Game #7: at Duke Blue Devils

There is palpable excitement for St. John’s Game #7, a nationally-televised contest against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor in Durham, NC on Saturday afternoon on ESPN 2.

At a solid 6-0, with a road win over St. Bonaventure, a neutral site win over the Siena Saints, and a “neutral”/ road win over the Temple Owls, the Red Storm look pretty solid. They even have the #4 RPI in men’s college basketball! The season, of course, is less than a month old, so that #4 is no kind of cue to book tickets for appropriate regional NCAA first-round sites.

But it is interesting, a stir of echoes, an early burst of relevance. And a cause for momentary excitement. maybe this year St. John’s can compete with Duke on the court. Maybe the Dukies are adjusting to play without Gerald Henderson and Greg Paulus. maybe the Red Storm shock the Saturday afternoon college basketball-watching country (or “America” as they say on your favorite reality-TV shows). Just maybe, this newly confident and deep Red Storm squad won’t take “L” for a result anymore.

Game Preview: Facts & Responses

Fact: St. John’s is 6-0.

Simulated Talking Head Response: They’re back!

Analysis: Slow your roll. I love this team but I’m a realist. This game doesn’t really speak to whether this team will be competitive in the Big East or not, especially if they lose. If they win, it’s a HUGE win, a program changer. But if they lose, it’s a loss; winning the rest of the non-conference games, which are winnable (though dangerous) is more of a barometer of where this team is. A loss doesn’t mean anything is over – it just means the team has to shore up some deficiencies in offense and most likely, turnovers + offensive carelessness.

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Fact: Duke is coming off of a 73-69 loss at Wisconsin.

Simulated Talking Head Response: Oooh, snap! Duke coming off a loss is a dangerous cobra, coiled in the corner, ready to strike!

Analysis: St. John’s has gotten them ogff of a loss the past two years. While some like to make a big deal of the emotional response of Duke coming off of an L, it’s not like they’re facing Michigan State next, or Villanova. If they lose, they probably have some serious problems. If they win, it’s not that they have corrected the problems that got them in the loss at Wisconsin – defensive rebounding, a lack of turnovers forced, and an inability to stop the Badgers’ Travon Hughes.

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Fact: Duke is considered unathletic and soft.

Simulated Talking Head Response: Duke might be surprised by the athletes of St. John’s!

Analysis: While DJ Kennedy has had some very good games against the Blue Devils, Duke is not without athletes, and certainly without talent. Maybe all of those McDonald’s All-Americans (Scheyer, Thomas, Singler, Smith, Plumlee) shouldn’t have been All-Americans. But they are pretty fair athletes. Interestingly, Scheyer has not had any strong (20+ point) scoring games against the Johnnies in the last 2 years. And the “lack of athleticism” didn’t help the athletic U Conn Huskies, who lost to Duke in one of the most boring games I have ever seen.

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Fact: Duke has a lot of talent.

Simulated Talking Head Response: Duke is just SO deep…

Analysis: Yet they play 8 players. While I think Ryan Kelly will dust off his splinters and get some run in this game, it’s curious that there are three scorers on this team, and a wealth of tall role players. Hopefully, the Plumlees won’t just go off on the Red Storm after I write this.

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Game Preview: Team Reviews

Duke (6-1)

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America

You can fight with Duke. They are thin at guard, so you know what you’re going to get on the perimeter – Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith, young Andre Dawkins. And while Singler can handle the ball, the team’s depth leans heavily inside. The Blue Devils allowed some pretty sharp shooting from the Badgers, who were not to be mistaken for a crisp, perimeter-oriented team.

Game 6: vs Stony Brook

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 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.

And tonight’s game will be on TV, available nationally through ESPN 360; recruits will be in the house as well.

Similarly giddy are the fans of SUNY- Stony Brook. 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.

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.

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).

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Opponent Team Review

Stony Brook (5-1)

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)

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.

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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.

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Bye bye, Lawrence

I suppose after a coach goes 0-17 in the NBA, a firing is in order. But New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank got screwed, and screwed hard, by a team and an ownership more concerned with clearing money for this supposed move to the Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn than with putting a competitive team on the floor.

There is a little talent on the Nets. A little. There are a lot of injuries as well. And a lot of backups. Josh Boone and Rafer Alston – as much as I love the guy from my neck of Queens – shouldn’t be logging major minutes. Every trade shouldn’t be to cut space. Courtney Lee is not a starting 2-guard without some high-volume shooters around him.

And while Lawrence Frank may not have been a miracle worker, he was a good soldier, and a decent coach. A man with a lot of energy. He’ll land on his feet – take some time off, stop losing hair, sleep 8 hours in one night. Maybe he will coach college… that Rutgers job could use a tactician…

Game 5: Temple

Ambiance: The Roots, “Without a Doubt” (video link, pops up in a new window)

 

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The last game of the Philly Hoop Group Classic pairs St. John’s against the Temple Owls, who have knocked off Virginia Tech and Siena, and came within a point of Georgetown in one of this year’s ugliest games televised on national television. And Red Storm coach Norm Roberts gets to match wits against another coach named Fran.

Now as I write this, Temple is muscling around Virginia Tech. Crushing them, really, like a major conference team beats on a local patsy. While the stats above don’t reflect it, Lavoy Allen is singlehandedly demolishing a physical ACC team that manhandled this group of Johnnies for two years running. The Hokies are not making their shots at all. Neither is Temple, but the Owls’ defense is making the Hokies an unsuccessful one-man gang. Temple’s defense has been elite so far this year, frustrating Georgetown (in a 1-point loss) and Siena, both preseason top-25 selections.

In fact, the Owls’ worst game defensively was… against Siena, a game that also featured the fast pace that St. John’s will try to bring tomorrow. The slowest paced game St. John’s has played so far was the close loss to St. Bonaventure, who also play in the Atlantic-10, have a preseason all league player at forward, and also feature questionable outside shooting. And questionable inside shooting. Has St. John’s figured out how to effectively defend a dynamic forward? Can they score in a slower-paced game, or assert their will and speed the tempo?

If they are to avoid the mistakes of the Bonaventure game, the Red Storm have to force missed shots – not necessarily from the all-A-10 Lavoy Allen, but from the team – and they have got to dominate the glass. A team can’t push if they don’t move the ball upcourt against a team scrambling to switch to defense. The tempo’s the key in this one.

