St. John's proud of its accomplishments

DENVER -- They stayed up for hours in their hotel rooms, lost in their own thoughts.

St. John's seniors replayed the images from Thursday night's crushing 86-71 loss to Gonzaga in their minds, wishing their NCAA Tournament run had lasted longer than just a few hours.

Had D.J. Kennedy not torn his ACL, would things have ended differently? Had the Red Storm not drawn the 11th-seeded Bulldogs in the first round, would they have survived another day?

"I didn't even go to sleep until 4 in the morning," guard Dwight Hardy said before the team boarded a bus to the airport Friday. "I was just stressed out, just knowing that I'm not going to get another chance playing in the NCAA Tournament again. I just wish the outcome could have been different. I wish I could rewind the game and just start all over, but this is life. We lost and now it's just about trying to get over it and moving forward with my future."

One by one, the players filed out of the elevators, somberly towing their bags behind them. They had traveled too far to head home now, they said. There was still much to do and even more to prove.

In the hours after their devastating defeat, coach Steve Lavin focused only on the positive: the team's 21 wins, its 12-6 record in the Big East and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2002. He also reminded his players of all the good they had done for the city of New York.

"We emphasized the accomplishments," he said. "Putting the electricity back into Madison Square Garden and restoring pride in our basketball program, and the fact that they're all moving toward their college degrees in May and just the way in which they represented the university, their families and themselves in such a first-class manner."

The season has taught each some valuable lessons: to dream big, to seize every opportunity and to always hold up your head in the face of adversity.

"This is just another chapter in our life, and it's a great chapter," Kennedy said. "I'm proud of the four years I had at St. John's, appreciate all the fans and support. It's something I'll always remember."

For the 10 seniors, the disappointment won't subside for some time. But eventually, when they reflect on their short time in Denver, they'll feel proud.

"Stepping on that court and seeing 'NCAA' in the middle of it," Hardy said. "That was something special and that was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me and I'm happy I was a part of it . . . It was just a great moment and I'll never forget it."

The senior class also won't forget the impact it had on the basketball program. With freshman Dwayne Polee, sophomore Malik Stith and a crop of Top 100 recruits coming next season, the future is bright and the expectations will be high. "I definitely think St. John's is a force to be reckoned with next year," Hardy said. "I think they'll be back here next year, actually -- even with a group of newcomers."

Said Polee: "We're only beginning to scratch the surface.''