Evans-Lavin relationship has made strides

Change comes with every new regime no matter the workplace, and that was true for St. John's senior-dominated team when Steve Lavin replaced Norm Roberts as coach last spring. No one was affected more profoundly by Lavin's changes than forward Sean Evans, a two-year starter who all but disappeared the first half of the season.

Picture Evans' game as a comfortable old house. Lavin basically tore it down to the foundation before gradually rebuilding it to fit with the new style he introduced to St. John's basketball.

Through the first 19 games, Evans' minutes were in single digits 12 times, and he even had two DNPs - as in "did not play."

Describing his ordeal, Evans said: "They kind of took everything I had away from me. They would say, 'No dribbles, no jump shots, don't make this pass.' So I'm basically just out there. In the beginning, I didn't understand it. I was like, 'I don't know what you want me to do. Are you telling me not to do anything?' Me and the coaches were getting into it a little bit, so I think that's why I wasn't playing."

At first, Evans was the only member of the previous season's starting lineup who clearly lost his job, having been replaced by Justin Brownlee. Lavin inserted guard Dwight Hardy as a starter, too, but went back and forth between Malik Boothe and Paris Horne as the other starting guard before settling on Horne.

"I was thinking maybe they were blaming all the [past] losses on me," Evans said. "I was kind of taking it on my shoulders like maybe it was my fault."

Within a month of Lavin's hiring, Evans considered transferring. He was talked out of it, but when he sank deeper into Lavin's doghouse, Evans sought counsel from assistant coach Mike Dunlap.

On the court, Dunlap is a taskmaster, but off the court, Lavin describes him as a "Father Flanagan" figure.

For a long time, Dunlap facilitated all communication between Evans and Lavin. "Me and coach Lav didn't really click when he first got here," Evans said. "I'm not a very trustful person when I first meet someone."

Although Evans grew close with Dunlap off the court, Dunlap spared Evans no criticism in practices. "One day, I was in the dumps and I was getting yelled at left and right," Evans recalled. "Coach Dunlap just came out of nowhere in front of everybody and was like, 'If I was in a dark alleyway and I needed somebody to walk with me, you know who I'd bring?' He said, 'I'd bring Sean Evans with me, because I know he'd have my back.'

"For him to tell me that, I was like, 'I can really trust this guy.' "

Evans finally regained Lavin's good graces in the biggest game of all against defending national champion Duke. He played only 11 minutes but made all five of his shots for 10 points and had three rebounds and an assist. Afterward, Evans received the only game ball Lavin ever has presented, and his role has grown since then.

Lavin said Evans' job was affected more dramatically than anyone's, but he added that his approach is consistent for all his players.

"There are some areas in terms of our convictions or our core values - the pillars of our program - that there is no room for negotiation," Lavin said. "There's the hammer. Until he accepts the role we define for him, then there's going to be consequences.

"But I told him in front of the team that, in all my years of coaching, his story is as special and as rewarding as any that I've had."