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Team Reviews

(All stats previous to Friday’s games)

Temple (4-1)

50 F/C Michael Eric SO 6′11 255 6.5 ppg* 3.8 rpg* 1 spg

4 G Juan Fernandez SO 6′4 180 13 ppg* 3.3 apg* 47% 3-pt

10 G Luis Guzman SR 6′3 200 2.5 ppg* 3.5 rpg* 3.3 apg

24 F Lavoy Allen JR 6′9 225 11.3 ppg* 11.3 rpg* 1 bpg* 1.5 spg

2 G Ryan Brooks SR 6′4 200 15.8 ppg* 4.8 rpg* 2.8 apg

Bench

23 Ramone Moore FR 6′4 180 19.3 mpg* 7 ppg* 3.3 rpg* 1 spg* 54.2% FG

30 Craig Williams JR 6′9 240 14.8 mpg* 5.8 ppg

Temple spent Friday night at home, frustrating a Virginia Tech team that likes to play slow, defensive-oriented ball. The Hokies found themselves missing a lot of shots and unable to stop Lavoy Allen. Temple played some zone (the 2-3 matchup that John Chaney used to use?) to frustrate the Hokies, though the pace of the game was actually fast… and neither team had efficient scorers, except for Temple’s Lavoy Allen, who went 8 of 9 for the field.

First-team all Atlantic 10 preseason selection Allen has size and some range; he stays on the floor, can pass, rebound at both ends, and has been good at holding on to the ball; he might be the Owls’ best player. Argentine Juan Fernandez is also a dangerous one; he’s not necessarily the type to put up a lot of shots, but he has been incredibly efficient this year. He doubles as the Owls’ best passer and playmaker, and also is decent at holding on to the ball.

Wing Ryan Brooks is most likely to take a shot. He does most of his damage inside the arc this year, but shot 41% from the three last year, while taking half of his shots from distance.

Nigerian Michael Eric is a shot blocker, but will also put up some shots; he’s a good defensive rebounder but is prone to a turnover or two. He can drive to the basket as well. Eric did not play against Virginia Tech with a sprained knee; Craig Williams took his place in the lineup and may do so again against St. John’s. Luis Guzman from the Bronx is a good ballhandler, but never shoots. It seems that he can hit from the outside.

St. John’s (4-0)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 21.7 mpg* 5.3 ppg* 3 apg* 1.7 spg* 3.3 fouls/g

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 26.3 mpg* 10.7 ppg* 3.3 rpg* 1spg* 35.7% 3-pt, 46.4% FG

1 G/F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 30.3 mpg* 16.3 ppg* 3.7 rpg* 2.7 apg* 46.7% 3-pt* 55.6% FG

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 17.3 mpg* 5.3 ppg* 4 rpg* 57.1% FG* 3.7 fouls/g

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 22.7 mpg* 8.7 ppg* 5 rpg

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 23.3 mpg* 10.5 ppg* 2 apg* 2 TO/g* 37.5% 3-pt

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 18 mpg* 9.5 ppg* 5 rpg* 1.5 spg

St. John’s spent Friday evening in the Palestra making Siena fans and announcers complain about their aggressive offensive style, likening it to a street game. Funny, Siena’s game often looks a little wild and loose as well. Guards DJ Kennedy and Dwight Hardy made plays, with Kennedy playing the role of “unstoppable”, drawing fouls against a Saints team that hardly fouls. Nice work.

Up front, Brownlee came off the bench and mixed good scoring with occasionally questionable selection. Starters Burrell and Evans played decent defense. Burrell was hampered by turnovers and possibly a lack of seeing the ball, while Evans was hampered with foul trouble. He still found 8 rebounds in 15 minutes, a nice performance. Boothe was a steady hand and Omari Lawrence’s basketball IQ continues to impress. Paris Horne got into the game as a finisher late. Dele Coker had a nice block. Quincy Roberts – from Harrisburg, mid-state – didn’t get into the game.

Against Temple, St. John’s might need to get more performance up front, especially on the glass. Temple’s frontcourt has height and can be imposing; boxing out will be key, as will engaging them on defense. The opposition plays very god team defense and has good recognition on offense; playing fast will be the best way to swing the game in the Red Storm’s favor. The hometown fans will be cheering for the Owls.

 

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Keys to the Game:

Keep Up The Pace! Temple is good at playing a slow pace, and were least effective on defense when they were being run up and down the court. St. John’s has to own the boards, throw smart outlet passes, and shove their athleticism down the Owls’ throat. If the Storm can force long jump shots, that will go a long way to dominating the pace – with guards picking up the long caroms and putting the Owls on defense.

Theivery. The Owls are very good at holding on to the ball – or they have been so far. But the tall guards can be pressed. And as part of keeping up the pace, St. John’s has to stay in their face and rush their shots. They can be flustered, and are a young team.

Box Out. Someone needs to find Lavoy Allen from the shootaround. He is crafty in finding spaces against other teams and scoring from all over the court. He’s best at the rim, and can throw down a dunk. St. John’s has to keep him far from the glass, both to stop his scoring and to corral rebounds.

Put Up Shots (And Hit Them, Of Course). Again, St. John’s needs to put up shots to be effective. A lot goes into putting up more shots – not turning the ball over, rebounding on both ends, and finding openings against man and zone defenses. Hopefully, Temple’s occasionally-errant shooting will cause them to have a dry spell; when this happens, St. John’s has to find ways to put up more shots and create separation.

Big Days From the Wings. I think this game will require St. John’s to hit a few more three-point shots. Or at the very least, get some solid performances from Kennedy and Paris Horne. The wings are the Red Storm’s strength, and Temple will work hard to negate their effectiveness.

Game 4: Siena

Ambiance: Billy Paul’s “The Whole Town Is Talking” (video link, loads in new window)

Bonus ambiance – a tour of the historic Palestra from PressPassTV (video link, loads in new window)

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This weekend, St. John’s travels to the historic Palestra in Philadelphia, PA, to take on the Siena Saints and the Temple Owls in the Philly Hoop Group Classic. Known for their frenetic style, Siena will be tough competition for a team that has had problems maintaining possessions in past years. A win over the MAAC’s Saints will be a nice feather in the Red Storm’s cap… or I suppose headband would be more appropriate. Even though the games aren’t on TV, the Hoop Group games are a chance to gauge where this team stands nationally.

Malik Boothe. From Red Storm Sports.

