SJU Backcourt Tandems

M

MBaldi

Well-known member
Over the past 30+ years, we've had a couple of notable backcourt tandems, with (imo) Barkley/Bootsey being the most talented and Boo Harvey/Michael Porter being the most fun to watch (Jackson/Moses weren't really played as a tandem). I think that Lovett and Ponds have the potential to rival both of those dynamics (talent/fun).

I was reading/watching articles/videos on Lovett last night -- he's ridiculous. He may be a little flashy, but he definitely has soundness to his game and it's great to hear the sentiment that he's a smart player and leader (as well as a "kind kid"). Even with some growing pains (and initially sharing time with others -- which will actually be helpful with learning process), this tandem has tremendous upside. With some notable exceptions (e.g, Rowan's shot against Cuse, Bootsey's against Duke at Cameron), beibg a diehard I'm kind-of conditioned to having my heart broken by SJU hoops over the years, but I have a feeling we're going to see something special....

http://suntimeshighschoolsports.com...jr-exceeded-expectations-lone-season-chicago/

-- By the way, my sudden increase in posting is attributable to my 3 year old twins transitioning from cribs to beds, and not letting me leave the room/floor. Haven't had this much 'free time' in years!
 
Ah, the crib... when there were bars in place to keep children from walking into your bedroom at any hour of the night.
 
Here's 2 names to think about: Elander Lewis and Marcus Broadnax. Point being IMO we ought to wait to see them play at this level before we start making any kind of comparisons and/or bestowing any kind of labels on them. Great to have you back posting Baldi, and good luck with the twins!
 
Here's 2 names to think about: Elander Lewis and Marcus Broadnax. Point being IMO we ought to wait to see them play at this level before we start making any kind of comparisons and/or bestowing any kind of labels on them. Great to have you back posting Baldi, and good luck with the twins!
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No kidding. Luckily Mark Jackson was still there their first year and Porter and Boo covered up for them their second. No such reinforcements if Lovett and Ponds don't live up to the billing the way those two didn't.
 
No guarantee on Ponds and Lovett but the fact that they played in NYC and Chi leagues and the AAU competition gave SJU evaluators a better gauge at their abilitity than SJU had when offering Lewis and Braxton.
To add fuel to the fire didn't SJU prefer those two to Gary Payton and take back an offer to him?
 
1. Barkley and Bootsy
2. Jackson and Rowan
3. Harvey and Porter-(Porter was fun but Harvey actually had a rough year and was way better the year he came back after sitting out. Everyone forgets this)
4. Cain and D Brown
5. Hatten and whoever was the "shooting guard" his Junior year. I only remember Hatten
 
No guarantee on Ponds and Lovett but the fact that they played in NYC and Chi leagues and the AAU competition gave SJU evaluators a better gauge at their abilitity than SJU had when offering Lewis and Braxton.
To add fuel to the fire didn't SJU prefer those two to Gary Payton and take back an offer to him?
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Yes, and it has been lamented here and the previous version of this board many times.
 
I think our backcourt is actually one of the reasons we will be tougher than many think already this season. Both kids are fast, great handlers and can score. Reminds me of some of those Uconn backcourts I couldn't stand. I don't mind being small and fast. When we want big, we put Ellison in. Great shooting guy of the bench in Mussini. I think we have a solid 4-man backcourt. I just hope our guys buy into defense and pestering out there. They need to make up for lack of size on defense with fast feet and hands.
 
Reggie Carter - Bernard Rencher
That 79-80 team included David Russell and Wayne McCoy that went 24-5 before losing to Purdue in NCAA's.
 
