2017-2018 Season

https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/2017-NCAA-Basketball-Preseason-Top-25

Not sure if anyone posted this link or the value of the source but they mention St.John's as a team to watch.

This is the St. John's write up in the link above.

St. John's Red Storm

2016-2017: 14-19, 7-11 in the Big East

Departures: Federico Mussini (7.9 ppg., 42.7% 3pt.) departed to play overseas; Malik Ellison (7.4 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 34.1% 3pt.) transferred to Pittsburgh

Chris Mullin had never coached before taking over at St. John's; understandably, year 2 went much better than year one, when the Red Storm went 8-24 overall and 1-17 in the Big East. This year, the team will feature one of the most prolific backcourts in the nation with sophomores Shamorie Ponds (17.4 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 3.1 apg., 2.1 spg., 37.5% 3pt%) and Marcus LoVett (15.9 ppg., 3.8 apg., 38.2% 3pt.), and should have little trouble putting up points. Mullin also adds two potential impact transfers in Justin Simon, a top 20 recruit that produced very little in a year at Arizona, and Marvin Clark Jr., a capable rebounder and three point shooter from Michigan St.. Beyond the rim protection provided by Tariq Owens (5.2 rpg., 2.2 bpg.) and Kassoum Yakwe (1.9 bpg.), the Red Storm offer very little resistance at the defensive end (282nd in fg% defense, 300th in 3pt.% defense, and 314th in rebounding margin), almost to the point that games inadvertently resemble something Paul Westhead would reside over, which at the very least makes the team interesting to watch. If St. John's can muster any type of defensive effort, then they have the talent to be an NCAA Tournament team; if they can't, it's possible Mullin shouldn't be the head coach of a major college program.
Click to expand...

This is very good analysis. I'm just not very confident that rebounding will improve. If Clark likes to live on the outside, if you recall Ponds and Lovett liked to crash offensive boards. This led to a lot of uncontested fast break layups, and I don't think that a Clark on the perimeter would be a great last line of defense. Defense is a lunch pail worker, junk yard dog mentality to protect the basket at all costs, and at least last year's squad, with perhaps the exception of Owens, showed much of that mentality. If this team doesn't shed the box score mentality (we lost, but look at how many points I scored), we only only be marginally better or essentially the same results as last year. Pinning high hopes on 2 transfers that were marginal contributors at their former schools is probably unrealistic, but I still see them as improvements over what they replaced.
Click to expand...
Clark could be a real game changing piece. If he could shine at the 4 and 5 , We could have a nice year. This year we will have a half way decent team. By the end of the season if we still don’t play any defense, it would be mandatory to get a defensive minded coach to augment Mullin. We will see soon enough. I also agree that article was an accurate accessment. If by some miracle Yakwe could step up, that would also be very valuable. But after watching him last year I’m not optimistic. It almost looked like he had a mental block last year.
 
The most important player off the bench will be Amar. I predict he will be a combination of Dave Cowan and Doug McDermott on offense. He will be the difference between an NIT team and an NCAA Tourney appearance. After 3 years under the tutelage of Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond he will prove our staff can develop players as he becomes a 2nd round NBA Draft pick.


URL]
[/quote]
 
The most important player off the bench will be Amar. I predict he will be a combination of Dave Cowan and Doug McDermott on offense. He will be the difference between an NIT team and an NCAA Tourney appearance. After 3 years under the tutelage of Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond he will prove our staff can develop players as he becomes a 2nd round NBA Draft pick.


URL]
Click to expand...
[/quote]

Critical though for Amar to avoid crashing into fire extinguishers celebrating. :)
 
He's a role player but not many can agree on what his role is, or should be.

I seem to remember AA playing more hard nosed D late last year.
Click to expand...

Knight
Between March and October - 7 months - there has been ample time for AA (and his young some teenage teammates) to have improved his overall game. One would think most on this team, if motivated and after over a half year of refining their skills, will be improved over 2016-17.
A realistic possibility which would bode well.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Per Rothstein
Marvin Clark could be the Big East's next James Farr. MSU transfer is capable of being a power 3-man or a stretch 5. Lefty. Skilled. #SJUBB
Click to expand...
Klinger was a beast on the boards for Pitt
 
Folks......despite the muscle, Clark prefers playing on the perimeter. I would not count on him being your lunch pail banger in the paint. It's well documented that we do not have that guy on our roster.
 