The Red Storm have already played one game in the “classic” – the on-campus 79-76 squeaker win over the Brown Bears. The Red Storm have had almost a full week to ruminate on that near disaster. It was tough to listen to, tough to watch, especially when the team found themselves giving up 44 points and 70% shooting to an Ivy League team in the second half, while shooting 34.3%. Even with the marked advantage in offensive rebounds in that half (10 to 2), the sharp free throw shooting (12-14) and the lack of turnovers (5 to Brown’s 12), that is a cause for concern.

There is no excuse for the lack of help defense, the lack of recognition on back cuts, and the sometimes-slow close-outs displayed last Friday. Yes, the Bears made some shots, and St. John’s went cold, but Brown has only topped that level of offensive efficiency against lowly Maine. Hopefully, practices have focused on improving the defense against not only fast breaks, but against cutters to the basket.

St. John’s has really shot the ball well from the perimeter, and has cut down on the turnovers. The guard-oriented lineups have been good from the outside. Those same lineups have given up a number of shots at the basket, and too many fouls. The occasional pressure defense hasn’t yet taken offenses out of their game, and has led to the fouling and the scoring; this needs to change. Additionally, the team seems to forget that some teammates are listed as “forwards” in the game program, and should get the ball in the paint, draw fouls, and provide some offensive balance.

One problem in playing Siena is that their players work so well as a unit. Each player is a threat on offense and defense, and their team shows the veteran savvy coaches often talk about. Their pressing defense is at the heart of what they do. The Saints create pressure by making the whole team bring the ball upcourt, trapping and pressing both in the backcourt and at the halfcourt line.

This pressure often leads to turnovers. But it also serves the purposes of forcing players out of their comfort zone and encouraging opposing players to think they have open lanes to the basket, which are quickly covered by help defenders. This coverage affects a Siena opponent’s offensive rebounding; players take shots before their forwards are in position to clean the glass and give scoring a second chance in the halfcourt sets. Even when the Saints turn the ball over – which was rare last year – or shoot poorly, Siena is always in the game because they concentrate on disruptive defense, like Rick Pitino’s teams. And they do not foul; their positioning and anticipation is fantastic.

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Team Reviews

Siena (2-1)

25 G Ronald Moore SR 6′0 156 4.8 ppg* 8.3 apg* 4 rpg* 1.5 spg* 26.1% FG

13 G Clarence Jackson JR 6′3 185 12.5 ppg* 40% 3-pt

23 G/F Edwin Ubiles SR 6′6 204 13.3 ppg* 3.3 apg* 3.5 rpg* 1.8 spg* 55.3% FG

22 F Ryan Rossiter JR 6′9 234 12.8 ppg* 9.8 rpg* 1.5 spg* 1.3 bpg * 64.3% FG

42 F Alex Franklin SR 6′5 226 16.3 ppg* 8.3 rpg* 60.5% FG

Bench:

3 G Kyle Downey SO 6′2 203 16.5 mpg* 4.5 ppg* 2 rpg* 2 TO/g

1 F O.D. Anosike FR 6′7 217 14.8 mpg* 2.5 ppg* 3.8 rpg

The Siena Saints are a little school that could, knocking off Ohio State in the NCAA tournament last year, and playing Louisville close. That same team, however, struggled last November against good teams, and came on stronger in the spring. Like last year’s team, these Saints do not shoot 3-pointers and play at incredibly fast pace, pushing off of turnovers, opponents’ makes, and opponents’ misses. Though they are still putting up shots, Siena is turning the ball over more than they did last year.

Offensively, Edwin Ubiles is the closest thing to a go-to star, playing heavy minutes and taking a number of the tougher shots. Guard Clarence Jackson isn’t shy, especially from beyond the arc. Ryan Rossiter – brother of Davidson’s Steve Rossiter and a Staten Island native – doesn’t shoot as much as his teammates but has range, well-rounded defensive ability, and rebounding acumen. Rossiter’s parents may be in the stands, go on down and say hello.

Alex Franklin handles the defensive rebounding with Rossiter and gets to the free throw line a lot. Ronald Moore’s value is in his crafty ballhandling and ability to run the offense/ make plays with the pass; though his turnover rate is certainly not as low as an elite guard’s should be.

The team has not played its bench much. Sophomore Downey is more likely to shoot but hasn’t been effective this season. Staten Island’s Anosike is on the court to defend and rebound; he’s a pretty good athlete.

I add a paragraph to work in that, according to Bill Raftery, the Franciscans built Siena College on an old asparagus farm outside of Albany. Now you know, if anyone asks.

St. John’s (3-0)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 21.7 mpg* 5.3 ppg* 3 apg* 1.7 spg* 3.3 fouls/g

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 26.3 mpg* 10.7 ppg* 3.3 rpg* 1spg* 35.7% 3-pt, 46.4% FG

1 G/F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 30.3 mpg* 16.3 ppg* 3.7 rpg* 2.7 apg* 46.7% 3-pt* 55.6% FG

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 17.3 mpg* 5.3 ppg* 4 rpg* 57.1% FG* 3.7 fouls/g

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 22.7 mpg* 8.7 ppg* 5 rpg

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 23.3 mpg* 10.5 ppg* 2 apg* 2 TO/g* 37.5% 3-pt

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 18 mpg* 9.5 ppg* 5 rpg* 1.5 spg

The Red Storm’s modus operandi this season has been to run up and down the court, creating shots on the break and with the dribble, with decent success… even if it doesn’t always look pretty. But so far, the players have been very efficient with respect to their scoring. Can they keep it up? DJ Kennedy has been unreal, especially with his newfound ability to hit from distance; he has drawn fouls as well. Paris Horne plays fewer minutes but is more likely to put a shot up, similar to Dwight Hardy. Hardy has doubled as an extra ballhandler. I would expect to see a lot of minutes for him against Siena.

By percentages, Burrell and Brownlee are the team’s best defensive rebounders, followed by… Malik Boothe. Chew on that for a second. Boothe and Kennedy lead the team in number of rebounds at 9. The Red Storm haven’t had much of an interior presence at either end.

But what will the team look like in a more serious game, where they aren’t favored to win? Will 10 players average 10 minutes or more? This game will require Boothe and Stith to bring their A+ ballhandling game, and for the players to observe before they pass. With the athletes on this team, there is a chance to win if they shoot well.

 

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Keys to the Game:

Don’t Get Rattled. Against Siena, so much of what they do is predicated on handling their pressure that the keys will relate to this – keeping composure. I don’t expect this team to try and slow down the Saints; they will want to win fast. So the first key is for the players to keep their heads. Make smart passes, even if they are slow and deliberate (yet accurate) passes. Know when to pick up the dribble and when to force the dribble between two defenders. Know when to take the shot and when to look through the options. The Saints switch their defenses often, working with a good deal of (effective) zone.

