St. John's University Athletics
2009-10 St. John's Men's Basketball Season Outlook
11/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 10, 2009
- 2009-10 St. John's Men's Basketball Roster & Profiles
- 2009-10 St. John's Men's Basketball Schedule
- 2009-10 St. John's Men's Basketball Media Guide
QUEENS, N.Y. - What was once the youngest team in the America is now all grown up.
Two years ago, eight freshmen arrived on St. John's University's Queens campus to forge the new foundation of a storied basketball program. Their purpose was clear - to form a core of BIG EAST-capable talent, which, over time, would help return luster to one of the proudest legacies in collegiate basketball history. Short on experience, the group comprised a youth-filled squad that at the time had only one scholarship senior, and began to make strides back toward respectability in the most formidable league in the nation.
A season ago, battle-tested with a year of BIG EAST league play on its resume, the group continued the ascent. Steadfast despite a number of debilitating injuries, the squad trudged forward, showing signs of success to come - a victory over a Top 10 ranked team in then-No. 7/10 Notre Dame, a regular-season win over longtime conference rival Georgetown, followed up by another win one week later over the Hoyas that would mark St. John's first BIG EAST Tournament victory since 2003. A Norm Roberts Era season-high-tying 16 wins would be enough to land the squad in the postseason, as the Red Storm made its first College Basketball Invitational (CBI) appearance.
Now, with two years of unforgiving BIG EAST play under the collective belts of what is now a roster filled with 12 upperclassmen, St. John's appears poised to make a move. Consider the numbers alone - 11 letterwinners are returning to the court for the Red Storm in 2009-10, comprising Roberts' most experienced squad as he heads into his sixth season on the STJ bench. The 2009-10 Red Storm boasts six returnees with significant starting experience, and returns 97.2 percent of its scoring and 95.1 percent of its rebounding from the 2008-09 squad. Combined with a four-man class of impact newcomers rife with New York City flavor, St. John's looks to make an aggressive climb in the league standings, and help restore the prolific hardwood reputation that this program, and this city, has built over the last century.
"Two years ago, we said we're going to take all these young guys, we knew they were going to be very young, and we said let them play through mistakes and play through situations and have to be tough and learn all those things. And they did that," said Roberts. "Now what we need to do is reap the benefits, and continue that process in building ourselves up. So, if we can do that, and I believe we can, I think we have a chance of being very good."
Backcourt
With a roster filled with an impressive number of ballhandlers and wing players, the Red Storm brings a much deeper backcourt into the 2009-10 season. St. John's looks to augment its intensity with the increased pressure on the defensive end, and will look to play more up-tempo and cut down turnovers on offense. For Roberts, these efforts begin with added depth at the point guard position.
"I think we can play a little bit differently; I think we can play faster," said Roberts. "We can pressure better defensively because our feet are quicker and we have more depth. I also believe we have more creativity to score than we've had in the past. So, those are things that are going to be a benefit for us on both ends of the floor."
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.
The second Malik is Malik Stith, another strong, quick playmaker from nearby Hempstead, N.Y. Stith showed a great deal of poise and promise in coming off the bench to run the offense during St. John's 2009 Labor Day Weekend trip to Canada, during which the team posted a 4-0 mark. He comes to the Red Storm a proven winner, having keyed his Bridgton Academy (Maine) squad to the New England prep school title last season.
"Malik Boothe played through a lot of injuries last year, with the thumb injury and everything, and he's worked very hard this summer. I think what's going to help Malik is having another point guard with him, which would allow him to really pressure the ball like he's very capable of doing," said Roberts. "Malik Stith is a true point guard, a guy that can really get in a lane, a guy that makes others better, and a ball hawk, defensively. Malik Stith will allow Malik Boothe to rest and makes the coaching staff feel like we don't have to play him 38 minutes a game. So I think Malik Stith is really going to help our team, defensively and offensively."
 The Red Storm returns 97.2 percent of its scoring from the 2008-09 season, including junior guard Paris Horne, who averaged 14.6 points per game.  | |
The Red Storm's returning leading scorer is junior guard Paris Horne, who netted 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.
