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| | Tuesday, November 2 | |||||||||||||||
COACH AND PROGRAM
(he was drafted 16th overall by the Bulls) two years early, while Grant's four-year tenure in Queens finally ended with his nearly averaging a double-double. Though both players contributed a lot to the cause, their immediate losses will be felt on the backboards. Artest and Grant combined for 14.9 rpg, production that doesn't readily appear to be made up. St. John's won't be a big team. In fact, there is only one player on the roster pencil-thin (190 pounds) 6-11 frosh Jack Wolfinger taller than 6-8. "You can't run if you don't rebound," Jarvis said. "Even though we're short on paper, we're big on the court. We're going to run. That's the way to win games." The Johnnies will need 6-6 soph Anthony Glover, who missed last year as a partial qualifier, to emerge quickly as an interior force. He has the potential to do just that. And it's time for 6-8 soph Donald Emanuel to become a factor inside. If those two emerge, things will be fine. If not, Jarvis' statement about a team's not running if it can't rebound will ring true throughout the year, and all the fun that came out of last year's wide-open play might dry up. Of course, the Johnnies have plenty of pluses beyond the backboards. Barkley and Thornton comprise one of the nation's most exciting backcourts. Barkley made an immediate splash in his debut season, and Thornton was a vibrant scorer who unfurled some truly amazing performances. Add in underrated forward Lavor Postell and solid role man Reggie Jessie, and the Johnnies will still be dangerous. And fun. Maybe we were wrong about Jarvis. Perhaps he's a wild-and-crazy guy who couldn't let loose while at GW, thanks to his roster limitations. We'll see this year.PROJECTED STARTERS ERICK BARKLEY (6-1, 185 lbs., SO, PG, #12, 13.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.1 tpg, 2.2 spg, 33.2 minutes, .395 FG, .343 3PT, .772 FT, Christ The King HS/Queens, N.Y.) By the time last year was over, Barkley had wreaked havoc with the old adage that freshman point guards couldn't lead a team to big things. From the minute he assumed the starting role in Jamaica, Barkley was in charge. He ran the team well. He scored and defended. And he didn't make the mistakes that often plague newcomers. Come March, he looked like he had been playing college ball for two or three full seasons, not part of one. Barkley had a sterling, 2.1:1.0 assist:turnover ratio, a statistic that some seniors can't replicate. Quick and made for the open court, Barkley can push the pace, look for his own shot and still remain under control, making the good decisions necessary to win. About the only thing on which he needs to make a significant improvement this year is his shot, although there is no reason to believe he won't be much better this year in that area. Of course, Jarvis has other ideas. "He just needs to keep getting better, if he's to become the player we think he can be," Jarvis said. "He needs to control and take care of the ball better and make better decisions. And he must become a more consistent shooter." It may sound as if Jarvis was upset with Barkley's first-year performance, but he couldn't have been. Barkley filled the Johnnies' biggest need from day one and had some huge games. He was extremely impressive in his 25-point performance against Hofstra and had 20 against Georgetown early in the Big East season. Instead of tiring down the stretch, Barkley seemed to thrive on big-game situations, scoring 24 points in the Sweet 16 win over Maryland. Expect Barkley to continue to power the Johnnies' offense this year and look for more scoring, now that Artest has gone. Barkley will also improve his assist figure, also because of Artest's absence. The attack will now run exclusively through him. It should be a big year for the sophomore, although the Red Storm might not want to see too much production, since it could mean a second quick exit for the NBA by one of its key players. BOOTSY THORNTON (6-4, 195 lbs., SR, SG, #14, 14.