St. John's University Athletics
Pregame Quotes: St. John's vs. Monmouth
11/21/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2013
Head Coach Steve Lavin
On Gene Keady:
"Clearly Gene Keady is deserving of every honor bestowed upon him. During Gene Keady's career, no other coach on the college basketball landscape more consistently molded championship teams. In the 1980s, 1990s and into the new millennium his Purdue Boilermaker teams set the gold standard for teamwork, toughness and a relentless will to win. Equally impressive is his track record for shaping young men. It has been his lifelong commitment to honor the game of basketball by being one of its greatest ambassadors. From a personal perspective, Gene Keady gave me my coaching start 25 years ago when he hired me as a graduate assistant at Purdue, and other than my parents he has been the most influential person in my life. Working alongside Coach Keady at both Purdue and now St. John's has been a true blessing. Honors like the street naming and his induction into the College Basketball Hall Of Fame is a perfect exclamation point on a remarkable career."
Special Assistant/Advisor To The Head Coach Gene Keady
On the Lapchick Award and Coach Lapchick's legacy:
"I've been reading about him for the last three years and he was someone that was highly respected in the basketball world. The Lapchick Award is something very special in any coaching career and something I would like to see every coach receive if they have the opportunity."
On what the Lapchick Award means to the St. John's family:
"Coach Lapchick is special to us because he gave us great leadership and was a winner. He was a guy we all looked up to as young coaches. Everyone knew about Lapchick, even out in Kansas where I grew up. Receiving the Lapchick Award was something I never expected and I really appreciated it."
On Jim O'Connell receiving the 2013 Lapchick Leadership Award:
"I've known Jim a long time. He's been one of the special writers in the sport that we all respect. He deserves this and I am really proud of him. He's a guy I always liked to talk to when he was writing an article."
On his own NABC Hall of Fame induction in Kansas City this coming Sunday:
"It means a lot to me because of the people who have helped me along the way. The National Association of Basketball Coaches [NABC] people have always been special to me, and it means that all those people that were with me along my coaching career are responsible for it, from my assistants to my trainers, players and weight coaches. A lot of people have contributed to me getting this honor, not just me."
On what kind of a challenge Monmouth will pose for St. John's on Friday:
"Hopefully it will be a good game. We know that they have four players averaging double-figures and we know that they have a great scorer in [Deon] Jones. It's one of those things where you don't take anyone lightly. Respect everyone but fear no one. We know it's a game we need to play well in to continue improving."
On what St. John's learned from the win over Bucknell:
"We beat a good team. I'm not sure our guys are old enough to know what they did, but they were able to beat a team that has been more than respectable the last few years against better teams. I thought it was one of our better wins since I've been here, so I hope they understand what they did."
Sophomore Forward JaKarr Sampson
On how the team is going to sustain the energy against Monmouth:
"We just have to come out and play our game and do what we need to do. We need to follow our game plan and we will be all right. We know teams like this are dangerous. We lost to some teams like this last year. They were good teams that we took for granted. This year we need to take care of business."
On Junior Guard Phil Greene IV stepping up against Bucknell:
"We were really excited. We were joking around that the old Phil is back. It's how he used to play before his hip injury. It just shows that we have a lot of people that can step up in any situation. When D'Angelo [Harrison] or I are struggling, we have different people that can step up."
On the impact Keady has had on the team:
"We appreciate him on and off the court. He is a [joker], but we respect him. Whenever he talks, everybody listens, even Coach Lavin. He has a lot of wisdom and has been around this game a long time so it would be foolish to not listen to what he has to say."
Sophomore Center Chris Obekpa
On having seven blocks against Bucknell:
"It's good. I'm back to the old me like last year. And it helped us win so that's all that matters."
On his progressing offensive game:
"It's coming, gradually. We'll get there. We'll keep working on it."
On facing Monmouth:
"They're going to bring their best. They have a good team, we just have to go out there and play harder than them."
