picodulce
Jul 02, 2008 May 30, 2012 1400 1682
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Priscilla Edwards Joins Tartamella's Staff As Assistant Coach
"Edwards, a native of Harlem, N.Y., spent the last three seasons assisting head coach Jim Crowley at her alma mater St. Bonaventure. With the Bonnies, Edwards, a former guard for Crowley, was responsible for the organization and coordination of recruiting, game scouting and film breakdown, in addition to practice and game preparation. She also led the year-round preparation and execution of individual development workouts for both guards and post players. In 2011-12, Edwards was on staff for St. Bonaventure's historic run to the 2012 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16."
Realignment math: why St. John's, basketball-only schools won't leave Big East
by picodulce on May 29, 2012 11:45 AM EDT
in Big East basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
In the jockeying and conference switching that has left every program keenly aware of which teams are not-so-subtly begging for a chance with the Big XII or ACC, the Red Storm aren't key players. None of the elite basketball-only schools are major players, despite long histories, passionate fans, and name recognition.
Basketball has a lot of "inventory"/ "content" (many games); but to the buyers of sports rights, football brings in the viewership, football is the talk of the ratings, and football is driving these discussions.
But basketball schools in the Big East will be affected by this fall's negotiations for the league's media rights, and how much of that money will be divided among the basketball programs. The contract was part of the discussion at last week's Big East league meetings. The league expects a number of suitors and a competitive bidding process that will make rejecting last year's 9 year/ $1.4 billion dollar offer from ESPN worthwhile.
So from the world of realignment - and CBS Sports' Brett McMurphy, who is doing a bang-up job being the go-to source on all things media rights and realignment - comes a look at what kind of TV contract revenue the Big East will be negotiating for this fall.
For those who follow realignment math - and especially those basketball fans of schools like St. John's, Marquette, Providence, et cetera - below are some sobering numbers (all bolds/ emphases are mine).
6 commentsMoe Harkless 2012 NBA Draft Workout, IMG Academy (via GothamHoops)
KN: Looking back on your first year at St. John's: what are the things that you did well and what are the areas of your game that you need to improve on?
Moe Harkless: I think I need to improve my shooting. I didn't really shoot the ball well. Ballhandling, as well. Those are the things that I've been working on mostly: getting my shot to drop more and working on my ball handling, getting stronger, faster.
From Draft Express, an interview with Moe Harkless - "I'm Going to Surprise a Lot of People". Read the interview for more on his routine, what he's working on.
BIG EAST CHAMPIONS: St. John's Defeats USF, 7-3, To Win Conference-Record Seventh BIG EAST Championship Crown - ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Congrats to ST. John's men's baseball! A recap and look to the future to come.
7-Footer Jordan Dickerson Planning Visits | ZagsBlog.com
St. John's is listed as a "possible" visit, though he is focusing on Providence, South Carolina, and Auburn.
The Reading Level of Sports Writing | The Harvard College Sports Analysis Collective
For fun: the reading level of sports writing. I won't tell you the Rumble's score, but I'll let you know that we are very, very readable.
Charleston Classic Update: Southern Illinois out, Auburn and Murray State in
by picodulce on May 17, 2012 1:05 PM EDT
in St. John's Red Storm men's basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
Charleston Classic Update comes from ESPN's Andy Katz, confirming Murray State's inclusion and a second change:
Murray State went for the sure thing and decided to play in the Charleston (S.C.) Classic over being in a Kansas State NIT Season Tip-Off pod that wouldn’t guarantee a trip to New York for the semifinals. The Racers complete the eight-team field in the Charleston tourney, scheduled for Nov. 15-18, with Baylor, Boston College, Charleston, Colorado, Dayton, St. John’s and Auburn.
This looks to be a very solid field for St. John's to participate in.
The Charleston Classic is hosted by the Southern Conference (the College of Charleston is a member) and ESPN. Murray State returns five seniors and is a good addition. Auburn, under Tony Barbee, have struggled in the SEC. The team has lost six players since last season.
Baylor and Murray State should be favorites, with Colorado and the St. John's Red Storm as the competitive upstarts.
