St. John’s is also 2-0, welcoming back head coach Steve Lavin from a year of recovery from cancer with two victories; a home win against Detroit and a first-round blowout against the hosting College of Charleston.

Players to Watch: The Racers are led by their senior guard Isaiah Canaan, who is one of the two returning starters the team has. Last year Canaan average 19 points a game while averaging just over 33 minutes. He did so by using his quickness and speed to get into the lane and make easy buckets. As a result, Canaan shot almost 47% from the field. This year, the guard is averaging just under what he scored last season, but on 62% shooting.

The Johnnies will counter Canaan’s offense with their gifted big man, Chris Obekpa. So far in his freshman season, the center has established himself as a force in the paint for coach Lavin. Obekpa took defensive control of the Red Storm’s opening game against Detroit at Carnesseca Arena, blocking a school-record eight shots.

Offensively, St. John’s will rely on D’Angelo Harrison to continue to thrive in his second season. Harrison, who was in Lavin’s doghouse prior to the season and did not start the opener due to “maturity and leadership” issues, is averaging almost 22 points a game. The sophomore also received first team All-Big East honors going into the season, and is the life and soul of the Red Storm team.

Final Thought: Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. EST and will air on ESPNU. The winner of the game will move on to the Championship in the Charleston Classic, facing the winner of the Baylor/Colorado game. There is a consolation game for the losing teams as well.

Chris Obekpa Hopes to Stifle Murray State’s Canaan in the Paint                                                                              (photo courtesy: rumbleinthegarden.com)

The story, broken by our own Kieran Lynch via twitter, initially came about when a student informed Lynch that Bourgault had left class early by telling the professor and the rest of the class that he was now eligible to play and had to leave for South Carolina immediately.

The details were later confirmed by the official Twitter account of St. John’s basketball.

Bourgault, who hails from France but played at junior college Monroe last year, was sitting to start the season while the NCAA was determining his classification. After this season, it was announced that he will have one more year of eligibility remaining.

The french sharp shooter is set to arrive in Charleston around 4 p.m., meaning that he will be available for today’s game against Murray State in the semifinals of the Charleston Classic. It will be head coach Steve Lavin‘s decision whether or not the junior makes his St. John’s debut in the game.

Bourgault Is Headed to Charleston After Being Cleared by the NCAA

D’Angelo Harrison will not start against Detroit.

“At this point it probably will be the same as what we’ve gone with the past two (exhibition) games,” Coach Steve Lavin said of tomorrows starters. “And I expect D’Angelo to play the equivalent of starter’s minutes.”

The role of Harrison off the bench will be all the more important considering the Red Storm will be without Orlando Sanchez and Marco Bourgault. Both are sitting out as the NCAA looks over their eligibility.

Harrison was a player some considered to be the Big East Player of the Year. While that may be a pipe dream at this point, Harrison hopes to regain his starting role. That being said, he says he is fully supportive of whatever Lavin decides to do with him.

“If I have to come off the bench the whole year, that’s fine with me, as long as I get to play,” Harrison said.

The fact Lavin has the ability to bench his star player shows just how deep the Storm is this season. The hope is however that at some point soon, D’Angelo will get it all together and regain his prominent role with the team.

“We still need a lot of drill work,” said Lavin afterwards when asked about the upcoming regular season. “I wish we had another two weeks of exhibitions and practice to be honest.”

The Johnnies glided with ease to their 87-36 victory over Division III Concordia Tuesday night. Christian Jones lead St. John’s with 17 points, while also grabbing 10 rebounds to record a double-double.

“From the first day it was evident he was special,” Lavin said of Jones. “His poise…his ability to see the game, he can bring the ball up the floor, and he can post up as well as any freshman I’ve ever had.”

Lavin was also willing to comment on Jones’ outstanding physique, noting “He’s built like a Sherman tank.”

Jones was not the only Johnny to shine on Tuesday, however. Jakarr Sampson electrified the crowd multiple times with explosive dunks and alley oops while big man Chris Obekpa asserted dominance in the paint by blocking 7 shots.

“I love playing defense,” said Obekpa. “Defense is what I do. They (his teammates and coaching staff) expect me to bring that to every game.”

St. John’s was once again playing without Marco Bourgault and Orlando Sanchez as the NCAA has yet to rule about their eligibility. Preseason 1st team All-Big East guard D’Angelo Harrison held out of the game by coach Lavin, who cited lack of leadership and maturity as his reasoning.

