BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: ST. JOHN'S

May 12, 2007


COMMITMENT ALERT: DJ Kennedy, 6'5 G from Schenley HS, Pittsburgh (PA)


Projected 2007-2008 Roster:


SENIORS: Eugene Lawrence (G)
JUNIORS: Anthony Mason (F), Tomas Jasiulionis F/C)
SOPHOMRES: Larry Wright (G), Qa'rraan Calhoun (F)
FRESHMEN: Justin Burrell (PF), Malik Boothe (PG), Rob Thomas (F), Ayodele Coker (C), Mike Cavataio (G/F), Paris Horne (G), DJ Kennedy (G)




DeJuan Blair and DJ Kennedy, teammates on Schenley High's Pennsylvania State Championship team will both be playing in the Big East next season. Blair signed with Pittsburgh last fall and Schenley's Kennedy Picks St. John's (pittsburgh Post-Gazette) last night.

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St. John's pulled off a mini recruiting coup with the late period addition of DJ Kennedy our of Pittsburgh. For several years, it was Pittsburgh coming into the NYC area and plucking players like Chris Taft, Carl Krauser, Ron Ramon, Keith Benjamin, etc, but here, St. John's goes into the steel city and picks up a quality player in Kennedy.

This past season at Schenley HS, Kennedy teamed with Pitt recruit Dejuan Blair to win a state championship. Kennedy averaged over 17 PPG and showed the ability to slash to the basket for points and knock down big free throws under pressure time and time again. Kennedy is a versatile player that can handle the ball very well at 6'5 and, like Blair, is an excellent passer for a high school player (especially for a non-point guard). Kennedy is not a great shooter, but he can get on a roll and he has the confidence to knock them down when needed. The St. John's staff got in the race for Kennedy late, but they earned the commitment when Kennedy pledged to St. John's over finalists Georgia and New Mexico State. At times in the last couple months Pittsburgh, Marquette, Xavier and Wisconsin were seen monitoring Kennedy's progress as well and he took a visit last fall to Kansas State when Bob Huggins was still their coach.


The Redstorm now have a seven-member freshmen class for 2007-2008 with the late additions of Kennedy, Paris Horne and Mike Cavataio, along with previous commitments from Ayodele Coker, Malik Boothe and Justin Burrell. The Redstorm will also add the services of Rob Thomas whi is sitting out this season and should be eligible to play by second semester next season. However, Thomas might be out for the entire season due to a knee injury that required surgery in early April. I am a little surprised the Redstorm did not opt to add some frontcourt depth with their last scholarships at this time. With the graduation of Lamont Hamilton and Aaron Spears, they are left only with Tomas Jasiulionis and freshman Ayodele Coker with the ideal size to play the post positions in the Big East. However, in the spring period, the pickings are usually slim and if you can add soem talent, which SJU did, you managed to accomplish something very good on the recruiting trail.

This is a very solid group of recruits for Norm Roberts. I would not expect anyone to come in and set the conference on fire, but over the course of four-year careers, they have added some solid college players. Justin Burrell is one that could really blossom as he has all the physical tools to be a stud in the Big East, but has only been playing basketball a few years. Coker has loads of potential for a big man and Boothe looks like a classic true point guard. Kennedy also should fare well in his career. Now, the key is keeping these kids at St. John's as nine of Roberts' previous 14 signees have not made it to the end of their eligibility with the Redstorm.

St. John's can continue their efforts with the class of 2008, but they currently have only two scholarships open for the class. Another big man to play strong inside, probably as a PF, will probably be the biggest priority. We will continue to monitor their prospects as we move towards spring.

ST. JOHN'S 2007-2008 SNAPSHOT

May 9, 2007


Head Coach: Norm Roberts
2006-2007 Record: 16-15 (7-9 Big East)

Returning Players:
Eugene Lawrence, Senior (Point Guard)
Anthony Mason, Junior (Forward)
Tomas Jasiulionis, Junior (Center)
Qa'rraan Calhoun, Sophomore (Forward)
Larry Wright, Sophomore (Guard)
Rob Thomas, Freshman (Forward)

Incoming Players:
Justin Burrell (Power Forward)
Malik Boothe (Point Guard)
Ayodele Coker (Center)
Mike Cavataio (Guard/Forward)
Paris Horne (Guard)

Graduated:
Lamont Hamilton
Daryll Hill
Aaron Spears

Transferred Out:
Avery Patterson
Ricky Torres


Open Items/Issues:
St. John's is still actively recruiting for the 2007 class as they currently sit with two scholarships open. The urgency to add talent this spring multiplied with the news that Rob Thomas underwent knee surgery to repair torn ligaments and is most likely out for the season. With Avery Patterson and Ricky Torres transferring out, adding to the long list of recruits not panning out for St. John's under Norm Roberts (Dexter Gray, Cedric Jackson, Derwin Kitchen, etc), the Redstorm heads into the 2007-2008 season with just five healthy returning players.

St. John's has added two spring signees, Paris Horne from the NE prep school scene, and NYC CHSAA all-league performer Mike Cavataio. With two scholarships open, Norm Roberts has been diligently pursuing prospects this spring and is eagerly awaiting the decision of 6'6 G/F DJ Kennedy of Pittsburgh, PA who is deciding between Georgia, New Mexico State and St. John's.

Summary:
At the minimum, Norm Roberts had to make the Big East Tournament last season. He accomplished the minimum as the Redstorm got into the tournament for the first time in four seasons as the conference's 11th seed. It is true that Roberts took over a program in dire need of a lift as the Redstorm was driven into the ground under Mike Jarvis and their influence in NYC was minimal among recruits. The situation was not too different from what Pittsburgh and Georgetown had sunk to under Ralph Willard and Craig Esherick. In their thrid years, Ben Howland had Pittsburgh in the Sweet 16 and John Thompson III had Georgetown in the Final Four in year #3. St. John's sits in the most fertile area of basketball talent in the NYC/NJ metro area and has a jewel of an on-campus practice facility recently constructed. Year #4 is not a year that Norm Roberts can afford to go backwards in.

Recruiting has improved for SJU and their local haul of Burrell, Boothe and Cavataio shows they are doing better on the homefront. Anthony Mason and Qa'rraan Calhoun are a promising pair of forwards that will get a nice teammate in Burrell. Boothe will team with Eugene Lawrence to give the redstorm steady floor leadership, but this team still lacks a scoring punch and depth in the frontcourt that has size and strength. Ayodele Coker was a recruiting coup, but he is raw offensively and with only Tomas Jasiulionis to look towards for depth, the middle will be exposed on the defensive end by Redstorm opponents. Larry Wright showed flashes of scoring bunch as a freshmen, but they will be asking an awful lot of him this year at the 2-guard, probably more than he can give night in and night out.

It is going to be a tough task for St. John's to improve upon their standing next year. This might be their best incoming group of players under Roberts, but the injury to Thomas (who was not going to be eligible the 1st semester anyway) and more defections make this an inexperienced and thin team, not exactly what he planned for his fourth season. Of the five teams that finished behind them last year, only South Florida suffered similar losses in production due to graduation/transfers. Everyone has more returning and similar, if not better, recruiting success over a two-year period. This team will have to scrap to play in the Big East Tournament next season.