My intention was to include this
in my New Year's Eve post but when writing about Angel Nunez and Jevon Thomas
got a bit long I decided to post it separately.
I'd like to look at both teams in the present and the future. For St.
John's the look ahead will focus on the immediate future while my peak at
Columbia will look more down the road as they anticipate adding one of New
York's most talented and resourceful players, C.J. Davis of Molloy.
St.
John's Beats the Lions 65-59 Of course the most important aspect of any game is the
outcome and St. John's managed to get a win though not without a huge scare.
The Johnnies had built a seemingly comfortable 14 point margin early in the
second half. But Columbia helped by ex-Northport High center Luke Petrasek, who
had 2 baskets, and a block followed by an athletic play to save possession
during the rally. The Lions briefly took the lead before St. John's got a
follow basket from Orlando Sanchez and two baskets from JaKarr Sampson as part
of what would ultimately be a decisive rally and a good win.
St.
John's Immediate Future Make no mistake the win against Columbia was a good one even though it
was closer than most thought it would be. As coach Steve Lavin suggested the
best thing his team did was maintain its
poise in the face of a furious rally. He also mentioned that any coach would like an extra month to prepare
for conference play. Two familiar struggles for his team, 3 point field goal
defense and rebounding may have prompted that lament. Columbia shot 9-18 on
from 3 and held their own on the boards as they were outrebounded by just 4 (35-31). That lack of ruggedness in
the paint came to the fore in Tuesday's 70-60 loss to Xavier as they were
outrebounded and outscored in the paint
by decisive margins. As they look to
Saturday's game vs. Georgetown and beyond, St. John's faces a league that may
have 3 new teams but maintains the physical style that has marked the league
since its beginning. St. John's has more
than enough run and jump athletes but time will tell whether they can win
consistently in what figures to be a bang around league just as it has always
been.
A Look at
Columbia Prefaced With A Brief Thank You The brief thank you goes to Mike Libert my colleague and friend at NYCHOOPS.com and also to Mike
Quick and the fine folks at MSG Varsity
who do such a great job covering high school sports in the tri-state
area. It's thanks to them that I got a chance to see Columbia's Luke Petrasek
while he was still a hidden gem at Northport High School. It was easy after
watching the 6'10" lefthander who did not have a scholarship offer prior
to March of his senior season it was easy to see why he as highly thought of
by those in the know. He quickly demonstrated a soft touch and good hands .
Beyond those physical tools he also proven to be a willing and effective passer
and, despite being"175 pounds soaking wet" as former St. Dom's coach
Rob Pavenelli described him, he's was more than willing to mix it up and
compete for rebounds. That motor which many coaches refer to as "the skill
of playing hard" has served him well at the college level more than any
other. As he, along with the rest of the young core of players he's a part of
at Columbia continue to mature and
expand their games they will no doubt challenge for an Ivy League title and an
NCAA tournament berth.
What
adding C.J. Davis Means for the Lions The 2013-14 college basketball season has been marked by the
quick rise of freshman players like Jabari Parker of Duke and Julius Randle of
Kentucky, who bring NBA ready ability to talented teams. It's worth remembering
that players like those are exceptional and more often than not the most
impactful freshmen are talented players
who fit well with their new teams and
add to that elusive but essential element of chemistry. Coach Kyle Smith could
be on the verge of just such a situation
when C.J. Davis arrives from Queens next fall. He will join an already
talented roster which returns everyone from this year's team. And his ability
to read the game both offensively and defensively, deliver passes on time and
on target and his outstanding court awareness will add to the Lions' ball
already strong core that includes Petrasek and leading scorer Grant Mullins,
who may shift to shooting guard at times while Davis takes the point. C.J.
might have been considered a step slow by high end programs but he brings
skill, poise and mental toughness that are essential to winning. Coach Smith
will also learn quickly that he's a quick study so his learning curve will be
brief. Congratulations to both C.J. and the coaching staff at Columbia. This
will prove to be a terrific New York basketball marriage.
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