Rysheed Jordan Picked Big East Preseason ROY

NEW YORK–The youth movement in the new BIG EAST Conference has a decidedly Philadelphia flair to it.

Two of the top freshmen in the 10-team league hail from the city’s Public League, with Rysheed Jordan (Vaux/St. John’s) and Brandon Austin (Imhotep/Providence) both expected to play big roles for their respective teams right away. At the league’s media day on Wednesday, Jordan was named the Preseason BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, following up on a senior season where he led Vaux to the PIAA Class A state championship.

The ultra-athletic 6-foot-4 point guard scored a city-high 20.7 ppg last year, finishing his career in the Public League with 1,817 points, good enough for seventh-best in the history of the league. He often had to carry his team near-singlehandedly, with his best performances saved for the biggest of stages.

“I’ll say that at this stage or juncture of Rysheed’s college basketball career, he’s as impressive as any that I’ve coached when it comes to decision making, poise, toughness and his ability to learn,” St. John’s coach Steve Lavin said. “At this stage, and it’s early–he hasn’t played his first Division I basketball game–but he makes good reads, good judgements, good choices, winning play after winning play and that bodes well.”

At Vaux, Jordan had nearly twice as many points as any of his teammates, and sometimes would score more than half of his teams’ points–like when he dropped 45 in the city championship game, a 67-66 loss to Austin and Imhotep. Now, he joins a loaded Red Storm backcourt that includes BIG EAST Preseason First-Teamer D’Angelo Harrison (17.8 ppg, 2.3 apg), sophomore Phil Greene IV (10.1 ppg, 2.6 apg) and more.

“I think he relishes and enjoys playing with experienced college players who have a diverse skill set because that compliments his ability to set the table,” Lavin said. “He enjoys the thrill of the pass and it’s rare. Magic Johnson enjoyed the thrill of the pass, [Bob] Cousy enjoyed the thrill of the pass, [Larry] Bird enjoyed the thrill of the pass, not everyone enjoys the thrill of the pass.

“If you’re a fan of basketball, there’s some that make a pass, they might even be good passers who do it really well but they might not necessarily be passionate or enjoy it, this kid enjoys that aspect and he enjoys defense and as a result that’s why he makes a lot of winning plays.”

http://cityofbasketballlove.com/2013/10/jordan-austin-lead-youth-movement-in-big-east/
 
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