Storm, Pitino will look to draw from local talent pool
Rick Pitino is introduced as the new head coach for St. John’s University men’s basketball team, during a press conference at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Credit: Noah K. Murray
Like anyone who has followed college basketball, John Buck knew Rick Pitino’s legacy. However, it wasn’t until he attended the 2012 Final Four that the Long Island Lutheran coach got a real feel for the newly-minted St. John’s coach.
“It was at the Final Four and I was able to go watch the open practice [Louisville] held,” Buck said. “You could see just from that how he is a tireless worker. There is a ‘not to be denied’ quality that he has that comes through in practices. You could see how he makes his players better.”
Buck has not had the chance yet to meet Pitino, but it is going to happen. Long the top program on the Island, the Crusaders are now considered a national power and a basketball destination for top high school players from all over. Now playing in a national conference against programs from all over, the NIBC, their roster regularly will have players that fit St. John’s profile. On Saturday, Long Island Lutheran won its state Federation semifinal matchup and plays for the title on Sunday. Then, on Thursday, it will play in the Geico Nationals in Fort Myers, Florida.
“I’m sure [Pitino] and I will connect and I sense we’ll have a great partnership once we’ve met,” Buck said. “Rick Pitino isn’t going to get out-worked in recruiting.”
Long Island Lutheran’s highest-profile senior is 6-8 Jayden Ross, who already committed to UConn. But juniors VJ Edgecombe, a 6-4 guard, and Godswill Eheriene, a 6-9 forward, are likely on the Storm’s radar. Edgecombe, last week named NIBC Player of the Year and Gatorade New York Player of the Year, has offers from Kansas, Ohio State and Indiana, Buck said.
St. John’s assistant Van Macon was involved in the recruiting of Edgecombe for former coach Mike Anderson. Storm assistant coach Steve Masiello was in the Albany area Saturday attending the state Federation boys basketball championships. Highly-sought junior guard Johnuel (Boogie) Fland is competing in the championships with state Catholic titlist Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains); Pitino attended Stepinac practice earlier this week.
“The landscape in college recruiting has changed a lot in recent years because of the transfer portal,” Buck said. “Colleges look at transfers as much as high school players and the number of offers to high school players to the highest levels is dramatically reduced. But every year a program like St. John’s is going to need at least a couple of high school players.”
Some of the groundwork already may have been laid. Speaking of the current players, Pitino told Newsday, “There’s only probably three or four guys that I want to return.” The players he identified so far are Joel Soriano, AJ Storr and 6-8 Drissa Traore, who came from LuHi. Andre Curbelo, also from LuHi, is expected to meet with coaches in the coming week; he has not placed his name in the NCAA transfer portal.
Pitino also said of Lutheran, “We’re looking at some of their players down the road.”
Traore was sparsely used by Anderson — he averaged 3.5 minutes in 14 games — but Pitino sees some qualities he liked.
“I’m not sure exactly what his vision is for Drissa . . . but how a player fits into a coach’s system is essential,” Buck said. “He has length and vertical explosiveness and plays with intensity. . . . Sometimes a slightly different role is better suited for a player.
“But he also is [an asset] because of his character and leadership skills,” Buck added. “He is a combination of extremely positive and really competitive.”
With Brian Heyman
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
