Johnny Jungle

The 6th Man of St. John's Basketball

For the die hard St. John's fan.
The unofficial 6th man. est. '07
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Johnnies Valiant, But Vanquished

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Junior Clint Steindl was unconscious shooting from beyond the arc knocking down a game high seven 3 point baskets. (Matt A. Brown/ Icon SMI)
When it was revealed that Steve Lavin’s opening act as St. John’s head coach would come on the road against St. Mary’s, the prevailing feeling among the Red Storm basketball community was that the game would be a solid assessment of what the team hopes to become.  Lavin himself said several times before and after the game that it was a good opportunity to get a report card on the team.  This morning’s 76-71 loss to the Gaels features a little bit of everything we have seen from the Johnnies in years past, as well as some new elements to the style emanating from Union and Utopia.

One of those new elements is freshman Dwayne Polee, who paced St. John’s with 16 points in his official college debut.  In my previous post, I noted Polee’s quiet confidence and found it similar to the first St. John’s basketball game I did play-by-play for back in 2007.  Twenty-four hours later, after watching Polee’s first impression, I again make a connection to my initial broadcast; in that most who listened found me to be quite impressive, (I, on the other hand, was, and still am, humble when complimented) and Polee was just as solid on the hardwood in his California homecoming.  Not to be outdone were the “M&M Boys,” as Malik Boothe and Malik Stith chipped in with career-highs of 15 and 13 respectively; with Stith in particular shining late in the second half.

Lavin’s 2-3 zone still needs some work, as evidenced by the second half success of St. Mary’s from behind the arc. Junior Clint Steindl led the Gaels and all scorers with 22 points, with all but one coming from beyond the arc. Matthew Dellavedova came within an assist of a double-double, posting nine dishes to go with 15 points. What we did notice from the Johnnies was their new uptempo style as they transformed a 44-40 game with under eight minutes remaining into the 76-71 final it ultimately became, as well as the pleasant surprise that was their 85% clip at the free throw line.

However, the most glaring characteristic of this morning’s opener was the feeling of deja vu as the Johnnies failed yet again to hold a halftime lead. Heading into the intermission up 31-28, the Johnnies went cold to start the final stanza. The inability to score allowed St. Mary’s to go on a 14-0 run, the third time in as many years that the Johnnies were victimized by a double-digit swing in points.

The Johnnies return home later tonight to prepare for their home opener tomorrow night at Carnesecca Arena against Columbia. Tipoff is slated for 8pm with free online streaming provided by WSJU Radio, with Johnny Jungle’s own Tim Dimas and Dan Martin on the call.

Box Score

AWAY- St. John’s

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HOME- St. Mary’s

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The Ideal Party Of Five

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With the graduation of Anthony Mason Jr. this past season, St. John’s now has a hole in its lineup that new head coach Steve Lavin can fill in a myriad of ways.  There has already been some speculation on this site as to who will be the quintet of starters for the Johnnies in 2010-11.  Having provided starting lineups as WSJU Radio‘s play-by-play announcer of Red Storm basketball for two years (2007-09), it’s time for me to weigh in. In true Carnesecca Arena tradition, the numbers are already up on the scoreboard before tip-off.

Point Guard – Paris Horne

As much of a fan of Malik Boothe as I’ve been since he was running the point for Bob Oliva at Christ the King, playing him at the point in the system Steve Lavin intends to implement may be counterproductive.  Paris Horne would be my choice to anchor the Johnnies’ deep backcourt.  Coach Lavin has already gushed over Horne’s versatility in a conversation with 1050 ESPN Radio of New York’s Jon Rothstein, and what better way to showcase Paris’ multifaceted game than by playing him at point guard? Horne is skilled on both sides of the ball, both as a staunch defender and capable scorer – the Johnnies’ leading scorer in 2008-09.  A proven 3-point shooter as well, Horne could easily become one of Lavin’s favorite options early in the Red Storm’s 103rd basketball campaign.

Shooting Guard – Dwight Hardy

Known to fans of the Red Storm as “D-Buckets,” Dwight Hardy has already engraved his name into the list of prolific 3-point shooters at St. John’s after just one season.  Coach Lavin likes to have a guard concentrate on shooting from outside, as noted by this retrospective of Lavin’s teams during his tenure at UCLA. If his Bruins teams were any indication, Hardy will see greater opportunities to reprise his role as the official team marksman, along with fellow outside options Paris Horne and D.J. Kennedy.  The second-leading scorer for the Red Storm last season despite coming off the bench, Hardy should see more minutes no matter what, but would be a greater asset if he were inserted into the everyday lineup.