"Paris had a terrific year for us last year, and I think he has a great chance to have a tremendous year this year," said Roberts. "We have talked to him a lot about making his body stronger and he has done that in the weight room, adding some weight. I think he has really improved his game, including his ball handling and his ability to score in a variety of ways."
Explosive guard Quincy Roberts, the lone sophomore on the Red Storm's roster, returns to his natural position at shooting guard after making nine starts at the point, spelling Boothe during his recovery. A heady player with tremendous energy and enthusiasm, 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.
"Dwight has an unbelievable ability to score, and he has really surprised a lot of people because he really is a complete basketball player. He does everything hard - everything," explained Roberts. "Defensively, he really tries to pay attention to detail, and he is a very efficient player. He can score off the dribble, he can score off the catch and he plays well without the ball in his hands. I think he has a chance to make a real impact for our team right away."
Returning walk-ons Kevin Clark and John Taubeneck provide depth at the guard positions, in addition to terrific consistency and energy in daily practice sessions.
Small Forward
The swing position in the St. John's lineup also boasts more talent and depth than ever before during the six-year Roberts Era.
Returning to the court for a fifth year, though not for the season opener, will be redshirt senior Anthony Mason Jr. Mason Jr., who averaged 14.0 ppg across three contests before missing the rest of last season recovering from surgery to repair a torn peroneal tendon in his foot, is expected to rejoin the Red Storm by mid-December after rehabbing a hamstring injury. One of the all-time 3-point scoring leaders in St. John's history, Mason Jr. was an honorable mention All-BIG EAST selection in 2007-08.
 Do-it-all junior swingman D.J. Kennedy has emerged as a team leader, averaging 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. | |
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.
"D.J. had a great offseason. He did a great job with his body, keeping his body strong, and gaining some weight. He has really improved his outside shot," commented Roberts. "He is a much more confident perimeter shooter and we need that from him. I think he became one of our best creators as far as getting good shots for others last year, and we need him to continue to do that as well."
New York City-tough rookie Omari Lawrence will play a significant role as well. A slashing scorer and a versatile and hard-nosed defender, Lawrence keyed his South Kent (Conn.) squad to the New England prep school championship game last season, and scored 25 points in 35 minutes of action during the Jordan Classic Regional game at Madison Square Garden last April.
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.
"Justin has a chance to really make an impact with our team. He has a great ability to score. He is athletic, he can rebound the ball, rebound in traffic and he can bring it out in traffic," explained Roberts. "He gives us a very versatile forward like D.J. Kennedy and Anthony Mason, and now we have three of them on our team that can really spread defenses out."
Frontcourt
An experienced, physical, four-man junior frontcourt that has garnered preseason top 20 national recognition from Fox returns for the Red Storm, looking to continue to establish itself among the league's most formidable.
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 big man Sean Evans averaged 10.3 points per game and a team-leading 7.1 rebounds with a breakout campaign a season ago. | |
"Sean had a terrific summer, really worked hard, and has improved his range on his shot and his free throw shooting. Sean has to do exactly what he did last year. He has to be an energy guy, he has got to be a finisher, he has to do a better job at finishing layups inside and he knows he has to do better at the free throw line. Sean averaged 10.3 points a game, and had he shot the ball better from the free throw line, then he would have had the helped us even more than he did," explained Roberts.
Classmate 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.
Redshirt junior Rob Thomas, who played in 29 games last season while battling through minor injuries, continues to make the most of his playing time. A microcosm of his off-the-court perseverance, Thomas provides "instant offense" for the Red Storm by consistently cleaning the offensive glass. Thomas averaged 6.1 ppg and 3.5 rpg while averaging 13.6 minutes, and 58 of his 101 rebounds on the season were at the offensive end.
Said Roberts, "Rob has worked steadily every single day. Rob is going to be a guy who just scores points for us and we need him to do that, so he's got to continue to work on his body, keep himself in good shape and continue to stay ahead of his injuries."