On what Coach Keady's Hall of Fame induction means to the program:
"He's the 'Grandfather' of the team. We're proud of him. It's a great accomplishment and we're happy to have him on the team. It's a good moment for him and us."
Hall Of Fame Basketball Coach Lou Carnesecca
On the tradition of Coach Lapchick:
"He is one of the greatest coaches at both the professional and collegiate level. He was a wonderful coach at St. John's with all the victories. He has the rare ability to make you feel at home. I remember going to Madison Square Garden and seeing him make time for everybody. He always had time for the underprivileged. I learned a lot from him. He was a great coach and a wonderful human being."
On Jim O'Connell receiving the Lapchick Leadership Award:
"Jim O'Connell is the only guy I know that would cover a CYO game at nine o'clock on a Saturday morning. He is a true St. John's guy. He has great love for the game of basketball. He grew up here and watched the games here as a little kid when he snuck in over the fence. I can't think of anybody who is more of an authority on basketball. He is very well-respected."
On Gene Keady entering the Collegiate Hall of Fame:
"It's wonderful. He is among the great coaches we have had in this country. I know it is going to make him very proud. He deserves it with what he has done."
On the 2013-14 St. John's team:
"I like them! ... I like the way they play with great athleticism. There seems to be a feeling for each other. With a little time to gel, they are going to be unbelievable. The front line will block everything but the Lincoln Tunnel."
Athletics Director Emeritus John "Jack" Kaiser
On Jim O'Connell:
"It is rather fitting he is getting the Joe Lapchick Award because Jim is one of finest gentlemen I have ever known. He tells me a story that when he was a youngster, he and his friends would go to Alumni Hall to see the games. He didn't tell me how, but he was there. They would run around the halls downstairs and one day coming around the corner was Joe Lapchick. They froze because Joe Lapchick was very famous. They thought they were caught. Coach Lapchick being the person he was, sat with them like adults and told them some stories. From that point on, Jim O'Connell was a Joe Lapchick fan. The foundation is trying to emphasis coaches who have been successful on the collegiate level and at the same time coaches who have gotten there the right way: people of character, integrity, people who are good to other people. This year's awards and previous awards certainly fit that description."
On why the award is named after Joe Lapchick:
"Everybody in the basketball world remembers Joe Lapchick and what he stood for. It's not only his wins and losses, which are great. It's also what he meant to people who worked for him or played for him. He was one of the first when he was with the Knicks to break the color line. He always treated everyone with a dignified and respectful manner. People recognize that and aspire to treat people the same way.
On Gene Keady:
"It's a tribute to the judgment of Coach Lavin, who played for him. You can see his wisdom and his expertise is having an effect on this year's team as well as the last few years he has been with us. He is a great gentleman and a great example of what Coach Lapchick stood for."
Associated Press Writer Jim O'Connell
On being awarded the Joe Lapchick Character Award:
"It's the old story of when your life comes full circle. When we were kids, we used to run around the gym. Coach Lapchick wouldn't yell at us but we knew we were in trouble right away. To go from there and the respect I learned from him then to winning an award with his name on it means everything because Coach Lapchick is one of those people the basketball world can't forget. What he did for the Civil Rights Movement and integrating the NBA was huge. He is a man that deserves to be in the Hall of Fame twice."
On Lou Carnesecca and Jack Kaiser presenting the award:
"I was student at St. John's was back in 1971 and I was lucky enough to get involved with the athletic department. The great thing about Coach Carnesecca and Coach Kaiser is that they never lectured you about anything. They led by example and taught you that way. It's something so special with those two men. To have them present them me today is really special for me today."
On Gene Keady entering the Hall of Fame:
"He is someone that engaged you. You never interviewed with him, you had a conversation with him. There aren't a whole lot of guys that way. His success on the court was dwarfed by what he meant off the court to so many people. I know what the Hall of Fame means to all of the coaches in it already. Everyone applauded when they heard Gene got in because he is one of those people."