Defend the Basket. Siena will want to run to the basket on offense. Their wings will find themselves in good position to receive passes going towards the rim… or just under it. Someone has to get back and stay between the ballhandler and the basket on every single possession. Without fouling.

Defend the Basket From Rossiter, Franklin, etc. Rossiter and Franklin are absolute beasts on the defensive glass, with great anticipation, positioning, and strong hands. The Red Storm needs to negate them and get some offensive rebounds. And don’t turn the ball over while looking for someone to pass the ball to when trapped under the basket. Second chance opportunities – and quick outside jumpers off of an offensive rebound – could be the difference in this game.

With Authority! The Red Storm have to make sure to get good shots – not off balance shots, not shots at the end of the shot clock, and not drives that become offensive fouls. Patience and crispness are key. They need to be crisp in their screening, and active in their movement with and without the ball to get the Saints’ defense off balance. And if they can draw some fouls on strong drives, that would be a bonus.

Take Advantage. The Saints are susceptible to scoring droughts, and St. John’s has to take advantage of those minutes, advancing the lead until the next Siena onslaught. The Red Storm have to remember not only to not get rattled – but to not get too excited and piss away good chances to score.

Game 3: vs Brown

Ambience: Brown alum Duncan Sheik, “Barely Breathing” (audio link, pops up in new window)

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Ah Brown, that fine elite university founded before US Independence, where the students have no core requirements. The school with the long history of tolerance, and orginator of the famous Ivy League naked parties (don’t get all that excited); the school that had as undergrads Ted Turner, Chris Berman, Lisa Loeb, Gov. Bobby Jindal, John Kasinski, and Laura Linney, that most goofy of Ivy League institutions…

They’re not very good at sports. The match against the Brown Bears is the on-campus opener for the Philly Hoop Group Classic, which is not a round robin tourney but a selected set of non-conference matchups for the participants. St. John’s avoids Virginia Tech and instead plays this game against Brown, and a game each against Siena and Temple the next week during Thanksgiving.

Paris Horne defending. By Jen Rynda, Democrat and Chronicle

The first two games have been a departure from what has seemed to ail the Red Storm in the past – offense (for more on those games, take a look at Bart’s Breakdown for each game). The team has been solidly efficient on offense against both LIU and St. Bonaventure, strafing the nets from distance. But the Red Storm ballhandling has been a little bit worse than the opponents’ ballhandling. That’s not a good trend when going into the ballhawking meat of the non-conference schedule, with schools like Siena and Duke eager to snatch that possession.

The last minute dramatics on the road are a nice change. But the defense – and to a lesser extent, turnovers – put the team in this position. To be effective in the Big East, this team has to force opponents to their plans B and C. St. John’s didn’t do that last night; star forward Andrew Nicholson played like star forward Andrew Nicholson and not like Jack Nicholson. If there was video of the game, it would be part of his NBA prospect highlight reel.

There seems to be a lack of concentration away from the ball; the Bonnies took advantage of defenders for back cuts and drives into the lane. There is a such thing as playing one’s man too close, especially if it’s a team with one offensive option in the middle and no reliable perimeter shooters.

The Red Storm will use this game against Brown to further help the staff figure out the rotations, who can help the team, and work out the kinks in the offense and defense.

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Team Reviews

Brown (1-1)

1 F Chris Taylor JR 6′8 225: 2.5 ppg* 3 rpg
in 2008-2009: 10.6 mpg* 1.8 ppg* 1.3 rpg

25 F Peter Sullivan JR 6′5 215: 8 ppg* 4.5 rpg* 2.5 apg
in 2008-2009: 14.3 ppg* 4.9 rpg* 30.8% 3-pt

45 F Matt Mullery SR 6′8 235: 14.5 ppg* 4.5 reb* 4.5 ast* 4 bpg* 2 spg
in 2008-2009: 16.1 ppg* 6.5 rpg* 2 apg* 2.1 bpg* 40% 3-pt

11 G Adrian Williams JR 6′1 180: 7.5 ppg* 3.5 apg
in 2008-2009: 11 ppg* 2.7 rpg* 1 spg* 37.7% 3-pt

14 G Matt Sullivan FR 6′6 205: 9.5 ppg* 4.5 reb*5-12 3pt
in 2008-2009: ==High School==

Bench

44 G Jean-Herbert Harris SO 6′2 185: 10 ppg* 4.5 rpg
in 2008-2009: 6.3 mpg* 1.9 ppg* 30.8% 3-pt35

F Andrew McCarthy FR 6′8 205: 7 ppg* 3.5 rpg
in 2008-2009: ==High School==

In two games, the Bears have been paced by all-Ivy Leaguer (and Millstone, NJ native) Matt Mullery, who took the school record for blocked shots in their opening game win against St. Francis in Brooklyn. They have also been a slightly better second half team, increasing their scoring from distance in the opener and defending better (and shooting better) in the loss against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. As some coaches like to say, they battled.

Mullery blocked a pair of shots against the Hokies, and posted 13 points on 5-10 shooting, so we know he can play against a competent frontline. Freshman Andrew McCarthy was another double-digit scorer, putting up 14 points on 7-11 shooting, all inside the arc. Matt Sullivan, younger brother of fellow starter Peter, shot 3-7 from distance.

St. John’s (1-0)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 3 ppg* 3.5 apg* 4 fouls/g
in 2008-2009: 6.4 ppg* 4.4 apg* 3.1 rpg* 1.5 spg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 13.5 ppg* 4 rpg* 1spg* 41.7% 3-pt, 50% FG
in 2008-2009: 14.6 ppg* 3.4 rpg* 1.6 spg

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 17 ppg* 4.5 rpg* 2.5 apg* 3TO/g* 58.3% 3-pt* 52.6% FG
in 2008-2009: 13 ppg* 6.6 rpg* 3 apg* 1.5 spg* 73% FTMade

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 7 ppg* 5 rpg* 63.6% FG* 4 fouls/g
in 2008-2009: 9 ppg* 4.5 rpg* .8 bpg* 36.4% 3PtMade

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 6 ppg* 3 rpg
in 2008-2009: 10.3 ppg* 7.1 rpg* 1 spg* 51.4% FGMade

Bench

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 10.5 ppg* 2 apg* 2 TO/g* 37.5% 3-pt
in 2008-2009: JUCO

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 9.5 ppg* 5 rpg* 1.5 spg
in 2008-2009: JUCO

The Red Storm played all 11 available scholarship players against St. Bonaventure, displaying the team’s depth. But the team also displayed an uncertainty about how they are going to play this year, how the players at the thinnest positions – forward and point guard – are going to play hard without fouling out, and an inability to make the lane a dangerous place for opponents. The pulled out a gritty victory, even when mistakes made it seem that the game was lost; and they shot very well from the perimeter.

