QUEENS, N.Y. -
The St. John's men's basketball team (2-0) -- the only BIG EAST squad with five returning starters -- begins its Philly Hoop Group Classic three-game schedule by playing host to the Brown Bears of the Ivy League (1-2) on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. The contest at the new-look Carnesecca Arena in Queens will be videostreamed live via RedStormSports.com's StormTracker All-Access service ($9.95 per month, $79.95 annually), with announcers Greg Rice and Josh Harman calling the action from courtside, and Melissa Enaje reporting from the sidelines. On the airwaves, the Red Storm's matchup against the Bears can be heard in the New York City area on the official flagship of St. John's Basketball, Bloomberg Radio 1130-AM, with play-by-play announcer Ralph Bednarczyk and analyst Tarik Turner on the call.
St. John's is 411-75 (.846) in 48-plus years at Carnesecca Arena, which underwent Phase III of its interior renovation this past summer as part of the multi-phase upgrade to the facility. The installation of a new high-resolution video scoreboard and sound system, a refurbishing of the arena ceiling and the implementation of a new lighting system are among the series of changes Red Storm fans will enjoy for the 2009-10 season. A new playing surface, an overhauled seating bowl with 800 chairback seats, and enhanced ticketing and lobby areas were among the improvements made for 2008-09. The Red Storm owns a 35-8 (.814) mark during the Norm Roberts Era in what was formerly known as Alumni Hall, including a 27-4 (.871) record against non-conference competition. The building, constructed in 1961, was re-named for St. John's Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca during the 2004-05 season.
Through Wednesday night's games, the BIG EAST is 33-0 to start the season against non-conference competition, making it the only undefeated conference in the country. A win Friday would give the Red Storm a 3-0 record, making STJ the metropolitan wins leader in November. The latest victory, a 69-68 win on the road in Rochester, N.Y., against St. Bonaventure, came in the game's final seconds as junior point guard Malik Boothe sank a pair of free throws to give the Red Storm its final advantage. Juniors D.J. Kennedy and Paris Horne hit three 3-pointers apiece and totaled 18 and 15 points, respectively, as STJ shot 54.3 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from long range in the win.
St. John's and Brown have only met on one other occasion, on Nov. 26, 1976, in the Lapchick Tournament named for the legendary Hall of Fame Redmen coach, Joe Lapchick. The game, which was also the season opener for St. John's, was a 79-65 win at what was then Alumni Hall.
Storm Tracker
Junior guard Paris Horne, who netted a team-best 14.6 ppg last season, elevated his game in conference play to score at a 16.1 ppg clip, and also led St. John's in 3-point shooting (.335, 61-of-182) and steals (53). Horne, who had improved his scoring average by 9.5 ppg from his freshman to sophomore years, was projected as the sixth man before filling a vacant starting role due to injuries in 2008-09. Now a go to scorer and one of the Red Storm's toughest perimeter defenders, the 2009 first team All-Met selection by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers' Association (MBWA) will be relied upon to contribute even more this season.
Dynamic junior D.J. Kennedy will see plenty of time on the perimeter after leading the Red Storm last season in minutes played (34.6 per game), free throws made (187), free throws attempted (187) and defensive rebounds (167, 4.9 per game), and also being counted among the team leaders in points (second, 441), scoring average (third, 13.0 ppg), rebounds (second, 226, 6.6 per game), steals (second, 52), assists (second, 101, 3.0 per game), field goals made (third, 134), field goals attempted (second, 333), 3-point percentage (third, .333), 3-pointers made (second, 36), 3-pointers attempted (second, 108) and free throw percentage (third, .733). Kennedy's efforts earned him a first team All-Met nod from the MBWA in 2008-09.
Bruising forward and returning rebounding leader Sean Evans (10.3 points, 7.1 rebounds per game) has established himself among the Red Storm's most consistent performers, as one of two St. John's players to start each game of the 2008-09 season. Evans, who recorded nine double-doubles a year ago, has refined his game from one of brute force to one where his basketball skill has really begun to shine through.
Junior Justin Burrell returns to his familiar position in the low post as a projected starter for a third-straight season. The big man, who was a member of the BIG EAST's All-Rookie team in 2007-08, averaged 9.0 ppg and 4.5 rpg despite playing most of the 2008-09 season while wearing a mask to protect three hairline facial fractures.
Lightning-quick and Queens-tough, junior Malik Boothe returns as the incumbent floor general after leading the Red Storm with 4.4 assists per game, and totaling a team-high 111 assists, despite missing nine games with torn thumb ligaments last season. Boothe, who also contributed 6.4 points per game and 3.1 rebounds, averaged 33.8 minutes per game and was forced into playing 36.5 minutes during league contests. He should get some relief with St. John's new "double-Malik" point guard system with the addition of promising local rookie Malik Stith.
Lone sophomore Quincy Roberts returns to his natural position at shooting guard after making nine starts at the point, spelling Boothe during his recovery. Roberts averaged 5.0 ppg as a freshman, and is comfortable firing from long distance or using his athleticism to drive the lane and slam one down.
All of New York is buzzing about the addition of former John F. Kennedy standout scorer, playground legend and Indian Hills C.C. (Iowa) all-star Dwight Hardy. Dynamic and bouncy, Hardy's reputation as a prolific long-range shooter is only the tip of the iceberg, as the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) all-region selection has shown outstanding defensive skills and the ability to score off the dribble, as he amassed more than 1,000 points in two years of JUCO ball.
Another contributor at the small forward and power forward positions will be versatile JUCO forward Justin Brownlee. Brownlee was a key contributor for his Chipola College squad that spent nine weeks ranked as the No. 1 junior college program in the country last season, and was called "the steal out of all of junior college" by one JUCO scouting and recruiting service.
Redshirt senior Anthony Mason Jr. (hamstring) and redshirt junior Rob Thomas (groin) both suffered injuries during the preseason and are expected back on the court in mid-to-late December.
On Deck
STJ continues play in the Philly Hoop Group Classic at the Palestra, facing Siena on Nov. 27 and Temple on Nov. 28.