St. John's expects to be far more competitive this season. Along with the return of head coach Steve Lavin, the team returns 73% of the team's minutes and 69% of the scoring, while bringing in talented players for depth. Facing off against another creative and talented squad will sharpen the team's tools or weapons and better prepare them for the rigors and challenges of Big East play.
Last season's Charleston Classic final featured Northwestern and Seton Hall, with the Pirates losing to the Wildcats in a thriller.
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Schedule update: St. John's faces St. Francis at Barclays Center in December
by picodulce on May 17, 2012 8:43 AM EDT
in St. John's Red Storm men's basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
St. John's will travel to Brooklyn to face longtime local rival St. Francis Terriers on December 15th, per the NY Post. And a bonus for the Brooklyn and Manhattan fans - the game will be played in the Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets' new Arena in the Atlantic Center/ Downtown Brooklyn, as part of a tripleheader called Brooklyn Hoops.
The other games will be Michigan vs West Virginia and Princeton vs. Fordham.
In the past ten years, the Red Storm have gone 6-1 against the Terriers of Brooklyn, losing only in 2004 on the night Alumni Hall was renamed Carnesecca Arena.
Former St. John's assistant coach Glenn Braica has a chance to play a marquee opponent in a semi-home setting, though one would think the site would be deemed neutral for ticketing purposes. Current St. John's head coach Steve Lavin gets a chance to take the show on the road and see how the Johnnies draw in Brooklyn; with a deep history in New York City, the Barclays Center's location allows the Red Storm to better cultivate Brooklyn fans.
The Barclays center has been making moves to fill its nights with basketball, with the LIU Blackbirds calling the arena a second home, non-conference December matchups, and the Atlantic 10 Tournament all scheduled to be hosted at the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic. And a second session of Brooklyn Hoops will feature Seton Hall vs Long Island and Manhattan College vs. South Carolina.
The Red Storm, coming off of a 13-19 season, hope to rebound with sophomore improvements from the core of their roster and help from the incoming recruits. St. Francis was 15-15 overall, with a 12-6 record in the Northeast Conference.
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Moe Harkless interview video, interspersed with film of his workouts at IMG Academy, from Hoopsworld. H/t to Nate Blue.
Ashton Pankey transferring from Maryland, interested in St. John's
by picodulce on May 15, 2012 3:01 PM EDT
in St. John's basketball recruiting
on Rumble In The Garden
Maryland forward Ashton Pankey - originally of the Bronx, once a target of Norm Roberts' when he was the head coach of St. John's, and current Maryland forward is transferring. Per Adam Zagoria's sources, Pankey is looking to transfer closer to home for family reasons. St. John's is one of his schools of interest, along with Iona and Fordham.
The Red Storm technically have two scholarships left - one held for verbal recruit Darrick Wood as he works to get eligible for the 2012-13 season, and one held for a big man like Michael Chandler, a player who can make an impact in the post. Ashton Pankey was a redshirt freshman last year; he could come in as a sophomore if he plays next season. But it's unlikely that he would get a second redshirt, so he runs the risk of losing a year of eligibility.
NCAA Basketball men's attendance figures: St. John's steady, Big East numbers
by picodulce on May 11, 2012 11:59 AM EDT
in Big East basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
According to the NCAA's home attendance figures by Division, conference, and by top-100 programs by average attendance. St. John's maintained a spot in the mid-50s, at 54th this season.
Last season, the Red Storm enjoyed the fourth-largest year to year increase in attendance, as the team introduced new coach Steve Lavin and the senior class finished their careers with a sterling Big East season. Despite the youth of the team and lack of wins, the program's average attendance changed by 3 attendees this season, from 8,431 in 2011 to 8,428 this season.
The Big East as a whole declined in average attendance, from 11,323 per game to 10,881 per game this season; sharp attendance declines at West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Villanova played a part, and were not offset by increases at programs such as Cincinnati.
The Big East Tournament bested the previous year's average attendance, increasing from 19,375 to 20,057 - the event continues to draw huge crowds to the Garden even with the leagues traditional powers on the sidelines.