Despite playing shorthanded, the Red Storm played together, never afraid of making the extra pass. The result was 22 assists on 38 field goals and five players scoring in double-digits.

“We have some players that enjoy the thrill of the pass,” said Lavin. “It has become a lost art.”

With their preseason schedule completed St. John’s now has a week to prepare for Detroit, despite their coach’s wish for more time.

Christian Jones’ Skills and Physique Powered St. John’s to Victory Tuesday

The students now want to show their support of this idea as well.

In preparation for St. John’s November 6 Exhibition game against Concordia, the school’s student section is endorsing all fans to “Dress Like Lavin.” Through a statement via FaceBook, “STJ Redzone” is promoting the idea in order to raise awareness and gain support of prostate cancer.

Head coach Steve Lavin was diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 2011 following the team’s exit from the NCAA tournament. He immediately underwent treatment for the disease. His often publicized bout with cancer came to a head in October of the same year, when the coach had surgery to remove the tumor.

Lavin tried to return to the sidelines for the 2011-2012 season, but was unsuccessful after a hurried attempt to come back ended up hindering his recovery from surgery.

A fully healthy Lavin will lead his young Johnnies into their second and last exhibition game of the season Tuesday, trying to improve off of a 73-55 victory over Sonoma State.

The game will be played at Carnesecca Arena with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. EST.

Steve Lavin Goes Without a Tie Every Game to Support Cancer Awareness (photo courtesy: dalydoseofhoops.com)

The game, played at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, was won by New York 112-98 with Hassan Martin leading the scoring with 22 points.

More importantly, Whitehead and McCullough were able to show off their skills. The two repeatedly combined for transition alley-oop dunks and creative plays.

“We tend to play a lot of all-star games together so we picked it up from the summer,” Whitehead said afterwards. “We know where everybody’s going to be and where to give them the ball.”

“It felt good,” McCullough added. “We all played with each other before so we know how each other play.”

Chris McCullough Sits Atop the Class of 2014 Recruiting Prospects                                                     (Photo Courtesy: pointguardu.com)

McCullough, who will be playing this upcoming season at the Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, has a lengthy 6’10″ frame. ESPN has him ranked 18th overall in the class of 2014 and he is rated as the 3rd best at the power forward position.

His ability was on full display whenever New York went out in transition, as the ball handler would immediately look for him near the rim for a dunk. He also can dribble when the opportunity presents itself to get to the basket.

Following the game, the junior disclosed a list of  seven schools that he is considering for commitment: Syracuse, Kentucky, Louisville, UCLA, Florida, Florida State, and St. John’s. He added that he has visited Queens on multiple occasions, most recently Sunday before the Classic.

Isaiah Whitehead is also a top New York City prospect, ranking 42nd in ESPN’s 2014 class rankings.

His performance Sunday was much less flashy than McCullough’s, instead choosing to distribute to his teammates. His ability to handle the ball shone through with creative assists, but he also displayed great shooting range when in the fourth quarter he hit a deep, NBA caliber three-point shot.

“I just found people when they were open,” he said. “To see what we all can do together is unbelievable.”

Whitehead is also considering a full list of colleges, which consists of UCLA, Syracuse, Kentucky, Louisville, and St. John’s. Recently, the junior from Abraham Lincoln High School said he has visited UCLA, Syracuse, and St. John’s as well but is not favoring any at the moment.

Both players would fit well into Steve Lavin’s up-tempo style of play, with both having the length and athleticism to create turnovers and score in transition.

With no decision in the near future from either prospect, Red Storm fans are going to have to be patient to see if these two will be together in Queens.

Isaiah Whitehead visited Queens recently as part of his recruitment

The event is free to both students and the public and marks the first day of permitted practice for both the men’s and women’s basketball programs.  Steve Lavin will be in attendance, along with his new recruiting class, after missing the event a year ago due to his battle with prostate cancer.  Joe Tartamella, in his first year as women’s head coach, will be making his Carnesecca debut.

Steve Lavin makes his entrance during the 2010 Tip-Off event.

John Anderson, of ESPN’s SportsCenter, will be returning to host the event.  He was the host prior to the 2010-2011 season, when Lavin made his St. John’s debut.  Activities during the evening will include a slam-dunk contest (which didn’t occur last year) as well as other basketball related exhibitions involving both the men and women’s teams.  Chiddy Bang, a hip-hop group originally from Philadelphia, will be on hand to perform for the crowd as well.

