@Villanova, Sat. Feb. 4, 8pm, CBS Sports/570AM

[fuchsia]

St. John's always has trouble with Italian Nova guards

I suspect there is one named Bill Melchionni who played against us in Lapchick's last game who might disagree with you.

Synchronicity. I just wrote a bit I don't want to burn about Italian BB players that featured Melchionni, a Villanova grad. (Tune in next week fans). Fun fact: Melchionni played on two of the most talented basketball teams that ever played the game: in 1967 he played with Wilt, Hal Greer, and Chet Walker on the 76ers and in 1974 he won an ABA championship with Julius, Larry Kenon, John Williamson, and Billy Paultz. That's some rarefied air right there.

Rarefied air for sure but the only correct answer for the BB trifecta question is now and can only be. Tom Thacker.

 

[redken]

St. John's always has trouble with Italian Nova guards

I suspect there is one named Bill Melchionni who played against us in Lapchick's last game who might disagree with you.

Synchronicity. I just wrote a bit I don't want to burn about Italian BB players that featured Melchionni, a Villanova grad. (Tune in next week fans). Fun fact: Melchionni played on two of the most talented basketball teams that ever played the game: in 1967 he played with Wilt, Hal Greer, and Chet Walker on the 76ers and in 1974 he won an ABA championship with Julius, Larry Kenon, John Williamson, and Billy Paultz. That's some rarefied air right there.

Rarefied air for sure but the only correct answer for the BB trifecta question is now and can only be. Tom Thacker.

Am 99% sure that Melchionni sat out the 1965 NIT final game with an injury. (Can't find a box score.)

 

[Section3]

Continued inconsistency. Disappointing because I thought we played them worse than we did at home, and perhaps more frustrating seemed to make so few obvious adjustments from that game to try to play them better. But probably in large part a product of that inconsistency.

Still doesn't excuse inability to get out of the gates.

All in all, 3-3 after that 4 game losing streak is a very good result and think most would have signed for it. Think it's a long shot but another 3-3 is a good target for remainder of regular season schedule. The Butler/Providence/Marquette version of this team showing up Saturday would be a great start.

I have said it before. . .until we can show some discipline and have a floor leader, CM should consider scripting the 1st "x" offensive sets/plays - the goal of which should be to avoid the out of control starts and to get certain players started.

While our guards are our engine, we still need something out of our bigs With our perimeter guys taking lion share of shots, big guys don't find any rhythm and feel compelled to take less than optimal shots because they know it won't be coming back.

At minimum he should insist that we get look to get some layups in our initial possessions.

 

[Las Vegan]

St. John's always has trouble with Italian Nova guards

I suspect there is one named Bill Melchionni who played against us in Lapchick's last game who might disagree with you.

Synchronicity. I just wrote a bit I don't want to burn about Italian BB players that featured Melchionni, a Villanova grad. (Tune in next week fans). Fun fact: Melchionni played on two of the most talented basketball teams that ever played the game: in 1967 he played with Wilt, Hal Greer, and Chet Walker on the 76ers and in 1974 he won an ABA championship with Julius, Larry Kenon, John Williamson, and Billy Paultz. That's some rarefied air right there.

Rarefied air for sure but the only correct answer for the BB trifecta question is now and can only be. Tom Thacker.

Am 99% sure that Melchionni sat out the 1965 NIT final game with an injury. (Can't find a box score.)

I was too young to remember the game very clearly, but a friend who spoke to Melchionni a few years ago told me that Bill still was upset at losing that game, and stated SJU would not have won, if he didn't have the flu.
Can anyone confirm if he played and how he performed.

 

[fuchsia]

The box score is out there but I can't find it, yet.

 

[fun]

St. John's always has trouble with Italian Nova guards

I suspect there is one named Bill Melchionni who played against us in Lapchick's last game who might disagree with you.

Synchronicity. I just wrote a bit I don't want to burn about Italian BB players that featured Melchionni, a Villanova grad. (Tune in next week fans). Fun fact: Melchionni played on two of the most talented basketball teams that ever played the game: in 1967 he played with Wilt, Hal Greer, and Chet Walker on the 76ers and in 1974 he won an ABA championship with Julius, Larry Kenon, John Williamson, and Billy Paultz. That's some rarefied air right there.

Rarefied air for sure but the only correct answer for the BB trifecta question is now and can only be. Tom Thacker.

Am 99% sure that Melchionni sat out the 1965 NIT final game with an injury. (Can't find a box score.)

I was too young to remember the game very clearly, but a friend who spoke to Melchionni a few years ago told me that Bill still was upset at losing that game, and stated SJU would not have won, if he didn't have the flu.
Can anyone confirm if he played and how he performed.

Seems to have committed a personal foul

=8e9I0kiw6tgC&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=1965+NIT+final+game+melchioni&source=bl&ots=oPVJbT3Un6&sig=6jg_FY-QVfkoUXOLUIYfTntRHi8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjt_MyK4f7RAhXK6SYKHfGmChQQ6AEISDAH#v=onepage&q=1965%20NIT%20final%20game%20melchioni&f=false

 

[redken]

St. John's always has trouble with Italian Nova guards

I suspect there is one named Bill Melchionni who played against us in Lapchick's last game who might disagree with you.

Synchronicity. I just wrote a bit I don't want to burn about Italian BB players that featured Melchionni, a Villanova grad. (Tune in next week fans). Fun fact: Melchionni played on two of the most talented basketball teams that ever played the game: in 1967 he played with Wilt, Hal Greer, and Chet Walker on the 76ers and in 1974 he won an ABA championship with Julius, Larry Kenon, John Williamson, and Billy Paultz. That's some rarefied air right there.