Individually, a few players settled in. Malik Stith’s debut was decent; Malik Boothe drove to the hoop like we know he can to win the game. Paris Horne was solid, and DJ was a rock, except for the turnovers. Dwight Hardy was decent; Quincy Roberts made some plays, as did Justin Brownlee. Omari Lawrence’s basketball IQ was on point, and he will be pushing for playing time on this team. Sean Evans hit some jumpers, but Justin Burrell didn’t get the ball, prompting the Rochester announcer to state the Red Storm don’t have a true post presence. This is what happens when your effective post player doesn’t get the ball.

While Andrew Nicholson is an excellent player, and Jaytornah Wisseh is also very good, I am personally beginning to be worried about the defense. Not the effort, but the scheme. Solid screening and cutting in the post seems to be difficult to defend for the Red Storm, and the rest of their opponents will take notice. The Johnnies need to stomp out the Bears this Friday and remember how their defense is supposed to work.

 

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Keys to the Game:

The Feel-Good Game of the Year. It’s about time that St. John’s plays a game where the starters can rest in the second half. I would like to see this Red Storm team make some devastating runs, 10 points or more unanswered. It’s not a necessity; but this team needs to have periods where they stifle Brown and use the turnovers to draw fouls, throw down dunks, and cut out their proverbial hearts.

Rebound Better. Brown, so far, has been a poor rebounding team But St. John’s hasn’t been good about cleaning the defensive glass; and the long jump shots create long rebounds, picked up by opposing guards, that start fast breaks. St. John’s needs to put in a dominant effort, getting second chance points on one end and minimizing Brown’s second chance points.

Make Some 2’s. And draw some fouls. This is also a note to get the ball inside on drives and on passes to Justin Burrell, whose post moves semed nice against LIU. A post presence will cause defenses to cheat inside, leaving more perimeter shots open against good opponents. And playing inside allows for more offensive rebounds – something St. John’s was very good at last year – and controls the pace of the game. Part of the reason teams have stayed close is their advantage in number of trips to the free throw line; St. John’s has to remember how to shoot freebies, as well.

Better Ball Control. The team is actually turning over the ball more than their opponents – St. John’s has turned the ball over 21.1% of the time compared to 18.8% for opponents. If the team isn’t going to close all lanes into the post, if they’re going to try and play pressure defense and/ or play fast, they HAVE to have a positive turnover ratio. The team needs to work out their defense this week; and more importantly, they have to figure out what traps they’re falling into that make them turn the ball over so much. It’s not like they’re driving and drawing fouls, and they have three ballhandlers including Hardy. The Red Storm shouldn’t be giving up the ball if they’re taking so many threes.

Backups Need to Maintain The Pace. The team has started hot at first in both contests. Then the backups come in, and the other team makes a run. The backups need to concentrate on their defense as a “unit”. Players have to pay attention to their teammates’ tendencies so they can better play defense with them. I don’t know if it’s a lack of defensive communication, a lack of actual effort, or something else, but the second unit has to come in with a mindset of putting the clamps on the opponents and maintaining the pace. That means good defense, better turnover ratio, and fewer mistakes.

Game 2: at St. Bonaventure

Ambiance: Tighten Up Tighter, Billy Ball and the Upsetters’ version (video, pop up in another window)

Now that St. John’s has matched the combined win total of the two area NBA teams, the Knicks and the Nets, they hope to get a second win against the Atlantic 10 St. Bonaventure Bonnies in Rochester on Tuesday evening. It’s technically a neutral site contest, but being two hours away from the Bonnie’s Olean, NY campus in western New York doesn’t sound particularly neutral.

Andrew Nicholson. By Craig Melvin, St. Bonaventure official site

This game will be an early road test against an improving squad from the A-10, featuring the league’s Rookie of the Year Andrew Nicholson, who has gotten publicity in both Sports Illustrated and Slam! Magazine. St. Bonaventure has talent and size in the paint, and capable guards; this will be a better test of the Red Storm than LIU, and a good chance for the team to see what the team can do against more comparable talent.

St. Bonaventure’s basketball team has been around since 1916, producing a few NBA players. No Bonnie player is more important than Bob Lanier, NBA Hall of Famer and the namesake of the Bonnies home basketball court. The program has fallen on hard times since current Rhode Island coach Jim Baron left. Jan van Breda Kolff and the president of the school knowingly admitted a JUCO player who had not achieved his Associate’s Degree to the program.

Playing with an ineligible player meant the program had to forfeit victories; the president and coach were booted, a number of other players left, and the Bonnies were left with a shell of a program like St. John’s was earlier this decade. The folks in western New York want to see their storied program be competitive again; a win over St. John’s would definitely excite their fanbase.

This observer has gripes about St. John’s play – the preponderance of three-pointers in particular – but if they had driven it inside, and Kennedy and Horne had been the main scorers, one could have said that the game meant little. They showed something out there with the ability to hit from distance. But they will need a more controlled game to play the boys from Olean.

Team Previews

St. Bonaventure (1-0)

(note: the first set of statistics are from the game against Cleveland State on 11/13/09, the second from last year’s averages.)

4 G Chris Matthews SR 6’4 212: 5 Pts/ 6 Ast;
in 2008-2009: 12.1 ppg/ 2.9 apg/ 3.5 rpg

5 G Jonathan Hall SR 6’5” 220: 20Pts/ 8 Reb/ 14 FgA/ 71% FG;
in 2008-2009: 12.9 ppg/ 6.3 rpg/ 3 apg/ 1 spg

20 PG Malcolm Eleby JR 6’3 200: 5 Pts/ 4 Ast/ 4TO;
in 2008-2009: 7 ppg/ 3.4 rpg/ 1.4 spg

21 F Da’Quan Cook SO 6’9 226: 11 Mins;
in 2008-2009: 1.6 ppg/ 1.2 rpg

44 F Andrew Nicholson SO 6’9 225: 17 Pts/ 7 Reb/ 4 Blk/ 70% FG/ 6 FTA;
in 2008-2009: 12.5 ppg/ 6 rpg/ 2.7 bpg/ 60%FG

Bench:

32 G Michael Davenport SO 6’4 196: 19 Pts/ 4 Reb
in 2008-2009: 3.3 ppg/ 2.2 rpg/ 32.1% 3ptFg

In their opener, St. Bonaventure enjoyed a hot first half, with star sophomore and A-10 Rookie of the Year Andrew Nicholson scoring 14 of his 17 points in the first half, with help from Jonathan Hall, and surprise contributions from Michael Davenport, who has worked on his game this summer. The Bonnies used a three-quarter court trap to frustrate the Cleveland State Vikings, dunked at will, and enjoyed numerous trips to the free throw line. The young Vikings guards lost their composure under the pressure, according to coach Gary Waters.