Small Forward – D.J. Kennedy

Everyone who knows St. John’s knows D.J. Kennedy.  The Pittsburgh native has emerged as the face of the program, steadily increasing his productivity in each of his first three years in a Johnnies uniform.  As he enters his  final season in Queens, “The Hitman” will become a household name with college basketball aficionados nationwide.  At 6-6 and 215 pounds, the left-handed Kennedy is Lavin’s type of player: An athletic wing that can play both in the backcourt and up front with no fluctuation in his performance.  Already regarded as a potential NBA draft pick, Kennedy should have scouts salivating over his talent this season as the Red Storm reintroduce themselves to the national scene with nonconference road trips to St. Mary’s and UCLA, as well as Big East games broadcast on ESPN.

Power Forward – Sean Evans

Under Steve Lavin’s direction, Sean Evans has the potential to be a big body on the front line that can score on the break as well as hustle and be a force on the glass.  Evans has been one of the Johnnies’ best rebounders over the years; in Lavin’s system, his scoring chances can increase when the guards are not taking the shots.  His guard-like instincts should help him thrive under Lavin regardless of where and how many minutes he plays.

Center – Justin Burrell

Die-hard St. John’s fans have always included Justin Burrell as one of the Johnnies’ key pieces in each of his first three seasons. JB’s senior campaign will be no different.  Through the years, Burrell has changed his game to suit those around him, evolving from a typical power forward into an occasional outside shooter, and even a sixth man after an injury early last year against Duke.  Based on this year’s team photo, Burrell seems to have grown physically  (see the 2010-11 Red Storm team photo by clicking here), which would best benefit Coach Lavin at the center position.  Capable of unleashing a double-double on any given night, Burrell has typically contested the opening tip as if he were a center, and his presence in the paint can rival the best in the Big East.

This is just one person talking, and I’m almost positive that my starting five is quite different from that of someone else.  One thing is for sure, however, and that is no matter who St. John’s places on the court with 20 minutes on the clock in the first half on November 16th when their season gets underway, we’ll all see together what the future holds for this program.

Seniors To Put Hit Out On Big East

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D.J. Kennedy's meteoric rise to the top of the Big East will continue as he and eight other St. John's seniors look to set the Big East world on fire. (Icon SMI)

It’s time to finally tell the story of the Hitman.

And no, I’m not talking about WWE wrestler Bret Hart or #CoachDunlapsBat.  I’m talking about D.J. Kennedy, the swingman from Pittsburgh who has quietly turned himself into the marquee face of the St. John’s basketball program as he enters his senior year.

Two years ago, when St. John’s welcomed Howard into Carnesecca Arena, I had the pleasure of doing play-by-play on WSJU Radio as a then-sophomore Kennedy could not miss a 3-point shot in the game’s opening minutes.  After announcing the third  Kennedy 3-ball of the game, Keith Arias, who did color commentary with me that day, said of Kennedy: “You might as well call him ‘The Hitman!’ He’s a real sharpshooter out there!”

Needless to say, “The Hitman” moniker has  remained a fixture of every St. John’s men’s basketball broadcast on WSJU since.

Let’s talk current reality, and the reality is that “The Hitman” and his eight fellow senior classmates are the key to Steve Lavin’s maiden voyage at the helm of the Johnnies.  All nine of Lavin’s fourth-year players bring their own style to the court, and each will be an integral part of the team’s success in the 2010-11 campaign.  You’ll get to know each one more as we profile each senior in the latest edition of the “Daly Dribble“.

1. D.J. Kennedy – The man who wears No. 1 on his jersey is player No. 1 to be profiled here. Kennedy is, without doubt, the most recognizable player the Red Storm has on its roster.  In his three years in Queens, “The Hitman” has blossomed from a role player into a scorer. A 6-6 swingman, he is Steve Lavin’s type of player: a small forward that can also move into the backcourt while simultaneously maintaining his dynamic slasher/facilitator ability.  Kennedy has progressively increased his scoring output in each season, peaking at 15.1 points per game in last season’s campaign where the Johnnies went to the NIT.  Look for Kennedy to see more opportunities this season, potentially resulting in yet another improvement to not just his stat line, but his rising draft stock as well.  (Kennedy is already regarded as a potential mid-to-late 2nd-round pick)

2. Paris Horne – Some would argue that Dwight Hardy is a bigger key to the Johnnies’ season, but while Hardy is indeed important to Steve Lavin’s lineup, Paris Horne is just a little more valuable.  The Delaware-born, Philadelphia-bred Horne is deceptively quick on either side of the ball, especially on defense.  Coach Lavin has already told college basketball expert Jon Rothstein of 1050 ESPN Radio in New York that he is “extremely excited” with Paris’ versatility and that Horne has a big year ahead of him.  Fans of the Johnnies are clamoring for Horne to return to his sophomore year form, where his 14.6 points per game were good enough to lead the team in Horne’s first year in the starting five, replacing Anthony Mason Jr’s production – he was lost for the season after just three games.