Always-imposing, always-improving big man Dele Coker saw action in 31 contests last season, and led the Red Storm in blocks (32, 1.0 per game). An intimidating presence in the middle, Coker has made tremendous strides in the weight room this summer, and looks for his improved conditioning to help him become more and more of a factor for St. John's, particularly on the defensive end.
"Dele has done a great job with his body, and has made himself much more explosive and quicker. He understands his role, that we need him to rebound the ball, outlet it, be a defensive presence, block shots and do those things that will really help our team."
Brownlee, Kennedy and Mason Jr. will all see time in the frontcourt in different lineup configurations.
The Schedule
National television appearances, 16 home games, a challenging conference slate, an early-season Madison Square Garden contest in the SEC/BIG EAST Invitational and the perennial non-league matchup with national-powerhouse Duke highlight the 2009-10 St. John's men's basketball schedule.
"Once again we're excited to be playing a highly-competitive schedule. Besides the rigors that come with playing in a terrific league like the BIG EAST, we are excited to be taking on non-conference opponents like Duke, Siena, Temple and others. We look forward to playing in the Philly Hoop Group Classic, and also in the Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival with Cornell, Davidson and Hofstra," said Roberts. "Our schedule features high-caliber opponents at Carnesecca Arena and at MSG, and we're excited about the opportunities they provide and look forward to a very competitive year."
 Junior Justin Burrell averaged 9.0 points and 4.5 rebounds despite being hindered by a face mask for most of the 2008-09 season. | |
Before tip-off on opening night, venerable Carnesecca Arena will have underwent Phase III of its interior renovation 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 see prior to the start of 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.
Fans will get a glance at the latest renovations right from the jump on Friday, Nov. 13 (7 p.m., StormTracker All-Access) as the Blackbirds of Long Island University head up the BQE for a season-opening matchup in Queens. The Red Storm will then hit the road, traveling upstate to Rochester, N.Y., to meet St. Bonaventure in "The Flower City" at Blue Cross Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. The contest will mark the first between the Red Storm and Bonnies since 1985.
St. John's next participates in the third-annual Philly Hoop Group Classic, beginning with a home matchup against Brown. The Bears visit Carnesecca Arena on Friday, Nov. 20 (7 p.m., StormTracker All-Access), before the Red Storm travels to Philadelphia's most storied collegiate venue, the Palestra, on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The Red Storm meets a pair of 2009 NCAA participants as part of the new two-day, tripleheader format - St. John's faces Siena in the second game of the tripleheader on Friday, Nov. 27 at 6:15 p.m., before facing Temple on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 8:30 p.m., in the nightcap.
After coming home to square off with Long Island squad Stony Brook on Wednesday, Dec. 2, in Queens (7 p.m., SNY), the Red Storm will head south to Tobacco Road for its annual meeting with Duke. The Saturday, Dec. 5, tilt will mark the 12th-straight season in which the two squads have met, and will air live nationally on ESPN2 (3:30 p.m.).
After facing the Blue Devils, the Red Storm heads back to New York to make its Madison Square Garden season debut, participating in the third-annual SEC/BIG EAST Invitational. St. John's plays host to the Georgia Bulldogs on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at The Garden in a matchup that will be televised nationally on ESPN2 (7 p.m.). Fellow BIG EAST squad Connecticut plays host to the Kentucky Wildcats in the game that follows on ESPN as part of the doubleheader event at "The World's Most Famous Arena."
St. John's has faced only eight opponents 80 or more times as it heads into its 103rd season of basketball, and the Red Storm renews one of those rivalries on Sunday, Dec. 13 (4 p.m., StormTracker All-Access) when cross-town squad Fordham makes its way into Carnesecca Arena. St. John's is 60-20 against the Rams all-time, though the two squads have not met since 2002.
St. John's looks to recapture the MSG Holiday Festival crown in the second-straight pre-Christmas version of the classic event at Madison Square Garden, on Sunday and Monday, Dec. 20-21. The Red Storm meets Hofstra on Dec. 20 (2 p.m., MSG/MSG+), following a matchup between 2009 NCAA participant Cornell of the Ivy League and 2009 NIT participant Davidson of the Southern Conference. The Red Storm, which has claimed two of the last five titles, looks to hoist the trophy on Dec. 21 (7 p.m. and 9 p.m., MSG/MSG+).
