Ot: end of the world.. Lavin signs five star PG

[James]

"He's a really good shooter, only when he takes good shots" . Translation, he has no iq and is a jacker. Would also be concerned if he was my shooting guard.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Harrison shouldn't have to take bad shots all day with lots more around him. I think he'll come back from this suspension a better player.

But can he stop himself? Thats the question.

 

[husky91]

Brimah is not top 250, even though people on this board rate him higher than Dhakari Johnson.

What is Lavin doing, that Ollie is not?...I don't get it, St Johns has horrible facilities.....Lavins not a great coach...the program has been MIA for almost a decade. Is it the NYC appeal? To be honest I'm still a lil uneasy about our recruiting since Calhoun left.
So far the new admin has brought in:
-Brimah & (purvis, if transfers count)
Hope things turn around and we start making threads about H.S. commitments instead of highlight tapes

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

He isn't going to be the starting floor general. He's going to be the starting shooting guard. Harrison is a very good shooter but only when he takes good shots. He certainly has had the tendency to try to do it all and take every shot. It is likely that Rysheed Jordan will be the starting floor general. Kid is a beast. Jamal Branch and Phil Greene backing up PG/SG respectively. Harrison shouldn't have to take bad shots all day with lots more around him. I think he'll come back from this suspension a better player.

I think the Europe trip will feature a starting lineup of Branch pg, Harrison sg, Pointer sf, Sampson pf, Obekpa C

4 star **** Branch is close to a 50% career free throw shooter although he went from the low 40's as a frosh to low 60's last year. I wouldn't want any of my point guards playing +20 minutes who can't connect at a minimum of high 60's. So despite the fact Branch plays good defense my mind set going into the Europe trip would be his status as a starter is very tenuous to say the least assuming Jordan is a true PTP'er on the college level and is coached up. I would go smaller and press implementing a Louisville type of pressing strategy with Obekpa protecting the rim on the back side while utilizing the teams depth. If St. John's doesn't press I may not have Obekpa playing as many minutes (unpolished offensive game but big time shot blocker) or even starting. You can go with Gift or Sanchez instead. If Lavin is content letting other teams dictate tempo I think you are in big trouble. St. John's needs to score in bulk in transition on a regular basis.

Players are hyper sensitive to new blood coming into the system so Jordan and Sanchez will most likely be on the outside looking in to start the season. Having the luxury of Jordan/Branch at the point should give you the depth to move Harrison off the ball. I think your season hinges on the production of Branch/Jordan cumulatively. Neither 1 of them have proven themselves on the college level to be stellar performers. One for the obvious reason and the other because of injuries and just flat out inconsistent play.

Interesting and very deep team for sure...JMHO

 

[MCNPA]

I think the Europe trip will feature a starting lineup of Branch pg, Harrison sg, Pointer sf, Sampson pf, Obekpa C

4 star **** Branch is close to a 50% career free throw shooter although he went from the low 40's as a frosh to low 60's last year. I wouldn't want any of my point guards playing +20 minutes who can't connect at a minimum of high 60's. So despite the fact Branch plays good defense my mind set going into the Europe trip would be his status as a starter is very tenuous to say the least assuming Jordan is a true PTP'er on the college level and is coached up. I would go smaller and press implementing a Louisville type of pressing strategy with Obekpa protecting the rim on the back side while utilizing the teams depth. If St. John's doesn't press I may not have Obekpa playing as many minutes (unpolished offensive game but big time shot blocker) or even starting. You can go with Gift or Sanchez instead. If Lavin is content letting other teams dictate tempo I think you are in big trouble. St. John's needs to score in bulk in transition on a regular basis.

Players are hyper sensitive to new blood coming into the system so Jordan and Sanchez will most likely be on the outside looking in to start the season. Having the luxury of Jordan/Branch at the point should give you the depth to move Harrison off the ball. I think your season hinges on the production of Branch/Jordan cumulatively. Neither 1 of them have proven themselves on the college level to be stellar performers. One for the obvious reason and the other because of injuries and just flat out inconsistent play.

Interesting and very deep team for sure...JMHO

Sanchez wont be on the outside looking in though. Sanchez was on the team last year and was penciled as a starter until NCAA declared him ineligible. I like Branch, but he hasn't played enough in college to tell me anything yet. He has made some exceptional passes this past season, but once he started to get going tweaked his knee and wasn't the same after that.

Harrison can play. He averaged near 20ppg last two seasons. Anybody discounting his ability is just silly. Russ Smith is a chucker too. Both have similar personalities as well. Volume scorers can be that way at times. I think Harrison buys in. Heard he's a smart kid and hopefully he understands what he did wrong and what he has to do.