For more on the Bonaventure win, you can also see the Bona Blog’s recap of the game.

St. John’s (1-0)

(note: the first set of statistics are from the game against Long Island U. on 11/13/09, the second from last year’s averages.)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 2 Pts/ 7 Ast/ 2 Stl/ 2 TO
in 2008-2009: 6.4 ppg* 4.4 apg* 3.1 rpg* 1.5 spg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 12 Pts/ 5 Reb (4 OffReb)/ 33% (2-6) 3PtFg
in 2008-2009: 14.6 ppg* 3.4 rpg* 1.6 spg

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 16 Pts/ 57% (4-7) 3PtFg/ 7 Reb (2 OffReb)/ 2 ast/ 2 to
in 2008-2009: 13 ppg* 6.6 rpg* 3 apg* 1.5 spg* 73% FTMade

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 12 pts/ 8 Reb (6 DefReb)/ 2 Blk
in 2008-2009: 9 ppg* 4.5 rpg* .8 bpg* 36.4% 3PtMade

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 3 Pts/ 4 Reb (3 OffReb)
in 2008-2009: 10.3 ppg* 7.1 rpg* 1 spg* 51.4% FGMade

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR : 14 Pts/ 4 Ast/ 33% (2-6) 3PtFg/ 25 Mins
in 2008-2009: JUCO

32 F Justin Brownlee JR : 12 Pts/ 7 Reb (3 OffReb)/ 2 Stl/ 22 Mins
in 2008-2009: JUCO

The Red Storm was paced by DJ Kennedy, who has found his inner outside shooter. The biggest hole in his game was probably the unreliable jump shot, but just because he can hit from distance doesn’t mean that DJ should ignore all the things he does well off the bounce. Of the starters, Justin Burrell’s time was limited with foul trouble, but his aggressiveness was on display on both ends; Burrell was more of the forward the fans thought he would be. But overall, the response was mixed; St. John’s struggled a little in putting LIU to bed.

Horne and Evans had forgettable openers. Boothe made plays with assists, but he will likely have to score at some point this season. And in general, a team that has never shot the three ball well shouldn’t be settling for outside jumpers just to show off; they should work the ball around, attack the defense’s weak points, and control the pace of the game. The long jump shots are nice, but the ball needs to get down low.

At the end of the bench, Dele Coker, Omari Lawrence, and Quincy Roberts had great games, making plays when they got in and showing that this team might actually be very deep. Hardy’s shot was off, and it seemed that he might be a little uncomfortable at the point, but he made plays; and Brownlee made plays as well.

Keys to the Game

Make Them Run. You want to play fast? This is a good game to test out the limits of playing fast. Nicholson can be a difference maker, but big men are generally not eager to get into an up and down game, especially not one who takes high percentage shots in the post. The Red Storm should look to run and test the Bonaventure athletes on defense. And in this testing, the Storm needs draw fouls on offense and force turnovers on defense.

Stay Excited… But In Control. The game on Friday against LIU showed the newfound excitement the players have for their style of play. But it is important to stay in control – taking smart shots, controlling the pace on defense, and not turning the ball over. In the second half, especially, the Johnnies seemed to lose their concentration, letting the Blackbirds back into the game. The team has to look to assert control from beginning to end.

More Effective Minutes. Friday’s opener was a feature for newcomers Dwight Hardy and Justin Brownlee, and for DJ Kennedy. Meanwhile, Sean Evans had a real game to forget, taking a few jump shots and only pulling down 4 boards in 21 minutes. And in truth, most of the starters could have played better on offense and defense. Burrell’s minutes were limited by foul trouble, and he needs to play more. Horne’s shot was a little off (including an airball). Malik Boothe didn’t make a field goal. This team needs more impact minutes from the starters.

Defend the Post Intelligently. Against a post player who will get his touches in Andrew Nicholson, the Red Storm need to defend intelligently. This means keeping him out of his favored positions, not picking up silly touch fouls, and not leaving the paint exposed for backdoor dunk/ layup attempts from his teammates. Expect to see Evans use his strength on Nicholson, and hopefully Coker will log some minutes without fouling. His shot blocking was an asset to the interior defense.

Rebounds. Offensive rebounding was a key to maintaining control of the Long Island University game, and the team will need to control the glass in Rochester. On defense, Justin Burrell was a glass cleaner. But against the smaller Blackbirds, one would have liked to see the Red Storm keep them off the glass more (especially the guards).

St John’s – Non Conference

(previously posted on Johnny Jungle, but added here for the E Coast Bias records)

This is posted a little later than this writer would have liked, but it’s here. Enjoy a preview of the St. John’s Red Storm season – an outlook on the non-conference games happening between now and December. Each write-up has some notes on what the opponents are good at/ tendencies, along the team’s previous year RPI. It’s a solid non-conference slate, with tests against mid-range teams and opportunities to see what the new guys are made of. And there are even a couple of games where a victory would go a long way to returning this team to prominence.

And for your heckling pleasure, links to team-specific blogs and message boards. If I have missed a team-specific outlet, comment below.

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13-NOV Long Island (NEC) RPI: 240 The Blackbirds have hung with St. John’s in the last two games between the New York City schools, owing to their strong guard play, a zone defense, and poor shooting from the Red Storm. Last year the Blackbirds were poor shooters, but excellent at minimizing turnovers and getting to the free throw line. LIU is a solid early contest, but hopefully St. John’s will be able to bust the zone and run their guards off the court.

 

17-NOV @St. Bonaventure (A-10) RPI: 201 The Bonnies have been a no-name team with little publicity for a number of years since engaging in some seriously un-Catholic ethical scandals. St. John’s isn’t in for an easy game; the team returns most of its starting talent, including the fantastic forward/ center Andrew Nicholson, who was one of the nations leaders in field goal percentage and blocked shots. They turned the ball over a lot last year, and gave up a number of trips to the free throw line. The Bonnies won 15 games last year, with wins at Rutgers, Richmond, and home against Robert Morris and LaSalle. They rebounded and defended decently last year, but were woeful shooting from the outside.

