FEELIN’ LUCKY
Storm find hope in recruits
Chris Mullin has been through longer seasons than this as a player and an executive. He’s seen how draining it can be. At its worst, there was always that carrot at end of the dark tunnel.
“My experience in the NBA, you have a tough season, and you cross your fingers for a lottery ball,” the firstyear coach said. “And that falls the wrong way, and your next season is already out.”
That isn’t a worry for St. John’s (717, 011 Big East), which visits Georgetown Monday night. Some believe the Johnnies already have won the lottery — or at least gotten several pingpong balls to fall their way with a top20 recruiting class that is at the top of the Big East, according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.
Next year’s team should look nothing like the group that has lost 14 straight games. St. John’s will add top40 guard Shamorie Ponds of Thomas Jefferson in Brooklyn, junior college star Bashir Ahmed of The Bronx, and German forward Richard Freudenberg, on top of Tennessee transfer Tariq Owens and freshman Marcus LoVett Jr., both of whom are sitting out this year.
“We already have things in place,” Mullin said, “and that’s a beautiful thing.”
How beautiful, only time will tell. But those in the know expect a major improvement on this dreary season.
Ponds, sources said, nearly missed out on getting selected for the prestigious McDonald’s AllAmerican game, reaching the final rounds of cuts. A dynamic 6foot1 lead guard, he’s led Jefferson to the Brooklyn AA regularseason division crown, averaging 28 points per game. He should form a dynamic twoheaded point guard monster with LoVett, two quick, lefthanded guards, both capable of getting in the lane and lighting it up from beyond the 3point arc.
The 6foot7 Ahmed is enjoying a strong sophomore season for Hutchinson, which is leading the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference with a 203 record and is ranked 13th in the nation. Ahmed is averaging 20.5 points per game, 7.7 rebounds and shooting 39 percent from 3point range, the biggest improvement in his game.
St. John’s isn’t done, either, still in the mix for fivestar recruits Thon Maker and Rawle Alkins, both of whom have visited. The two highly rated prospects are being recruited by a number of powerconference programs, from Kentucky to Arizona to Kansas, yet there is buzz Mullin’s recruiting class could get better.
“I’ve heard they have a legitimate shot at both,” Slater said.
Now that would really be winning college basketball’s version of the lottery.