I think Rysheed is too good not to eventually win starting PG spot.

 

[uconnbill]

Starting is difficult to call as some upperclassmen will start but down the stretch might not be as pivotal.



Rysheed Jordan, D'Angelo Harrison, Jakarr Sampson, Orlando Sanchez and Chris Obekpa.

6th man Sir'Dom Pointer followed by:
Pg: Jamal Branch, SG: Phil Greene/Balamou. SF: Hooper/Bourgault, PF Christian Jones, C: God's Gift

Can run small guard-heavy lineups with 3 guards or we can run with more bigs like Sanchez, Gift and Obekpa. Nice to have Gift back who is a good rebounder and capable inside scorer. Hopefully Obekpa learns to develop some post offense. We already know how good his defense is.

IMO our biggest weakness is not having a dynamic SF who can shoot with proficiency. Sir'Dominic Pointer is overall one of the most versatile player's in college ball. If he could hone his shot, he'd be a killer.

Overall, this is the most talented SJU team top to bottom as I've ever seen. If Harrison is mentally on-board he's dangerous and will be more-so coupled its Jordan. Now we just have to put it all together on the court. I think we will this season and make a deep run. It helps that SJU is doing a European tour in August in Italy/France which will help get the team moving in the right direction. Last year we were all freshmen and sophs trying to meld together last minute and Branch was still not eligible til Big East play and then got injured. This year we have several PG's instead of just Phil Greene.

Not sure about the most talented when you consider the 1984-1985 team of Walter Berry, Chris Mullen, Bill Wennington, Willie Glass, and Mark Jackson. They have to make the Big Dance before you can say they are nearly as talented as the team in 84-85

 

[MCNPA]

Not sure about the most talented when you consider the 1984-1985 team of Walter Berry, Chris Mullen, Bill Wennington, Willie Glass, and Mark Jackson. They have to make the Big Dance before you can say they are nearly as talented as the team in 84-85

Well, I said "top-to-bottom" and "that I had ever seen". I think this team is deeper than the 85 team probably, even if not as good in starting lineup. There are no Berry, Jackson, Mullin's here, even if we do have a nice bit if talent. To out in perspective, in 1985 I was 9 years old, so I don't exactly remember that run all that much.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Well, I said "top-to-bottom" and "that I had ever seen". I think this team is deeper than the 85 team probably, even if not as good in starting lineup. There are no Berry, Jackson, Mullin's here, even if we do have a nice bit if talent. To out in perspective, in 1985 I was 9 years old, so I don't exactly remember that run all that much.

No disrespect, but this years St. John's team isn't in the same stratosphere as Mullin, berry, Jackson, glass, wennington, etc. I doubt there are three NBA players on this years SJU roster. Tough to be deeper when the entire 85 starting 5 is better than anyone on your current squad.

 

[James]

Pointer is one of the most versatile players in college? What are you smoking? He made 9 treys all year, numbers are mediocre at best. on a 16-15 team. I will say Sampson is the real deal, saw him play alot in hs. too bad his team has such a low bball iq.

 

[MCNPA]

Pointer is one of the most versatile players in college? What are you smoking? He made 9 treys all year, numbers are mediocre at best. on a 16-15 team. I will say Sampson is the real deal, saw him play alot in hs. too bad his team has such a low bball iq.

Pointer is one of those guys that doesn't always show up in stats columns, but turns games around on defense, put backs, rebounds. The kid does it all and is getting better. He isn't the strongest shooter, but he doesn't force offense much. Very versatile player.

 

[MCNPA]

No disrespect, but this years St. John's team isn't in the same stratosphere as Mullin, berry, Jackson, glass, wennington, etc. I doubt there are three NBA players on this years SJU roster. Tough to be deeper when the entire 85 starting 5 is better than anyone on your current squad.

Deeper including bench, that's all. 1985 team was one of the best to not win a championship. Not discounting that. Amazing team.

 

[Gurleyman]

Brimah is not top 250, even though people on this board rate him higher than Dhakari Johnson.

Brimah was a spring signing, when he was pretty much the best post player still available, and we really needed some post help. It's one of those times when you can't use the rankings all that much and still can consider him an important recruit. It's like the bar at last call after the 10s have all been taken. If you end up finding a 7, that's still a pretty good get.

The analogy falls apart a bit, because you can't accumulate 13 bar hookups at the same time, and force them to sit out for a year if they leave you. Plus, once somebody compares an unused scholarship to masturbating, the thread is bound to go downhill.

 

[seanmc94]

Two words...vitamin water

 

[MCNPA]

Two words...vitamin water

Rysheed Jordan likes the flavor power+c, I think it's the Dragonfruit. For Samuel, I recommend the flavor...Defense! ;-)