ST. JOHN'S SPRING RECRUITING PREVIEW

November 30, 2008


Now that the early signing period is over for college basketball, many teams are looking forward to the spring signing period as their is an usually large number of uncommitted players available this season.

So while NYC fans might be looking at the NFL Odds of the Jets and Giants lining up for the Superbowl, there are a few following a recruiting story that is quite intriguing in Queens.

St. John's of the Big East added a pair of early period signees in NYC natives Omari Lawrence and Dwight Hardy.

With the decision to part ways with verbal commitment Malik Stith, St. John's was expected to have an open scholarship when the spring signing period arrived.

However, that might not be the case senior wing Anthony Mason Jr. was lost for the season with a knee injury in just the second game of the year. Mason is expected to pursue a medical redshirt, which would give him the last available scholarship for next season.

Of course, a sure sign of spring is the annual exodus of players out of the SJU program. So, it is an almost certain expectation that a scholarship (or scholarships) will become available. With no current scholarship juniors on the 2008-2009 roster, there is a serious problem in the balancing of the classes at SJU to begin with, so some movement in their large sophomore class might occur.

If that were to happen, the obvious #1 target of Norm Roberts' desire is Lance Stephenson, aka 'Born Ready.'

Of course, with Stephenson, plenty of opportunities are available for the 6'5 manchild, including the professional route ala Brandon Jennings.

SJU has also been following another NYC native in the prep ranks, Vincent Council, and Thomas Jefferson senior guard Keith Spellman this fall. A couple other unsigned area players that could be in the mix the longer they stay open in recruiting process include Tevin Baskin and Sherrod Wright.