The first exhibition game will take place on Nov. 1 vs. Sonoma St. and the first regular season contest will occur on Nov. 13 vs. Detroit as part of ESPN’s 24 Hour College Basketball Tip-Off marathon.  Both games will take place at Carnesecca Arena.

Tip-Off Info:

Friday, Oct. 12.

Doors open at 7 pm. Tickets on sale at 2 pm, day of event.

Special guests: John Anderson, Chiddy Bang.

Space is limited.

UPDATE: Oct. 11.

Tip-Off will be aired in its entirety on ESPN3, the online streaming service of ESPN.  The event will be announced by Ralph Bednarczyk, with analysis provided by Tarik Turner and Samantha Berdinka.  Tim O’Toole will provide interviews from the sidelines.  In addition, ESPNU will provide live look-in’s from the event throughout the evening.  St. John’s is one of eight schools that will have Midnight Madness featured on ESPN networks this year.

Recruits Scheduled to Attend Tip-Off

Jermaine Lawrence (2013)
Evan Hubbard (2014)
Bryce Aiken (2016)
Chris Atkinson (2015)
Adonis Delarosa (2014)
Jessie Govan (2015)
Devonte Green (2016)
Jon Severe (2013)
Mohamed Touray (2015)
Dimenscio Vaughn (2015)
Andre Walker (2014)
DaQuan Washington (2015)
Tremont Waters (2017)

“With our current team being one of the youngest in school history, the timing is ideal for Darrick to join forces with our staff to assist in our efforts to return St. John’s to college basketball prominence,” head coach Steve Lavin said in the release.” Darrick had an outstanding playing career, including 13 years of NBA experience as a point guard. Following his diverse playing experience at the highest levels of basketball, he has transitioned seamlessly into a coaching career. Darrick is a natural teacher who possesses the knowledge and patience necessary to develop young players of this generation.”

Darrick Martin with the Raptors

According to Quinn Rochford of Rumble in the Garden, all three staff members will fall under the title of “assistant”.  This is a way of recognizing Hines and Chiles for their dedication to the program.

“Coach Hines and Coach Chiles are clearly deserving of this promotion,” Lavin said. “From the outset of my tenure at St. John’s, these two talented coaches have been tirelessly working alongside me, and their contributions have been vital to our efforts as we diligently work toward putting the Johnnies in position to be a consistent winner.”

Martin joins Gene Keady and Rico Hines as the third member of the staff with NBA coaching experience.  He played at UCLA in college under the coaching of Lavin and went on to a lengthy professional and NBA career. In the NBA, Martin saw time with the Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Clippers, Kings, Mavericks, Nuggets and Raptors.  He ended his playing career in 2008.

Multiple big basketball names had rave reviews of the new hire:

Ervin “Magic” Johnson

“Darrick has a great basketball mind and is an excellent student and teacher of the game. He’s a bona fide gym rat who is dedicated to achieving greatness,” Johnson said. “If any student-athletes are serious about hitting it hard and improving their game, Darrick Martin is their man.”

Kurt Rambis

“Darrick Martin will be a tremendous asset to the St John’s basketball team in all areas including recruiting,” Ramis said. “He has an exceptional basketball mind and patient teaching skills that will significantly help in the growth and development of St John’s young student-athletes. In addition, he possesses a unique personality that will help him easily relate to everyone at the University.”

Dick Vitale

“Darrick Martin is an outstanding hire by Steve Lavin,” Vitale said. “He is familiar with Lavin and his system and brings great experience to the sidelines from a longstanding NBA career. I think he’s a great addition for St. John’s.”

For more information, check out the following links to an earlier Sweet, Sweet Lavin report as well as the full press release.

Sources: The Search is Over 

Lavin Announces Promotions of Hines and Chiles, Addition of Martin To Staff – Redstormsports.com

There is no question that Jim Calhoun took over a lowly program in Storrs back in 1986. UConn basketball was not even remotely on the radar of Connecticut sports fans at the time. In only his fourth year, Calhoun took the Huskies to the Elite Eight, posting a 29-6 record, while adding a Big East Championship and multiple National Coach of the Year trophies to the previous barren case. Calhoun, in addition to being recognized as a fantastic coach, was also known as a hard working recruiter. His players, over time, only became more and more high-profiled talents that would be coveted by all college basketball powerhouses. Ray Allen, Emeka Okefor, Richard “Rip” Hamilton and Ben Gordonare just a few of the 27 former Huskies that went on to have NBA careers.

