and has been ineffective at scoring. Chris Martin – not the guy from Coldplay – probably knows Malik Boothe. Martin’s a junior from Christ the King and lives in Springfield Gardens. He hasn’t made a three-pointer all season, but has enjoyed 31 trips to the free throw line in 6 games – about 5 per game.

Stony Brook goes to the bench for a number of minutes. Hoboken’s Eddie Castellanos is a senior guard who is more concerned with making assists than taking shots. His shooting percentages in the past have been fairly poor. Marcus Rouse is a guard with a solid all-around game, and posted 16 points in the loss to Rhode Island. Desmond Adedeji transferred from the University of Dayton for more playing time. He is their tallest player at 6’10 and very large at 305 pounds. He’s been an efficient scorer and shot blocker, but picks up 2 fouls per game in 12 minutes a contest. Preye Preboye hasn’t shown much offensively, but has been a good rebounder at both ends for his size, adding some steals for good measure.

St. John’s (5-0)

StJohns150 logo 3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 4.4 ppg* 2.6 apg* 2.8 rpg * 1.8 spg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 8.8 ppg* 3 rpg* 1 spg* 27.8% 3-pt, 42.9% FG

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 17.4 ppg* 4.4 rpg* 3 apg* 2.4 TO/g* 38.9% 3-pt* 55.3% FG

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 5 ppg* 3.4 rpg* 50% FG

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 8.2 ppg* 6.8 rpg* 43.8% FG

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6’2 187: 23 mpg* 12.2 ppg* 1.6 apg* 43.5% 3-pt

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6’7 232: 19.2 mpg* 7.8 ppg* 4.4 rpg* 1.4 spg

Granted, St. John’s played two teams that have had their scoring troubles and scoring droughts in Temple and Siena last weekend, but they did a good job of defending without fouling. They allowed a lot of offensive boards and turned the ball over at a high rate though; there is work to be done.

DJ Kennedy‘s been the most reliable scorer on the team, the guy the team goes to to make a play. But what about… everyone else? Dwight Hardy has certainly had his moments on offense, and has been very willing to take shots on offense. But Paris Horne should be the other scorer; but so far this season, he has struggled to find the range, to avoid foul trouble, and to get into his rhythm. He will be needed; some team will defend Kennedy well, and someone will need to step up. Backups Quincy Roberts and Omari Lawrence have flashed potential in their time on the court, with Lawrence making plays outside of scoring (his accuracy has not been there from the field, yet), and Roberts shooting the ball well in his 9 minutes per game. As an aside, Kennedy’s rebounding rates have dropped slightly.

Meanwhile, Malik Boothe and Malik Stith have been an interesting combination. Neither is putting up big assist numbers, but both have made some plays down the stretch in games. Both have turned the ball over much more than they should. Stith has been a better scorer (in much less time, so small sample size rules apply) and Boothe has better defensive metrics, rebounding and stealing the ball at a very good clip for his size.

At forward, Sean Evans remains steady, though his urges to take jump shots have lowered his field goal percentage. He is rebounding as well as before with a sharply reduced turnover rate while hitting almost 62% of his relatively frequent free throws. Justin Burrell isn’t getting any shots up. Is that his issue or the team’s? The team would be better served if he was getting shots, getting to the free throw line at the frequency he did last year, and not turning over the ball as much. Despite his love of shooting at awkward points in the shot clock, Justin Brownlee has been very good and efficient, though he needs to be more accurate on 3-pointers (27.3%). His rebounding is solid. Dele Coker‘s time has been limited, but he still will get a block in his 6 minutes.

Keys to the Game:

Step on the Gas. Pace, pace, pace. Here is where St. John’s can work on making a slower team play at their pace by defending well enough to limit their possessions and harassing them into turnovers. The Johnnies have to get the athletes out into space and put up shots.

Dominate Inside. Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds. It’s basic, but St. John’s has let poor teams back into games by giving up inopportune rebounds on the defensive side, and by not extending their own possessions. St. John’s is bigger and stronger than Stony Brook, and they need to show it. Some post scoring and interior dunking would be welcome.

The Swish Sound. After a couple of gritty games, it would help for the Red Storm’s guards to see their shots go through the net on a regular basis. Even DJ Kennedy could use a good game, especially from behind the arc. Paris Horne needs to remember how he made consistent plays most of last year – driving occasionally, working on the perimeter to get a good outside jump shot, and streaking to the basket and finishing.

Make Them Earn Every Point. Stony Brook is a little turnover-prone, and St. John’s will take advantage of that. But it is very important for the Red Storm to defend from the field as well as force turnovers; the team has let too many teams gain confidence in their shots. I would like to see Stony Brook held below 40% shooting. I would like to hear their coach talk about how they were out-toughed, how they couldn’t get open for a good shot.

A Rolaids-Free Ending. St. John’s can’t keep lower-level teams hanging around if they have hopes of being a top-25 team. The Red Storm have to take their lead, have the backups retain the lead, and spend the second half crushing the Seawolves’ spirits. They have the confidence after the big road wins; now is the time to give the fans at home something to believe in.

Prediction: I would like to see the Red Storm crush the Seawolves by a lot more, but I will predict conservatively: St. John’s 75, Stony Brook 68.

Transplanted New Yorker and now Midwesterner Peter a/k/a Pico writes for the East Coast Bias and the Church of Bracketology. He’ll be doing the Calm Before the Storm posts, just like last year.