Reggie Carter - Bernard Rencher
That 79-80 team included David Russell and Wayne McCoy that went 24-5 before losing to Purdue in NCAA's.
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Wayne Mc Coy - a high school phenom who never developed at St John's
 
I think our backcourt is actually one of the reasons we will be tougher than many think already this season. Both kids are fast, great handlers and can score. Reminds me of some of those Uconn backcourts I couldn't stand. I don't mind being small and fast. When we want big, we put Ellison in. Great shooting guy of the bench in Mussini. I think we have a solid 4-man backcourt. I just hope our guys buy into defense and pestering out there. They need to make up for lack of size on defense with fast feet and hands.
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Lovett is ridiculous fast. Last year I called him an angry hummingbird. He jets in and out like he's in fast motion compared to the other (larger) birds... I think he will be real good. There are other factors though like the overall major increase in size, speed and athleticism of the competition and the more strenuous demands of the game compared to h.s. that determine how a kid progresses. It takes time to adjust to playing against bigger, stronger, faster guys. There are things that you have to solve as a player. Most never do. It is a tall order (no pun intended) to expect any kid to be a dominant factor his first season. The additional year of practice may contribute to a more advanced development in season depending upon how well he used that time. But I do think he is the x-factor for the season.
 
I'll gladly take the production from our last all-frosh backcourt: Cook/Shaw.
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That team went 14-15, this team's likely to do similar, maybe a game or two better.
 
Here's 2 names to think about: Elander Lewis and Marcus Broadnax. Point being IMO we ought to wait to see them play at this level before we start making any kind of comparisons and/or bestowing any kind of labels on them. Great to have you back posting Baldi, and good luck with the twins!
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No kidding. Luckily Mark Jackson was still there their first year and Porter and Boo covered up for them their second. No such reinforcements if Lovett and Ponds don't live up to the billing the way those two didn't.
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Disagree , Simon was very highly rated but a lot of great players at Arizona and minutes were hard to come by. He is 6 5 and can play both positions. I think he will be a big asset next season and this season practicing against our team.
 
Here's 2 names to think about: Elander Lewis and Marcus Broadnax. Point being IMO we ought to wait to see them play at this level before we start making any kind of comparisons and/or bestowing any kind of labels on them. Great to have you back posting Baldi, and good luck with the twins!
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No kidding. Luckily Mark Jackson was still there their first year and Porter and Boo covered up for them their second. No such reinforcements if Lovett and Ponds don't live up to the billing the way those two didn't.
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Disagree , Simon was very highly rated but a lot of great players at Arizona and minutes were hard to come by. He is 6 5 and can play both positions. I think he will be a big asset next season and this season practicing against our team.
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Sorry, I was specifically talking about this season. Next season I agree with you on Simon. Would still like to see a high caliber guard added to that team but Ellison and Mussini are going to get playing time this year no matter what happens and maybe one of them blooms into a great 4th guard as well..

College hoops is still very much a guards game. Hope Lovett and Ponds ending up being high caliber D1 guards.
 
Once Mike Moses went to the bench and replaced by Mark Jackson, the Jackson-Mullin backcourt was the best backcourt in St. John's history. Mullin and Jackson; it doesn't get any better than that.
 
[quote="austour"
College hoops is still very much a guards game. Hope Lovett and Ponds ending up being high caliber D1 guards.[/quote]

Anything is possible but I can't see why they would not be. Both were 4* recruits , with Ponds being a very high 4* recruit. I just believe it will take time for each to develop and I personally am not counting on either being a star from day 1. However, I believe they will be a clear upgrade from last seasons guards as they have different skill sets.
 
Anything is possible but I can't see why they would not be. Both were 4* recruits , with Ponds being a very high 4* recruit. I just believe it will take time for each to develop and I personally am not counting on either being a star from day 1. However, I believe they will be a clear upgrade from last seasons guards as they have different skill sets.[/color]
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Last year was a train wreck at almost every position but if college basketball is a guard oriented game then last year we did not belong in the game and, as a matter of record, we lost most games because the tandems of Federico, Ron, Felix and Malik should have been 10 minute players off the bench, at best, to be competitive with other big east guards. Ponds, Lovett and Simon will be a 300% improvement in 2017. This year we are a 200% improvement.
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