Jim Calhoun Built A Basketball Powerhouse in Storrs

Jim Calhoun and UConn finally broke through with a NCAA Championship in 1999, beating Mike Kryzewski and the Duke Blue Devils. Calhoun would go one to win two more Championships, in 2004 and 2011, and won seven Big East Tournament titles in his coaching tenure. He amassed over 800 wins over his career including a 50-19 record in the NCAA Tournament.

Off the court, there is no question the coach faced many challenges. In 2003, Calhoun was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He underwent surgery and was given a clean bill of health. Health issues continued to arise, however. From 2008 to 2012, Calhoun had various health problems ranging from broken ribs to squamous cell carcinoma.

Due to the coach’s fights with cancer, he became a staple in Connecticut communities in his fundraising and awareness efforts. Calhoun has hosted various events, from celebrity basketball games to awareness walks to raise funds to help find a cure for cancer. These efforts have only further won over the hearts of nutmeg staters.

Through all the achievements and good that Coach Calhoun has done, there is a dark spot in his resume. UConn was forced to vacate victories they earned in the 1996 NCAA Tournament after it was determined that players Kirk King and Ricky Moore had received improper benefits. In February of 2011, UConn was slapped with stricter sanctions after an investigation showed that assistant coaches and a school booster violated recruiting rules. The school was penalized by being placed on probation, after losing scholarships and being banned from 2013 postseason play. Calhoun was cited for “lack of institutional control” and was suspended for three games.

With Calhoun announcing his retirement on September 13, 2012, it has brought forth all types of media coverage and numerous articles written about the coach. Most reviews of Calhoun’s portray an admirable man while simply glossing over the few times he was sanctioned for violating NCAA rules.

While there is absolutely no question that Jim Calhoun built a program from nothing and was successful there for over a decade, this should not completely overlap the underlying severe sanctions that were brought. Quite simply, impermissible benefits, in two different decades, were punished. These were deemed serious enough that UConn has both had to vacate wins and scholarships, while the latest infractions caused a suspension of the coach. In other words, it is hard to deny that Calhoun did in fact cheat to gain a competitive advantage. The question, though, is this: does his lifetime of achievements overshadow his repeated failure to respect the rules?

It has been made clear by the college basketball nation that both writers and fans are willing to overlook the bad in order to respect all of the tremendous things coach Calhoun achieved in his time in Storrs. I, for one, will not be so quick to do so. When I think of the coach, I think of a man quick to embarrassingly yell at his players on the bench with a disgusted face. I now also think of a man who repeatedly broke the rules on his way to and when he had a collegiate basketball powerhouse. I cannot help but remember his fast talking press conferences that were aired on television, during which Calhoun came off as cranky to the media if things did not go his way. On the other hand, the man won basketball games. I cannot help but to respect his brutal honesty and his ability to coach because his body of work cannot happen by accident.

All in all, 873 career wins speaks for itself. Coach Calhoun brought the UConn Huskies to prominence and he is the reason why they are one of the most respected programs in the country now. But people should not forget to ask themselves, at what cost did he do these things?

Aresco says that the namesake of the conference is far too important to be altered. ”There’s tremendous brand equity built up in the Big East name.”

At first it seems like this is strictly about money for Aresco and the Big East Conference. But when you look at it a bit more closely, he does have a point.

The Big East has been around since 1979, it is well over 30 years old. The main stays of the conference (teams that have been around from the very start) are St. John’s, along with Georgetown, UConn, Providence and Seton Hall. Just a year after its formation they added Villanova.

Now some of those conferences powerhouses are on their way out. Syracuse and Pittsburgh who were both in the conference for its inception will no longer be apart of the Big East.

Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco (bigeast.org)

Despite those leaving, this conference has a long and storied history. Those programs are ingrained into the Big East, and the schools have become synonymous with the conference name.

It is also important to note that some of these west and middle American schools are only switching conferences in football. The Big East covers 24 different sports, with its basketball teams predominately relegated to the east coast.

The schools coming in for basketball are Memphis, Temple, Houston, University of Central Florida, and Southern Methodist University. While it is near impossible to consider schools in Texas part of the east, the changes are not drastic enough to throw away the entire tradition of the conference.

While many may question why the conference that features teams from Texas and California is called the Big East, it is important to remember the history behind the name and not just where its members may reside.