Folks......despite the muscle, Clark prefers playing on the perimeter. I would not count on him being your lunch pail banger in the paint. It's well documented that we do not have that guy on our roster.
Click to expand...
great another Allie? He will not be a fan fav with his play if he doesn't use his body inside. will be interesting, but isn't that what the coaches are for? "Go down low" "We need you inside" "Bang the boards""Set picks"...oh my bad, thats me coaching my CYO team ..lol
 
Folks......despite the muscle, Clark prefers playing on the perimeter. I would not count on him being your lunch pail banger in the paint. It's well documented that we do not have that guy on our roster.
Click to expand...
great another Allie? He will not be a fan fav with his play if he doesn't use his body inside. will be interesting, but isn't that what the coaches are for? "Go down low" "We need you inside" "Bang the boards""Set picks"...oh my bad, thats me coaching my CYO team ..lol
Click to expand...

No, perceive Clark as more skilled than Amar. He will likely do a little of everything and actually will be a fan favorite. I just wouldn't expect him to be exclusively that in the paint banger.
 
Folks......despite the muscle, Clark prefers playing on the perimeter. I would not count on him being your lunch pail banger in the paint. It's well documented that we do not have that guy on our roster.
Click to expand...
great another Allie? He will not be a fan fav with his play if he doesn't use his body inside. will be interesting, but isn't that what the coaches are for? "Go down low" "We need you inside" "Bang the boards""Set picks"...oh my bad, thats me coaching my CYO team ..lol
Click to expand...

No, perceive Clark as more skilled than Amar. He will likely do a little of everything and actually will be a fan favorite. I just wouldn't expect him to be exclusively that in the paint banger.
Click to expand...
I agree. Every time I watch a video of Simon and Clark I think both of them will be fan favorites. Clark seems smart, articulate and has leadership qualities. There is no doubt in my mind he will bring more to the table than Amar. The problem w Amar is ; if we were loaded at the front line and lacking 3 point shooters, I wouldn’t mind him shooting the 3. , I always ask myself why he can’t take a 10 foot, higher percentage shot. . We are thin at the front line and Amar is our biggest player. Furthermore , he is not that good of a 3 point shooter, which makes his camping out at the 3 point line puzzling.
 
I want to talk and hear about the upcoming season !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Well we can either disappoint, play to the level of our talent or overachieve. My guess is somewhere between disappoint and play to the level of our talent until I see what looks to me like a better coached team. Hope somehow our players can overachieve.
 
Hard to tell anything from the tip-off, but...

the athleticism of Simon was evident

while Tariq Owens is 205 & not 250 lbs, he does look a bit stronger and hopefully he doesn't lose a ton of it over season.

Team chemistry was evident too.

Mikey Dixon is tiny (Trimble can swallow him) but looks real quick.
 
Hard to tell anything from the tip-off, but...

the athleticism of Simon was evident

while Tariq Owens is 205 & not 250 lbs, he does look a bit stronger and hopefully he doesn't lose a ton of it over season.

Team chemistry was evident too.

Mikey Dixon is tiny (Trimble can swallow him) but looks real quick.
Click to expand...

Dixon has a smooth stroke while Trimble should donate 20 pounds to Owens to improve his speed.
Amar looked terrific and should make Fun proud over the course of the season.
Not sure about team chemistry since it was do whatever the heck you want unlike Kentucky's controlled scrimmage.
 
Hard to tell anything from the tip-off, but...

the athleticism of Simon was evident

while Tariq Owens is 205 & not 250 lbs, he does look a bit stronger and hopefully he doesn't lose a ton of it over season.

Team chemistry was evident too.

Mikey Dixon is tiny (Trimble can swallow him) but looks real quick.
Click to expand...

Dixon has a smooth stroke while Trimble should donate 20 pounds to Owens to improve his speed.
Amar looked terrific and should make Fun proud over the course of the season.
Not sure about team chemistry since it was do whatever the heck you want unlike Kentucky's controlled scrimmage.
Click to expand...

Do you think Amar improved over the yr to warrant a starting job
 
Hard to tell anything from the tip-off, but...

the athleticism of Simon was evident

while Tariq Owens is 205 & not 250 lbs, he does look a bit stronger and hopefully he doesn't lose a ton of it over season.

Team chemistry was evident too.

Mikey Dixon is tiny (Trimble can swallow him) but looks real quick.
Click to expand...

Dixon has a smooth stroke while Trimble should donate 20 pounds to Owens to improve his speed.
Amar looked terrific and should make Fun proud over the course of the season.
Not sure about team chemistry since it was do whatever the heck you want unlike Kentucky's controlled scrimmage.
Click to expand...

Do you think Amar improved over the yr to warrant a starting job
Click to expand...

Lol! No. But he is mature enough and big enough to warrant 10 minutes per game in key matchups.
 
I want to talk and hear about the upcoming season !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

You may want to talk about it, and that is fine, but I want to see it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top