3. Dwight Hardy – Call him whatever you choose, (some refer to him as “D-Buckets”; I call him “The Sheriff” since he comes out shooting) but the one thing everyone can agree to is Hardy’s natural talent. Hardy reminds me a lot of Seton Hall’s Jeremy Hazell in that he has a scorer’s instinct, and can make plays that swing the momentum of a game faster than you can change the channel on your television.  Hardy demonstrated that this past January against Cincinnati at Madison Square Garden, where his Reggie Miller-esque performance in the final seconds of regulation got the Johnnies a pivotal Big East win.  (You can hear it for yourself by clicking here, as Johnny Jungle’s own David Berov was on the call for WSJU.) Entering his second season in Queens, the Bronx native comes off a stellar campaign in which he averaged double figures in scoring off the bench,  firing 38% from beyond the arc.

4. Justin Burrell – The original “JB” was once the best player in a Red Storm jersey, back in 2007 when Norm Roberts trotted out seven true freshmen on a nightly basis.  No longer the sole option for the Johnnies, Burrell has adapted to the players around him and has changed his game accordingly, becoming a willing role player off of the bench.  Burrell has also developed an outside shot over the years which can be a defense-stretching X-factor when unveiled.  If Coach Lavin uses him in the starting lineup as many expect now that Anthony Mason Jr. has graduated, Burrell could easily be a contender for the Big East’s Most Improved Player award.

5. Sean Evans – Like fellow Philadelphian Paris Horne, the 6-8 Sean Evans was easier to recognize in the box score during his sophomore season, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t contribute as a junior.  A big, athletic forward whose points usually come in bunches, Evans continues to develop as a solid and reliable rebounder, second to D.J. Kennedy for the team lead last year and the team leader in boards as a sophomore.

Malik Boothe brings veteran fire and experience to a St. John's backcourt that is a sleeping giant in Big East. (Icon SMI)

6. Malik Boothe – The shortest player on the court is arguably the most criticized of the Red Storm, but that doesn’t stop Malik Boothe from doing what he does best – exploit defenses and make plays without showing off.  The senior has become faster over the years, and is not afraid to dish it out or drive fearlessly and take the shot.  At the end of last season, he made some shots from the perimeter, like his game-tying three in the final seconds of regulation against Marquette.  While college basketball experts may feel there are better point guards in the conference than the little man, fans of the Johnnies have nothing to fear, as the extremely underrated Boothe will once again be proving his critics wrong this season.

7. Dele Coker – They say a change of scenery does you good. Dele hasn’t left, but Steve Lavin was brought in and may have more work for the brawny center than the single digits he averaged in three years under Roberts.  The team leader in blocked shots each of the last two seasons, Coker will need to learn to channel his aggressiveness to avoid getting into foul trouble.

8. Justin Brownlee – “JB2,” as he is often called, played solid minutes in his first year as a Johnny after transferring from junior college in Florida; and much like the man who shares his initials and first name, (Justin Burrell) Brownlee became an indispensable asset off the bench for Norm Roberts. He could return to the same productive sixth man role under Coach Lavin, or even more with his athleticism and versatility.

9. Rob Thomas – Three years ago, he was an inspiration before even making his on-court debut.  Now, Thomas is still quietly asserting himself and looks to rebound better than ever after an injury-plagued junior season.  Two years ago, Thomas posted double figures in nine games while also serving as a spot starter when Justin Burrell was shelved with an eye injury in December of 2008.

The Red Storm also have incoming freshman Dwayne Polee, as well as sophomores Malik Stith and Quincy Roberts, who returns from a medical redshirt last season.  However, the nine seniors listed above remain the most critical aspect of the Johnnies’ immediate future. In order for the Lavin era to kick off positively, the seniors need to channel their experience and improve on their past performance if they are to return the Red Storm to its first NCAA Tournament since 2002.