Young Storm faces Garden test vs. Arizona
Giant slam by St. John's God'sgift Achiuwa. (Nov. 13, 2011) Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
So far, so good for Steve Lavin's first big recruiting class at St. John's. They're off to a 3-0 start, but the Red Storm will take on its first "name'' opponent when it meets Arizona (3-0) in the second game of the 2K Sports Classic event for Coaches Vs. Cancer Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
The first semifinal matches Texas A&M against Mississippi State and the winners play Friday night at 7 after the 4:30 consolation game.
In preparation for the Garden stage, Lavin pumped up the volume at practice, and he also showed tape of last season's senior-laden Red Storm in some of its biggest victories at MSG as a means of demonstrating how the newcomers are expected to play.
"We showed them our team playing games in February so they could see the blueprint for where we're trying to get this team to go,'' Lavin said.
"There was the functional, practical side of our zone defense, our fullcourt pressure and our traps and offensive execution. Our team was undefeated in Big East play in the month of February. We wanted our players to see that. It will help them when we do the drill work on a daily basis.''
Lavin has been pleased by the skill and quickness his young team has shown, but he is concerned by the lack of depth and size in the frontcourt. The Red Storm has been outrebounded in every game, and that isn't likely to change against an Arizona team that lost Derrick Williams, the second overall pick in the NBA draft, but returns a core of two seniors -- guard Kyle Fogg (14.7 points) and forward Jesse Perry (10.7, 8.3 rebounds) -- and junior forward Solomon Hill (10.3, 8.0).
The Wildcats also have a premier recruiting class, including guards Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner and forward Angelo Chol.
Through three games, the Red Storm has a 49.7 field-goal percentage and four players averaging in double figures: God'sgift Achiuwa (17.7 points, 8.3 rebounds), Moe Harkless (16.7 points), Nurideen Lindsey (16.3 points 4.7 assists) and D'Angelo Harrison (14.3 points).
"I'm pleased with the balanced approach offensively,'' Lavin said. "Now, as we step up in competition, we'll get a better sense for where we are on all fronts as a basketball team with teams like Arizona, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, the Dukes, at Kentucky, at Detroit. So, you have to stay tuned in terms of where this basketball team is headed.''
'I've never seen fire sitting on the water' Three Newsday photographers talk to NewsdayTV's Macy Egeland about covering the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996.
'I've never seen fire sitting on the water' Three Newsday photographers talk to NewsdayTV's Macy Egeland about covering the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996.
