Mike Anderson
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Two months later, disappointment has been changed by pleasure. Frustration is now intrigue.
St. John’s roster, which is now full after final weekend’s addition of 7-foot-1 highschool prospect Mohamed Keita, seems to be much better than preliminary expectations.
When final season ended with a heartbreaking Massive East Event quarterfinal loss to Villanova, an unsure offseason was stuffed with gloom.
It began that approach, with the anticipated departures of standout forwards Julian Champagnie and Aaron Wheeler to the skilled ranks. However coach Mike Anderson and his employees have responded extraordinarily effectively, not solely touchdown two difference-making transfers in level guard Andre Curbelo (Illinois) and wing David Jones (DePaul), however retaining the remainder of the roster intact after there have been eight defections the earlier 12 months.
On paper, specialists imagine this has the potential to be a high 4-5 workforce within the Massive East, a gaggle that if extra goes proper than unsuitable, ought to attain the NCAA Event for the primary time since Anderson’s arrival in 2019.
The Publish spoke to 2 analysts — Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports activities and John Fanta of Fox Sports activities and the Area of 68 — and three school coaches (on situation of anonymity) with robust data of the Massive East to interrupt down the Johnnies’ new-look roster.
“They as soon as once more are one of many home-run hitters of the offseason within the Massive East,” Fanta mentioned. “You might say that they’ve had the most effective or the second- or third-best offseason within the Massive East. … They've a practical likelihood of being fourth or fifth. In that regard, the offseason will get an ‘A.’ ”
All of it begins with the massive three of Curbelo, Jones and returning level guard Posh Alexander. Curbelo was the Massive Ten Sixth Man of the Yr as a freshman, a former top-50 recruit out of Lengthy Island Lutheran who had a down sophomore 12 months that was impacted by a concussion which value him two months. The versatile 6-foot-6 Jones averaged 14.5 factors, 7.4 rebounds and a couple of.4 assists in his first full 12 months at DePaul, and picked St. John’s over Oregon, Memphis and West Virginia, giving the Johnnies a go-to man on the wing instead of Champagnie. Then there may be the dynamic 6-foot Alexander, who notched 13.8 factors, 5.5 assists and 4.4 rebounds a 12 months in the past.
“You’re going into subsequent season, which is a pivotal season as a result of they haven’t made the NCAA Event since 2019 they usually haven’t made it beneath Mike Anderson, with Posh Alexander, Andre Curbelo and David Jones as three guys who all have the potential to be All-Massive East gamers,” Rothstein mentioned. “In case you have three guys who're in place to be All-Massive East gamers, you must have a workforce that’s within the NCAA Event.”
There are, in fact, questions. Questions on chemistry and questions on shotmaking. St. John’s is hoping Curbelo and Alexander, two pass-first level guards used to enjoying with the ball of their fingers, can co-exist. The teaching employees made certain Alexander was on board earlier than recruiting Curbelo, sources informed The Publish. Although the 2 didn’t have a preexisting relationship, they're accustomed to each other having each attended excessive faculties within the space.
There may be hope Alexander’s taking pictures can enhance enjoying off the ball extra. As a freshman, Alexander shot higher from 3-point vary than he did this previous 12 months — 29.9 p.c in comparison with 21.7 — when enjoying subsequent to a different level guard.
“They are going to be actually arduous to protect. I believe it could possibly be actually harmful if the 2 of them can join and be on the identical web page, and my feeling is Posh is fairly simple to try this with,” one of many coaches mentioned. “He doesn’t appear to have a lot of an ego in relation to getting his.”
The larger query, everybody agreed, is the dearth of perimeter taking pictures. Curbelo and Alexander are non-shooters. Jones shot 30 p.c from deep final 12 months. Wheeler and Champagnie had been St. John’s high shooters a 12 months in the past for a workforce that hit simply 33.5 p.c of its makes an attempt from deep, a mark that ranked 195th within the nation. The opposition will pack the paint. It is going to play off Curbelo and Alexander. Somebody — whether or not it's rising junior Dylan Addae-Wusu, proficient however unproven rising sophomore Rafael Pinzon or prized recruit AJ Storr — might want to make pictures from past the arc when the sport slows down.
“That’s clearly the priority,” Rothstein mentioned. “That’s the one factor that persons are going to have questions on.”
The three coaches mentioned that although St John’s has top-five expertise within the league, really ending there may be one other factor. Final 12 months’s workforce was presupposed to make the NCAA Event and fell effectively brief. Consistency has eluded the Johnnies in recent times. It's an intriguing roster with some high-end expertise, however nonetheless one with main query marks. The items aren’t assured to suit collectively.
“I believe it's a boom-or-bust sort of workforce,” one of many coaches mentioned. “It may be actually good and compete within the high three or 4 within the league, or it may be only a unhealthy combine.”
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