A few things remain constant in college basketball - Kentucky, North Carolina, Louisville, and Syracuse draw crowds. For the second year in a row, those four teams topped the NCAA basketball attendance charts. For the past five years those four schools have been in the top-5. Wisconsin was fifth this year, knocking off rebuilding Tennessee (seventh).
Surprisingly, Creighton was the sixth-highest men's basketball program in annual attendance.
The Big East programs attendance, with the future Big East members added (in red). South Florida didn't crack the top-100; neither did Southern Methodist or Houston. See the table, below the fold.
And that’s also why, despite 20 years of harassment from the Northeast media, the basketball schools are better off sticking with the football side than splintering off into a Catholic league.
Mike Tranghese, who helped create the Big East in 1979 and served as commissioner from 1990-2009, told The New York Times earlier this week that those schools should "take a real hard look" at breaking away.
But Tranghese comes from a different time when college basketball could stand on its own in the national landscape. It simply does not anymore. Whatever the Big East gets from its television deal will be driven by the football side, while the total value of the deal will be enhanced by having the likes of Villanova and Georgetown in its basketball inventory. In the end, though, basketball is really just cheap filler programming to tack onto a football deal.
That’s why good basketball leagues that don’t offer football like the Atlantic 10 and West Coast Conference have miniscule television contracts. ESPN and other networks simply don’t value basketball enough to make it worthwhile for the Catholic schools to go it alone — even if Providence playing Houston doesn’t make a lot of sense on the surface.
Dan Wolken on the Big East's strong chances of survival: The Misfits Could Fit - The Daily
Lavin, St. John's Add Six Standout Student-Athletes To Men's Basketball Roster - ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Official release for the currently-signed scholarship athletes - 2 freshmen recruits (Jakarr Sampson and Felix Balamou), 2 Junior College transfers (Orlando Sanchez and Marco Bourgault), and two 4-year college transfers (Jamal Branch and Max Hooper).
Darrick Wood not included - may be finishing up his coursework before sending his LOI.
Jermaine Lawrence shows the full skill set at Mary Kline Classic.
Mike Dunlap a candidate for the Charlotte Bobcats head coaching job?
by picodulce on May 8, 2012 6:54 PM EDT
in St. John's Red Storm men's basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
Assistant Coach Mike Dunlap has often popped up on the coaching radars for college teams, including Colorado State this year. The veteran NCAA and NBA coach - with a national championship to his credit at Division II Metro State - has a lot of respect in NBA circles.
So much so that he will get a look at the Charlotte Bobcats head coaching gig.
...Bobcats will interview Mike Dunlap, associate head coach at St. John's U, & Cleveland Cavs assistant Nate Tibbetts next week, sources say
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) May 8, 2012
The Bobcats search has an expansive feel, with the team looking at coaches from well known head coaches like Nate McMillan and well-known assistants like Mike Malone, to well-known ex-players (Patrick Ewing, Brian Shaw), and now former assistant coaches like Mike Dunlap.
John Marinatto Is Not A Fall Guy & Mike Tranghese Is Full Of Crap - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
A good take on the Marinatto love from the media yesterday from the Syracuse folks. Yes, they're biased, but Sean at Nunes Magician has a point.
Justin Burrell on reaching his potential, NBA aspirations
by picodulce on May 8, 2012 1:07 PM EDT
in St. John's Red Storm men's basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
St. John's former standout forward Justin Burrell continues to earn publicity for his MVP award in the Basketball Japan League, helping the Yokohama B-Corsairs to a 31-21 record in their first year of existence. The bouncy Burrell, the Big East's Sixth Man of the Year as a senior in 2011, has his sights set at coming stateside.
In the Times Herald-Record, he calls the NBA his "ultimate goal" and wants to win a championship and MVP in his league.
Burrell credits St. John's coach Steve Lavin for helping him reach his potential:
"I just wanted to get better, to improve. I always had a high skill set. I just had some injuries and setbacks at St. John's. Coach Steve Lavin really helped me last year, he taught me different things, showed me my potential. I just went from there."
Red Storm fans know that Burrell seemed to struggle with confidence and consistency in his sophomore and junior years. His senior year saw an increase in his aggressiveness - the aggressiveness he had as a passionate freshman with few offensive options around him. But he remained a good defensive rebounder, learned to be a strong defender in the post, and used his athleticism to give some opposing players fits.
