Storm rally tops Lehigh in Steve Lavin's return
St. John's head coach Steve Lavin is all smiles while being interviewed by ESPN's Lenny Elmore after his team beat Lehigh 78-73 at Carnesecca Arena. (Nov. 9, 2011) Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin
Steve Lavin showed up at Carnesecca Arena before Wednesday's game. But it was hours before any control by his basketball team materialized in an eventual 78-73 non-conference victory over Lehigh.
Not until 2:22 remained did St. John's at last catch Lehigh, which had quickly erased a 4-0 St. John's start, pulled ahead by as many as 16 points, and still was up by 14, at 60-46, with 11:05 to play. Whatever coming attractions are in store for St. John's followers, with a team that starts two freshmen and two junior college transfers, was held in abeyance until the final frantic minutes.
A curling power layup by God'sgift Achiuwa, the junior college All-American at Erie Community College last year, allowed St. John's (2-0) to slip ahead at 70-69 and Lehigh (0-1) suddenly lost its poise and shooting touch down the stretch.
Achiuwa, Lavin's recruiting gift to the Queens campus, ended the night perfect from the field (6-for-6) and from the free-throw line (9-for-9) -- unlike his teammates. Besides Achiuwa, St. John's players were 21-for-35 on free throws, but those 14 misses were more than Lehigh attempted (11-for-13).
Lavin, barely a month since successful prostate cancer surgery on Oct. 6, was back before the NBA -- and three days before he had planned. His appearance shortly before tipoff, in the dark suit, open-collar white shirt and starkly white sneakers he has been styling since the team upset Duke last year, brought a loud ovation from the St. John's crowd.
"Our fans were great tonight," Lavin said, "and when you're able to come back and join forces with your team, it's special. It's good to be back, although, when you're down 16, you think maybe it would have been better to wait until Sunday to come back. But it all worked out."
Lavin said that his top assistant, Mike Dunlap, had suggested that Lavin move his return up after Lavin attended practice on Tuesday. "It was inevitable I was going to return," Lavin said. "So the thinking was, the sooner we begin that transition the better. There's always going to be a challenge to transition back with your team and, since I was going to do it on Sunday, what's the difference in three days?"
Holding his rolled-up program throughout, Lavin was fully involved all night, though his players showed mostly muscle and some one-on-one driving ability, while Lehigh's superior ball movement, quickness and long-range shooting was stealing the show until the stretch run.
Besides Achiuwa's game-high 21 points, freshman Moe Harkless and sophomore transfer Nurideen Lindsey both had 15 and freshman D'Angelo Harrison 12 for St. John's.
Notes & quotes: Though yesterday was national signing day for recruits, St. John's officials said they did not expect to sign anyone until the spring. A Louisiana Web site reported that 6-8 forward Ricardo Gathers, who had committed to St. John's in July, declared he was withdrawing the commitment, though he said he will keep St. John's among his possibilities.