St Bonaventure blog: The Bona Blog
St. Bonaventure: Bonnies Bandwagon Message Board

20-NOV Brown (Ivy) RPI: 307 The first game in the Philly Hoop Group classic happens at campus sites. St. John’s gets the Brown Bears as their patsy. Will Brown grads come out to Carnesecca? If so, be nice to them. Their team isn’t very good, winning 9 games last year, with wins at Holy Cross and against Harvard as the highlights. Senior Matt Mullery is the team’s star forward, with range on his shot, some rebounding ability, and some shot blocking skill. They can rebound a little on the defensive end.

27-NOV [Neutral] Siena (MAAC) RPI: 18 Last year’s mid-major darling specializes in defending without fouling, forcing turnovers and minimizing their own. The Saints are very good at getting to the basket, even in memorable wins over Ohio State and Niagara, a close loss to Louisville, and a crushing of Cornell. They force turnovers, and hold on to the ball, which helped propel them to tough games against great opponents. Most importantly, they collect steals and turnovers without fouling. At all.

MAAC message board: Maac Hoops
Siena Saints blog: Siena Saints Blog
Siena Saints/ Albany blog: Albany Times-Union

28-NOV @Temple (A-10) RPI: 30 Without Dionte Christmas, Sergio Olmos, and Semaj Inge, they’re a rebuilding team. Returning forward Lavoy Allen is a complete player in the post, and will anchor the Owls’ team. They were very good on defense last year; was that because of scheme or because of senior experience? There is talent and good coaching on the team, and they should be a good tough contest.

Temple Owls message board: Owl Scoop
Temple Owls blog: Owl’s Nest

2-DEC Stony Brook (Am. East) RPI: 197 The Seawolves shouldn’t pose much of a problem, but they’re not an absolute bottom-feeder. They return three players who started as freshmen for last year’s 16-14 team, so they may be tougher than expected. But they are small and struggle scoring inside.

Also, apparently, Stony Brook Sucks. Personally, I like the SB ball caps. And Stony Brook’s not as lame as, say, Albany. Or SUNY-Cortland.

5-DEC @Duke (ACC) RPI: 1 Yeah, this won’t be pretty. The Blue Devils fell asleep in the Garden last year and let the Red Storm make the final score respectable. And that was a great effort by the Storm, but shouldn’t mask the fact that the Dukies were beating their tails up and down the Garden floor. And with the game at Cameron, it will take an incredible effort to beat the Blue Devils. A good showing here, though, will be a confidence booster. If Dwight Hardy and others can make plays from the outside and hold on to the ball, this might even be a game.

Duke blog (school newspaper): The Chrionicle’s Sports Blog
Duke blog: Duke Basketball Report
Duke blog: Blue Devil Nation
(Yes, there are many, many more.)
Duke message board: Duke Basketball Report: Elizabeth King Forum (Duke basketball)
Duke message board: Rivals

9-DEC Georgia (SEC) RPI: 192 The Bulldogs have a new coach and will be brimming with new confidence. And they’re coming up to New York to show it off as part of a double header. Here’s hoping that by the time the U Conn and Memphis fans start filing in, they see the Red Storm starting to assert their will on the boys from Athens, trapping and rebounding them back to the kennel where they came from – just to remind U Conn that this year, the game won’t go down so easily. Howard “Trey” Thompkins is a load in the post, and gained experience playing for USA’s under-19 team; he’s considered a possible NBA prospect.

Georgia Bulldogs message board: Dawgs Online
Georgia Bulldogs message board: Dawgs.com
Georgia Bulldogs blog: Daugman’s Chronicles

13-DEC Fordham (A-10) RPI: 291 The Rams have experienced a lot of turnover, but haven’t lost Jio Fontan… because they wouldn’t release him from his scholarship. The Red Storm should try whispering in his ear (come to Queens… come to Queens). In all seriousness, this game should be a good chance to lick the wounds and have some fun before finals and the tough Holiday Festival. If you should see a Fordham fan, please remind them that the logo looks strangely like a model of the uterus.

Fordham Rams message board: Fordham Fans
Fordham Rams blog: Fordham Sports Net

Holiday Festival

Wow, St. John’s brought a sneaky-good trio of competitors together for this tournament. No Virginia Tech this year, but also – no Marists. St. John’s picked the wrong year to start sniffing glue (as they say in Airplane!). These are tough opponents all around, even the reduced Davidson squad. Strangely enough, this set of teams feature coaches whose names always seem to come up (especially on message boards) as candidates for the St. John’s job if the current staff should be removed. Anyone else think that’s strange?

20-DEC Hofstra (CAA) RPI: 104 With solid guard play from Charles Jenkins from Springfield Gardens, Nathaniel Lester, and freshman Chaz Williams… and a host of other New York City-area players, Hofstra has the look of a possibly dangerous squad… except for the fact that sometimes, they couldn’t score in a skee-ball game let alone on the basketball court. they were very good at defending the basket, though, with their bigs, and Jenkins had free rein to let shots go when he wanted. They could rise a bit this year and be a more dangerous opponent.

Hofstra Pride blog: Defiantly Dutch
Hofstra Pride message board: CAA Zone – Hofstra

21-DEC (winner of) Davidson (SoCon) RPI: 69/ Cornell (Ivy) RPI: 115 Davidson was a tough game to play even before Steph Curry suited up. Some solid players have chosen to sign their letters of intent with the Wildcats, and Bob McKillop knows how to get a lot out of his teams. Consider that they managed to defend well against bigger teams with small players in the post.

Davidson Wildcats blog: Wildcats Pride
Davidson Wildcats message board: Davidson Cats Forum

Cornell played St. John’s tough last year without their player of the year, point guard Louis Dale. St. John’s shot very well against the Big Red, but will have to improve the defensive effort to beat them if they face each other this year. The Ivy Leaguers feature a number of solid shooters, some size at center, and some quickness at point guard. St. John’s can beat them by playing smart basketball, and winning the battles on the offensive glass; Justin Burrell tied his season high with 11 rebounds in that game.