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.9 tpg, 1.6 spg, 30.1 minutes, .500 FG, .381 3PT, .646 FT, Tallahassee JC, Fla./Baltimore, Md.) It's borderline impossible not to love anybody with the nickname "Bootsy," particularly when said person has a big-show scoring game that matches his gaudy handle. Thornton arrived in Queens last year with a rep as a prolific gunner and showed himself to be more than capable of producing on the collegiate level. But Thornton wasn't your garden-variety, conscience-less rifleman. He made 50 percent of his 446 shot attempts and was a strong 38.1 percent from three-point range. Better still, Thornton saved some of his biggest performances for the Johnnies' biggest games. His 40-point masterpiece in the overtime loss to Duke helped St. John's prove it was a national contender and established Thornton as one of the nation's most electric scorers. If the Red Storm didn't feature such a balanced attack all five starters averaged double figures Thornton might have scored 800 points. Jarvis, who wondered before the season whether Thornton would pay any attention to the other end of the court, was impressed. "He's a great individual defensive player," Jarvis said. "He's a much better team defensive player. He can score and rebound and brings excitement to the game. He is a big-game performer." Thornton followed his outburst against Duke with a 27-point effort in a win at Syracuse. He flourished in the open court all year, yet was quite comfortable in set patterns. Thornton can take defenders off the dribble, pull up or hit the jumper from way out. With Artest gone, he'll get plenty of chances to boost his scoring average, and don't be surprised if he's checking in with about 20 per game come March. It could be more. Thornton is a phenomenon who should be completely comfortable with the big-time game now. Not that he showed too much reticence last year. LAVOR POSTELL (6-6, 212 lbs., SR, SF, #25, 13.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.4 tpg, 0.9 spg, 27.1 minutes, .444 FG, .414 3PT, .794 FT, Westover HS/Albany, Ga.) Postell is the consummate team player. He does just about everything well, with the possible exception of handling the ball fluidly, and doesn't make a lot of noise when others get more credit than he does. "He's gotten recognized by people who know," Jarvis said. "A lot of pro teams like him." Postell may only go 6-6, but he has the ability to produce underneath of somebody two or three inches taller. He can defend taller, stronger forwards well and has a tremendous knack on the offensive boards. And when you think he's just an interior player, he'll move outside and drill a three-pointer. Postell hit for 20 or more on four different occasions last year, with his 24-point effort in the Elite Eight loss to Ohio State his top outburst. He also added nine boards. During one five-game February stretch, Postell led the Johnnies in scoring four times and had three double-figure rebound games. Expect him to help pick up some of Artest's scoring load, but don't look for regular eruptions. Postell knows his role and fills it quite well. ANTHONY GLOVER (6-6, 225 lbs., SO, PF, #22, 16.9 ppg in 1997-98, Rice HS/Bronx, N.Y.) Even though Glover was a Fraschilla recruit, he was happy when Jarvis was hired and never gave a thought to leaving St. John's, even though he sat out last year as a partial qualifier. Glover will have four years of eligibility remaining if he graduates with his class. That should make Jarvis quite happy. "I expect Anthony Glover to come in and pick things up quickly," Jarvis said. Glover goes 6-6, but he weighs 225 pounds and will pose considerable problems for most defenders. A rare blend of quickness and strength, Glover will bang the boards, work well in the low post and roam the baseline. He can also get out and run. "He's tougher than Mr. T down low," veteran recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski said. "He's a great athlete with a great second and third jump and a relentless pursuit of the ball." With Thornton, Barkley and Postell around, Glover won't have to score all that much, but he will have to rebound. "He's going to get rebounds," Jarvis said. "It's not how big you are but how big you play. There aren't too many players we'll play against who are any bigger than he plays." Glover was a star at Rice HS in the Bronx, and is expected to step right into Artest's starting spot and play 25-30 minutes per night. Consider him a prohibitive favorite to earn a spot on the league's all-newcomer team and a good candidate for the league's Newcomer of the Year honor. DONALD EMANUEL (6-8, 230 lbs., SO, C, #33, 1.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.3 tpg, 9.7 minutes, .447 FG, .440 FT, Jones HS/Houston, Tex.) Some might consider Emanuel's elevation to the starting lineup something of a problem for the Johnnies, given the soph's slow start last year. But Emanuel won't have to be a stalwart for Jarvis. If he uses his big body to defend, grab rebounds and make a couple shots every game, things will be just fine. Emanuel was rated a big prospect after the 1997 summer camps, but he didn't have a huge senior year at Jones HS. He has become stronger at St. John's, and while his offensive game isn't that polished, he should be a factor in other areas.KEY RESERVES REGGIE JESSIE (6-7, 213 lbs., JR, G-F, #41, 5.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.8 tpg, 1.2 spg, 22.6 minutes, .427 FG, .643 FT, Bishop Loughlin HS/Queensbridge, N.Y.) Jessie made significant strides in all areas of his game last year and was rewarded with greater than double the playing time he received as a freshman. With the Johnnies' bench so thin this year, Jessie's chance for contributions will increase considerably. He's likely to be the first player off the bench, and his ability to handle two or three different positions makes him a candidate for up to 30 minutes per game. When Jarvis said he wants to see five players in double figures again, he most likely considers Jessie one of the candidates. Although Jessie's outside shot is shaky, he did finish much better from 12 feet and in last year. Jessie is a good ballhandler and passer who likes the open floor and is an active defender. If Emanuel doesn't work out in the middle, it's possible Jarvis might use Jessie in the starting lineup. The Johnnies would be small, but they sure would have an advantage in the open court. CHUDNEY GRAY (6-3, 185 lbs., SR, G, #3, 3.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.8 tpg, 0.5 spg, 10.6 minutes, .422 FG, .303 3PT, .656 FT, Rice HS/Bronx, N.Y.) Gray just about doubled his minutes last year, and that's about where he'll stay in 1999-2000, thanks to the extensive time put in by Barkley and Thornton, Jessie's versatility and the arrival of freshman Heath Orvis. Gray can play both backcourt positions, although he mostly handles the point. He's a pretty good distributor and capable defender, but he lacks range on his shot and doesn't make his free throws all that well a condition that afflicts several Johnnies. Gray will be valuable, since the Red Storm has so few players, but he shouldn't expect to get too many more minutes. HEATH ORVIS (6-0, 185 lbs., FR, G, #21, 21.5 ppg, 5.9 apg, Longmont HS/Longmont, Colo.) When the Red Storm started to lose some of the original members of its recruiting class, Jarvis needed to fill things out, so he added Orvis, a pure point guard who'll no doubt battle Gray for time behind Barkley. Orvis might even find himself in the backcourt with the sophomore at times if Thornton moves to the "three" spot.OTHER RETURNEES KAREEN SYED (6-5, 196 lbs., SR, G, #10, 0.5 ppg, 0.2 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.3 tpg, 0.1 spg, 1.9 minutes, .333 FG, Hillcrest HS/Kew Gardens, N.Y.) A walk-on who played in 17 games last year, Syed might actually get some more playing time this season, thanks to the short, 10-man bench. Don't expect miracles. Syed has good size for a guard, but his shot is wayward.OTHER NEWCOMERS JACK WOLFINGER (6-11, 190 lbs., FR, F, #32, 22.5 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 7.0 apg, 5.0 bpg, Joel Barlow HS, Conn./Portland, Ore.) If there was ever anybody in need of a few months on the Rick Majerus Diet Plan, it's Wolfinger. You know how it goes: a shake in the morning, followed by 10 meals, and you're feeling just great. Or at least weighing in at about three bills. Wolfinger is out of the Ralph Sampson mold. He's tall, skinny and wishes he were a point guard. "Passing is his best skill, but sometimes he overhandles," Konchalski said. Wolfinger left Portland, Ore., due to family problems and had a strong senior year at Joel Barlow HS. But his lithe frame prohibits him from making too much of a contribution this year. There is, however, no doubting his skill level. "He needs to eat three meals a day," Jarvis said. "I don't think he'll ever be a kid who will be big, but he needs to get stronger. He's a perimeter player for us, but hopefully, he's strong enough to play in the post as well."STARTERS NOT RETURNING RON ARTEST (6-6, PF, 14.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.9 tpg, 2.0 spg, 1.2 bpg, 34.2 minutes, .469 FG, .374 3PT, .644 FT) Had Artest remained at St. John's for his final two years, there is little doubt he would have been one of the premier players in college basketball. Blessed with a full game that enabled him to score from all over the court, handle the ball, distribute it, hit the boards and play good defense, Artest showed last year just how good he was and could have been at St. John's. He'll be continuing his development in Chicago, not New York. A first-round pick (16th overall) of the Bulls, Artest will try to help that once-proud franchise rebuild from the bottom. Although some wonder how he'll fit in to the NBA, since he doesn't have a definite position, there was no doubt about how much he meant to the Red Storm. Artest could hit the three-pointer, as well as pound his way inside. His numbers never suggested domination, but his superior talent influenced the game whenever he was on the floor. In a way, that was more helpful to the Red Storm's cause than any numerical outbursts. A fierce competitor who was never afraid to let his teammates know when he was upset with their play or, more importantly, their effort, Artest was a leader who would have blossomed into a star this season. You know everybody in Jamaica thinks the Bulls are lucky to have him. TYRONE GRANT (6-8, C, 10.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.6 tpg, 1.0 spg, 26.1 minutes, .591 FG, .588 FT) Grant never emerged as a big offensive force for the Red Storm during his four years on campus, but he was sure important underneath, where his rebounding and sure shooting enabled him to give St. John's much-needed interior stability. Grant missed a month of last season due to injury, but returned in time to help the Storm make its NCAA run. A fine rebounder, Grant helped trigger the St. John's break with his board work. Grant worked well on the offensive glass and scored many of his points on putbacks. Though he didn't have much shooting range and was awful from the foul line, Grant still found his way into double figures on most nights. From the moment he came to campus, Grant was somewhat underappreciated. All he did was work hard, defend larger players and never complain. When his numbers sagged during the 1997-98 season, as Zendon Hamilton's stats required more attention, Grant didn't make any waves. He returned to have a strong final year. There is little doubt he'll be missed.OTHERS NOT RETURNING COLLIN CHARLES (5-11, G, 3.6 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.8 tpg, 0.5 spg, 8.8 minutes, .453 FG, .250 3PT, .884 FT) A backup point man, Charles' saw his minutes drop dramatically last year (from 21.1 per game in 1997-98), thanks to the arrival of Barkley. He transferred to Quinnipiac, where he'll sit out this season and have one more year of eligibility remaining. Once the star freshman proved he could lock down the point spot for 30-35 minutes a night, there wasn't really any room for Charles. Before, when Tarik Turner was struggling to play consistently at the point, there was work for Charles, particularly when the Johnnies wanted to get up and go. Barkley's steady, impressive play eliminated the need for a big-time safety net, and since Charles was unable to slide to the "two" spot, thanks to a shaky shot, there weren't many minutes for him. ALBERT RICHARDSON (6-9, PF, 2.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.5 tpg, 10.2 minutes, .372 FG, .436 FT) Richardson started 11 games last year, almost all of them while Grant was injured. Brought to Jamaica as a junior college transfer, Richardson was supposed to provide the Johnnies with much-needed interior help. While it was good to have a big body aboard when Grant went down, Richardson was not exactly capable of handling major work or key assignments. Richardson has one year of eligibility remaining and has transferred to Kentucky Wesleyan, which is closer to his New Orleans home and plays a level of competition at which he will most likely shine. While the Red Storm loses a big body at a time when it doesn't have a lot of them around, Richardson wasn't likely to provide significant help.QUESTIONS Depth? There are only nine scholarship players on the Red Storm roster, and two of them are freshmen who aren't ready for big minutes. One injury, and there will be big trouble. Rebounding? Jarvis insists he has enough bodies to hit the boards, but he needs a lot of help from Glover, Emanuel and Jessie, none of whom have been huge producers yet. Interior defense? Even if the Red Storm does board well enough, it lacks the size and numbers to handle consistent paint wars. Foul trouble could be a problem, as could the sheer lack of height and girth.ANSWERS Barkley! The sophomore point is a big-time player who should improve in all aspects of the game and be one of the nation's best this year. Thornton! A stone scorer with inside-outside skills, look for Thornton's numbers to rise this year, now that Artest is gone. Postell! He does so many things well and doesn't need a lot of maintenance. Coaches love guys like him. Jarvis sure does. Glover! Even though he'll be a little rusty due to the year's absence, Glover is an interior force who can bang or hit defenders with finesse moves. Jarvis! Some wondered whether he could handle a roster with wide-open players. He proved he could. If the Johnnies have good health, they'll be tough again this year. And fun.
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