RED STORM RISING
It’s been what seems like forever since the Lou Carnesecca era for St. John’s fans. A string of NCAA violations, toxic mix of coaches, and a lack of talent have contributed to the downfall of a once proud program. Now, the Red Storm basketball team seems to be turning back the clock. At the very least, last year’s team gave fans a glimpse about what could be for the foreseeable future.
It’s been a tumultuous ride for a once proud program. It’s been 26 years since the last Final Four for St. John’s. Though they won the Big East Tournament in 2000 under Mike Jarvis, the clock was ticking on the Jarvis era. In 2003, Jarvis was fired six games into the season amid multiple allegations and scandals that required the university to vacate 43 wins, including tournament appearances. NCAA sanctions sapped the basketball life out of St. John’s, and it has been an arduous process trying to bring the Red Storm back to prominence.
Now second-year head coach Steve Lavin, formerly of UCLA and ESPN, has reinvigorated a fan base and a program that has not been relevant in the Big East for years. The Red Storm made the NCAA tournament for the first time in nearly a decade. They had a coming out party with a thrashing of Duke, 93-78, at Madison Square Garden. Lavin has rounded up what is generally regarded as a top-3 recruiting class for 2011. He has spanned the country by getting players like Maurice Harkless and Norvel Pelle. Lavin has instilled a sense of enthusiasm and belief throughout the program that St. John’s and the city of New York has been starving for. The Big East is now on notice that St. John’s is a player in the 16-team league. Maybe they aren’t quite at the point where they are competing for a Big East Championship, but they are going to be in the mix until deep into the conference season.
St. John’s is located in the heart of New York City. The Red Storm plays in one of the most famous arenas in the world. The NCAA and the Big East Conference would love to have St. John’s be a consistent player on the national level in Division I basketball. It is a tough market for college sports to succeed in. But Steve Lavin and St. John’s have an opportunity to seize the New York fan base, and help them remember the glory days with Chris Mullin and Ron Artest.
In the city that never sleeps, the St. John’s Red Storm are awakening the country.
Read the in-depth Men’s Basketball preview for St. John’s