Cornell Big Red blog: The Cornell Basketball Blog

23-DEC Bryant RPI: 306 Tim O’Shea, at least, has beaten St. John’s before – while coaching Ohio in the Rainbow Classic. I listened to that game while on vacation in Miami. Then I had a stiff drink.Unlike a team moving from Division II up to Division I, they have been able to entice some size to join the program, including Papa Lo, originally a U Mass player. Also unlike a lot of those recent teams to move into D-1, they have both a conference and they won 8 games. They were also crushed by the likes of Rutgers, Maryland, and LIU. But it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Bryant giving teams a little harder work than they would expect from a newcomer to college basketball’s major leagues.

A review of Big East conference games will come in December.

Game 1: LIU at St. John’s

Extended version of this preview on Johnny Jungle’s Calm Before the Storm.

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The last two years have seen the  St. John’s Red Storm and the Long Island University Blackbirds face off in matches that were more closely contested than they should be. The Blackbirds have given the Red Storm fits in the past two meetings. In particular, their all-conference star Jaytornah Wisseh has been able to put up shots against the Red Storm defense and get to the free throw line, though last year’s season opener featured his backcourt mate Kyle Johnson bombing on the Storm.

 

The Blackbirds play an effective enough zone that they don’t find themselves being run off the court at Carnesecca by more-athletic Johnnies. Instead, they make the Red Storm confront their perimeter-shooting demons, and some players’ inability (I’m looking at the forwards here) to defend quick guards without fouling.

This year’s contest should be easier. The Blackbirds are scrappy; but their talent and experience level has taken a hit, with a heart condition removing forward Julian Boyd for the year, a sick mother removing guard Lucas Faggiano, and the lure of home and professional money bringing Aurimas Adomaitis back to Lithuania.

Keys to the Game:

Stop Wisseh. Jaytornah Wisseh is the focal point of the team. The past two games against LIU have featured him and Kyle Johnson imposing their will to make the game closer than it should be. The defense has to focus on taking Wisseh out of the game, preferably with one guy and occasional traps for turnovers; neutralizing his ability to drive and pass will be key to a big victory.

Zone Buster. I would expect the Blackbirds to play some zone, since it’s been effective in the past against the Red Storm. This is a longstanding problem. Norm Roberts’ teams have been inconsistent at best in attacking the zone with player movement, quick passing, and mid-range shooting. If the athletes can get to the rim against LIU – or if the forwards can consistently hit some mid-range shots – the game will be over pretty quickly.

Establish Speed. The point guards have to set the tone, harassing LIU into shots they don’t want to take. The wings have to make life difficult on the interior. And the forwards have to clean the glass and whip the ball forward for the outlet. The Storm have to watch for sloppiness; last year’s game was fast-paced, but the guards weren’t effective in stopping the LIU attack. The Johnnies poured salt on the wound by taking perimeter shots that missed, playing into the Blackbirds’ hands.

Defend Without Fouling. The coaching staff often has forwards come out to the perimeter to confuse and hopefully trap opposing guards. Some defenders are better than others at getting back into the paint; and St. John’s interior defense suffered for it. A good defense’s objective is to first and foremost make the other team miss; and while doing that, keep the other team from piling up free throw attempts. Last year’s team didn’t make opponents miss and also could have been better in not putting the other team on the line. It is imperative that the fouls 30 feet from the basket are reduced to a minimum. The defenders need to be in good defensive positions with respect to their man and the ball.

Be Efficient. With an experienced squad, a backup point guard, healthy players, and a pair of dynamic junior college players, it’s about time the Red Storm win some games efficiently. Fans have been patient. But they deserve to see some pretty basketball – an offense that flows, takes high-percentage shots, and plays intelligent basketball. It’s been hard-nosed basketball in the past 5 years, and certainly not pretty. Put some lipstick on it, Johnnies!

News Coverage:
NY Daily News: Norm Roberts’ Red Storm basketball program hopes to recharge St. John’s power in Big East

“Finishing plays, holding down turnovers and scoring the basketball all suffered because guys had to play more than they should,” Norm Roberts said. “People can be fresh now without a substitution reducing talent on the floor.”

NY Post: Excuses out the door as St. John’s opens

….the case this year is that if Roberts doesn’t produce more wins, his job will be in serious jeopardy. Everyone on the team understands how tough the Big East can be, but the Red Storm can’t focus on anyone but itself.

“The atmosphere of this season has more hype because everyone is expecting us to be better than we were last year,” Horne said. “I think we’re going to do pretty good in the conference.”

RedStormSports.com: St. John’s Hardy Excited To Be Home Again

“Now that I’m at the big stage finally I’m anxious to see what I’m going to do,” said Hardy, prior to his first Division I game against LIU on Friday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. “Coming here I didn’t think my role would be to score as much, but coach really wants me to be aggressive, and I prefer that role.”

NBC New York: Perfect Storm for the Red Storm

Tonight at 7 pm… the season starts.

Pico also writes for Johnny Jungle and the Church of Bracketology.

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Big East 2009-2010 Preview

A quick Big East Preview; I have been busy writing pieces for the Church of Bracketology (where this piece exists in a slightly different version) and for Johnny Jungle, so my time is spread. The basketball season is upon us, all; time to say goodbye to our wives, husbands, friends, hobbies, but not the children and the pets… they get indoctrinated into college ball.

As a league, I think the Big East will get 7, maybe even 8 teams into the NCAA Tournament. Part of that will be because a team around 7-8 will have a big win or two against a top-3 opponent in the league; part of it will be because it will be difficult to sort out who’s better than who in the league. A lot of teams will be bunched in the middle, unlike last year – where the teams were bunched at the top based on RPI and statistical rankings.

The 2009-2010 Big East will once again be known for its defense and rough games. The number of young, inexperienced players will mean that defense and toughness will win the day – ugly ballgames, yelling coaches, physical perimeter play. I think that Cincinnati will move up in the standings and South Florida will look a lot better, with backup guards, a few forwards, and a number of recruits known to be shooters. That’s a shaky limb to go out on, for sure, but I do think Stan Heath’s club will get better around Dominique Jones.

The loss of Scott Martin for Notre Dame will be a blow, and I don’t see any guards as dynamic as Kyle McAlarney (or in the past, Chris Quinn + Chris Thomas, or Russell carter) on the roster to make plays from the outside. Providence has some talent, but with so many newcomers, I have a hard time seeing them improve their defense or maintaining their offense. The New York locals will be interesting, but still not top-8 teams. I predict inconsistency for Seton Hall, an improvement for St. John’s that may not be strongly reflected in the standings; and a more competent Rutgers team that will still be in the bottom 4.

Your Big East teams, in my predicted order of their finish: