By Michael Canfarotta
The St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball team will look to build on a 2010-11 campaign that saw first-year head Coach Steve Lavin lead his program to an NCAA Tournament birth for the first time since 2002.
That may be easier said than done.
Twelve players from last year’s team are gone, leaving Malik Stith as the only returning scholarship player. Not to mention that Lavin has missed considerable time from the team recovering from an Oct. 6 surgery to treat prostate cancer. Still, the team presses on without him, winning their season opener Monday night at Carnesecca Arena on St. John’s University’s Jamaica campus. The team beat William and Mary 74-59 after a stunning second-half surge.
Special assistant and advisor Gene Keady thinks this team can continue winning right now, and he should know better than most.
Keady has accumulated well over 500 career Division I wins and was an instrumental part of the program’s success last year. He is confident that his players are good enough right now.
“We have faith in them and we think they will be a really good team,” said Keady.
Keady and company will look to a recruiting class that features three players who were ranked in the top 100 in the nation. According to redstormsports.com, they will be replacing 96.3 percent of their scoring and 97.8 percent of their rebounding from the previous year.
One of those recruits is Queens native Moe Harkless, who chose St. John’s because of its proximity to his home and the belief that the program is heading in the right direction under Lavin. The freshman hasn’t set any personal goals for this upcoming year, but he is ready to give it his all.
“I’m not going to make any predictions because you never know what happens, but I’m going to go out there, work hard and try my best,” said Harkless.
He will be looking for leadership from the only returning scholarship player from the previous season in Malik Stith, whose teammates have affectionately named him “Pops” or “Grandpa” because of his junior eligibility. With six new additions to the team he has gravitated toward the role.
“My role is to basically show them the ropes … give them advice, and tell them what I’ve been through my past two years as a freshman and sophomore,” said Stith.
The leadership of Lavin, however, has been missed, though he’s maintained contact. During his recuperation from surgery, he has still managed to connect with players and coaches. He has dictated practice plans and watched film. Sometimes Harkless even feels like Lavin is at practice when he is not.
The recovery of Lavin has affected Stith personally. He continues to stay in touch with his coach.
“Having a year with Coach Lavin, it’s on my mind every day, just praying that he comes back 100 percent,” said Stith.