Rounding out the Red Storm's non-conference schedule is a Wednesday, Dec. 23 tilt against Bryant University (7 p.m., StormTracker All-Access). St. John's faces the Bulldogs, who completed their first NCAA Division I season in 2008-09, in the final pre-Christmas meeting at Carnesecca Arena, with BIG EAST Conference play to follow after the holiday.
 Lone sophomore Quincy Roberts returns to his natural position at shooting guard after averaging 5.0 points per game while making nine starts at the point. | |
BIG EAST action gets underway with a road contest on New Year's Eve for the second-straight season, as the Red Storm attempts to ring in the New Year on a positive note in the nation's capital. The Red Storm's matchup vs. Georgetown at the Verizon Center (Dec. 31, 8 p.m.) will air live throughout the nation on ESPN2. St. John's then returns to Queens to play host to Providence at Carnesecca Arena on Sunday, Jan. 3 (5:30 p.m., SNY), for the first of four BIG EAST contests at the renovated on-campus venue. A road trip to Louisville (Jan. 9, noon, SNY) for the first of two meetings with the Cards precedes a pair of home contests, as Cincinnati visits The Garden (Jan. 13, 7 p.m., ESPNU) and DePaul takes a trip to Carnesecca Arena for the first of a home-and-home series between the two Catholic, Vincentian, Metropolitan schools (Jan. 17, 2 p.m., MSG).
Three out of the next four contests will be played on the road, beginning with the Red Storm's first trip to UConn's Hartford XL Center in 13 seasons (Jan. 20, 7 p.m., SNY). Villanova comes to The Garden on Saturday, Jan. 23 for a nationally-televised noon meeting on ESPN (noon), before St. John's hits the road to face Pitt (Jan. 28, 7 p.m., ESPNU) and Rutgers (Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m., MSG).
The Red Storm is then rewarded with three of the next four games at home, as West Virginia (Feb. 6, noon, ESPNU) and Louisville (Feb. 11, 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2) both visit MSG, with the second matchup of the season vs. the Cardinals occurring on national television. After a Valentine's Day visit to Notre Dame (Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m., SNY), St. John's returns to Queens to play host to Seton Hall (Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m., MSG+) for what will undoubtedly be another hotly-contested matchup between the two schools.
The Red Storm heads south to Tampa's Sun Dome to take on the USF Bulls on Feb. 20 (noon, SNY), before its final two regular-season home games. Marquette visits Carnesecca Arena on Feb. 24 (7:30 p.m., MSG), and Pitt completes this season's home-and-home series with a trip to The Garden on Feb. 27 (noon, MSG).
St. John's finishes its regular season on the road, with trips to the Carrier Dome to take on their upstate rivals, Syracuse (March 2, 7 p.m., SNY), and visits DePaul's Allstate Arena for the second meeting between the teams on March 5 (8:30 p.m., SNY).
The 16-team BIG EAST Championship Tournament takes place at the World's Most Famous Arena from Tuesday, March 9, to Saturday, March 13.
In all, St. John's could play 16 regular-season games against teams that participated in postseason tournaments in 2008-09 (NCAA - Duke, UConn, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Marquette, West Virginia, Villanova, Temple, Siena and Cornell; NIT - Notre Dame, Georgetown, Providence and Davidson).
All Grown Up
The St. John's basketball family has long awaited this year, this roster and this team. Loaded with talent, experience and all-important depth, the Red Storm squad begins its season bursting with opportunity, and ready to make serious inroads in a conference that will once again be among the nation's elite. "I think this team is a team that can get to postseason play," said Roberts. "We have a tough schedule; we're going to play tough teams early and we're going to play tough teams late, so we will be strong and tested going into the BIG EAST season. I think this team has a chance to really uplift our program and get us really continuing on that path toward success."