The Rumble hopes Burrell continues to reach his potential - he could fit as a versatile dirty-work forward if he can rebound at a high level. Next year's NBA summer leagues will likely see a man on a mission to prove he belongs.
[see: our recap of Justin Burrell's St. John's Red Storm career]
*read more of the article for Burrell's comments and how much he enjoys Japan's culture.
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Big East Commissioner John Marinatto forced out
by picodulce on May 7, 2012 10:33 AM EDT
in Big East basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
Long embattled Big East Commissioner John Marinatto has resigned under duress by the league's presidents. Big East presidents asked Marinatto, the third commissioner in the conference's 33-year history, to resign on Sunday.
From CBS Sports' Brett McMurphy:
Under Marinatto the Big East had been hit by several defections due to conference realignment -- TCU and West Virginia left for the Big 12 and Pittsburgh and Syracuse will leave for the ACC in 2013 or 2014.
However, Marinatto had brought in eight new members -- Temple, Memphis, SMU, UCF, Houston, Boise State, San Diego State and Navy -- to stabilize the football side of the league. Temple will join in 2012 with the others joining in 2013, except Navy, which will join in 2015.
While Marinatto has received a lot of the public blame for the league's current instability, ironically Tranghese said it was Marinatto who saved the conference after Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech left the league in 2003.
The Big East's league meetings will begin in one week in Florida. The Big East will have Joseph Bailey III as the interim commissioner. He is a former CEO of Miami Dolphins and is currently managing director of RSR Partners.
Emphatic dunks, feathery 3-point shots, impressive moves around the hoop -- Jermaine Lawrence showed his entire arsenal Saturday afternoon.
Flanked by some of the East Coast's top juniors and sophomores, the ever-improving 6-foot-10 former Cardozo swingman continued his steady climb. Lawrence poured in 27 points to take home MVP honors in the second annual Mary Kline Classic underclassmen all-star game, a showcase to raise money for cancer research, at Pennington HS in New Jersey.
NBA announces early entry candidates for 2012 NBA Draft | NBA.com
The NBA's early entry list.
Phil Nolan commits to UConn
by picodulce on May 3, 2012 2:16 PM EDT
in St. John's basketball recruiting
on Rumble In The Garden
St. John's was hoping to close the 2012 recruiting class with a swift, lithe center. Phil Nolan visited last week, and enjoyed the visit...
But Nolan has now committed to the University of Connecticut for next season
"@Coast2CoastHoop: Phil Nolan, 2012 center out of Milwaukee just committed to UConn..."
— iPhilNolan (@PhilNolan_1) May 3, 2012
Joey Natale of Coast2CoastHoop broke the story. Nolan's recruitment had been quiet since the fall, when he was linked to Marquette. He popped up on the Red Storm's radar recently as a talented available big man. Connecticut has a number of spots to fill, and only one returning big man in Tyler Olander; Nolan will see time early in Storrs.
With Nolan's commitment, St. John's will keep tabs on center Michael Chandler, a talented big out of Indiana who has struggled to qualify for NCAA participation.
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More St. John's recruiting |
American Justin Burrell was named most valuable player in Japan's professional basketball league on Thursday.
The 24-year-old former St. John's forward, a first-year pro, averaged 18.7 points per game in helping the expansion Yokohama B-Corsairs to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference with a 31-21 record.
Burrell said the award was an honor and he was "so happy to bring this award to an up-and-coming franchise like the B-Corsairs."
The team's American coach, Reggie Geary, picked up coach of the year honors. Geary played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs from 1996 to 1998.
Catch St. John's recruits and targets this weekend at IS8, Mary Kline Classic
by picodulce on May 3, 2012 9:31 AM EDT
in St. John's basketball recruiting
on Rumble In The Garden
By request, we are reprinting a list of where St. John's recruits should appear this weekend in the New York tri-state area from @theorabinowitz, a man about town and Tweeter extraordinaire. Read below - top 2012, 2013, and 2014 targets will (probably*) be in action, including commits Felix Balamou and Darrick Wood, likely 2013 forward Savon Goodman, and elite targets Isaiah Whitehead, Chris McCullough, and Jermaine Lawrence.
*unofficial summer tournaments often have... fluid rosters. You may remember D`Angelo Harrison coming in to play a few games at IS8 last year, for example.
A closer look at St. John's 2013 target Damian Jones
by picodulce on May 2, 2012 5:08 PM EDT
in St. John's basketball recruiting
on Rumble In The Garden
In Dave Telep's rundown from the second session of Nike's EYBL league, he dropped a nugget about Louisiana forward Damian Jones having an offer from St. John's.
His is a name we have seen associated with the Johnnies once, back when coach Steve Lavin was working to convince Ricardo Gathers to return to the Red Storm 2012 class. It's hard to know how serious a target he is for the Red Storm, but he does have an offer.
And he is 6'9".
And he is known to be athletic.
But the Bayou forward also came off of the bench for his Scotlandville High School team last season and is known to be a raw prospect. As always, height is coveted in basketball. But do his stats hint at star potential?
Below the fold, we look a little closer at Damian Jones' story, some scouting notes, and see what his stat line from Nike EYBL has to tell us about the 2013 forward. Read on, below the fold.
St. John's recruiting update: interest rising in 2013 targets Kentan Facey, Jermaine Lawrence
by picodulce on May 1, 2012 12:17 PM EDT
in St. John's basketball recruiting
on Rumble In The Garden
The Red Storm's 2012 recruiting class is almost complete. The Johnnies have ample guard depth, allowing them to apply more pressure in transition and on the perimeter. Steve Lavin and company are still interested in a center to complete the 2012 recruiting class and to help bridge the team's massive rebounding gap.
Even if the staff brings in a center, the team still could use talented forwards to score inside in future classes. Some intriguing 2013 prospects who fit the bill are getting loose at high-profile events - local talents Jermaine Lawrence and Kenton Facey.
Read on, below the fold.
"I've got a talent in both [baseball and basketball]," Garrett said, "and I don't want to let it go to waste."
A nice profile on Amir Garrett as he prepares to go to Goodyear AZ to train for the Reds over the summer: For Amir Garrett, Basketball for St. John's and Baseball With Reds
On Moe Harkless:
"Like most players coming out of college, Harkless would do better not going to a bad team. Scouts are worried about his ability to guard in space and off the dribble. He will also be making the adjustment from college power forward to NBA small forward.
""I've got him ahead of Taylor and Green and Joseph," said the Atlantic executive. "He'll be drafted ahead of those guys. Big upside. If you get him in the early 20s or something, that has a good team and can work with him, that's a good pick.""
Read on - there is more from NBA.com. h/t @yelnats6 on Twitter.
List of 2012 Early Entrants/ Transfers from Big East
by picodulce on Apr 30, 2012 11:46 AM EDT
in Big East basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
The deadline to declare for the NBA Draft passed last night.
Barring any late surprises from players who didn't announce their intentions on Twitter or to their school, the growing list of early departures from Big East programs has slowed down to a trickle. With school semesters coming to a close, most players have met with their coaches, decided whether they wanted to stay with their programs, and are settling in to their offseason training routines.
Which means that this is a good time to start the Rumble's offseason analysis of the Big East. Keep checking in for notes about the Red Storm's rivals, Big East news, and analysis of the league and its teams.
First, let's take stock of players leaving the league's programs - the early entrants, the transfers, and the major seniors leaving the Big East, below the fold.
Last week in the Rumble: recruiting heats up, WBB's new coach
by picodulce on Apr 29, 2012 1:29 PM EDT
in St. John's Red Storm men's basketball
on Rumble In The Garden
St. John's has had a news-heavy week, with a number of verbal commits, the heating up of Coach Steve Lavin's recruiting, a new coach for the women's basketball team, and the NBA debut for former Johnnie star D.J. Kennedy.
The men's basketball team hopes for more good recruiting news, with official visits from Philip Nolan, Darrick Wood, San Francisco transfer Justin Raffington, and possibly Arizona guard Josiah Turner.
More, below the fold.
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