Rarefied air for sure but the only correct answer for the BB trifecta question is now and can only be. Tom Thacker.

Am 99% sure that Melchionni sat out the 1965 NIT final game with an injury. (Can't find a box score.)

I was too young to remember the game very clearly, but a friend who spoke to Melchionni a few years ago told me that Bill still was upset at losing that game, and stated SJU would not have won, if he didn't have the flu.
Can anyone confirm if he played and how he performed.

Seems to have committed a personal foul

=8e9I0kiw6tgC&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=1965+NIT+final+game+melchioni&source=bl&ots=oPVJbT3Un6&sig=6jg_FY-QVfkoUXOLUIYfTntRHi8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjt_MyK4f7RAhXK6SYKHfGmChQQ6AEISDAH#v=onepage&q=1965%20NIT%20final%20game%20melchioni&f=false

So much for my 99% certainly that he didn't play -- it was over 50 years ago! -- but i do remember being grateful that there was something wrong with him that increased our chances of winning it for Coach Lapchick. (I was a big fan of his teammate 6-6 Jim Washington, who was drafted 6th that year by the then-St. Louis Hawks. Together he and Melichionni were a very solid one-two punch.)

 

[gonzalo]

Melchionni scored 4 points in the Final.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...-17/misc_non_event/2016-17SJUBBMediaGuide.pdf

Page 161 of the Guide (163 on PDF).

 

[redken]

Melchionni scored 4 points in the Final.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...-17/misc_non_event/2016-17SJUBBMediaGuide.pdf

Page 161 of the Guide (163 on PDF).

Thanks, Gonzalo! This seems to confirm my memory that he played very little ... although I initially thought he hadn't played at all. At least I know I'm not losing it all together. (Melchionni was the MVP of the following year's NIT.)

 

[Las Vegan]

Does anyone recall where SJU and Villanova were ranked after the NIT, and who got the northeast at-large NCAA bids over us? We did win that memorable Holiday Festival that year.

 

[McGarry2]

Does anyone recall where SJU and Villanova were ranked after the NIT, and who got the northeast at-large NCAA bids over us? We did win that memorable Holiday Festival that year.

NIT was the end it was either NIT or NCCA, Conference Champ result of tournament required to go to NCAA and only one team from conference allowed in NCAA. We are talking about 1965 NIT, right.

NCAA EASTERN 1965 Princeton, Penn State, St Joseph U Conn,and West VA

 

[redken]

Does anyone recall where SJU and Villanova were ranked after the NIT, and who got the northeast at-large NCAA bids over us? We did win that memorable Holiday Festival that year.

NIT was the end it was either NIT or NCCA, Conference Champ result of tournament required to go to NCAA and only one team from conference allowed in NCAA. We are talking about 1965 NIT, right.

NCAA EASTERN 1965 Princeton, Penn State, St Joseph U Conn,and West VA

With the exception of independent Penn State, the schools you cited were all conference winners (Ivy, Mid Atlantic, Yankee, Southern). The other Northeast at large bid -- I'm not sure that Penn State and WVU fit that description, although they were, along with NC State (ACC), in the Eastern bracket -- was Providence. Led by Jimmy Walker, the Friars went 24-2 that year and were ranked 4th at the end of the regular season.

 

[McGarry2]

Does anyone recall where SJU and Villanova were ranked after the NIT, and who got the northeast at-large NCAA bids over us? We did win that memorable Holiday Festival that year.

NIT was the end it was either NIT or NCCA, Conference Champ result of tournament required to go to NCAA and only one team from conference allowed in NCAA. We are talking about 1965 NIT, right.

NCAA EASTERN 1965 Princeton, Penn State, St Joseph U Conn,and West VA

With the exception of independent Penn State, the schools you cited were all conference winners (Ivy, Mid Atlantic, Yankee, Southern). The other Northeast at large bid -- I'm not sure that Penn State and WVU fit that description, although they were, along with NC State (ACC), in the Eastern bracket -- was Providence. Led by Jimmy Walker, the Friars went 24-2 that year and were ranked 4th at the end of the regular season.[/quote

In 1965 only NC State in as a was conference member .Ivy &, Yankee not recognized by tournament a worth of inclusion. BY 1965 West VA no longer in Southern and In addition Southern Conference not recognized as worth of inclusion.

 

[redken]

Does anyone recall where SJU and Villanova were ranked after the NIT, and who got the northeast at-large NCAA bids over us? We did win that memorable Holiday Festival that year.

NIT was the end it was either NIT or NCCA, Conference Champ result of tournament required to go to NCAA and only one team from conference allowed in NCAA. We are talking about 1965 NIT, right.

NCAA EASTERN 1965 Princeton, Penn State, St Joseph U Conn,and West VA

With the exception of independent Penn State, the schools you cited were all conference winners (Ivy, Mid Atlantic, Yankee, Southern). The other Northeast at large bid -- I'm not sure that Penn State and WVU fit that description, although they were, along with NC State (ACC), in the Eastern bracket -- was Providence. Led by Jimmy Walker, the Friars went 24-2 that year and were ranked 4th at the end of the regular season.[/quote

In 1965 only NC State in as a was conference member .Ivy &, Yankee not recognized by tournament a worth of inclusion. BY 1965 West VA no longer in Southern and In addition Southern Conference not recognized as worth of inclusion.

Interesting. Didn't realize Ivy and Yankee conferences weren't officially recognized as automatic qualifiers. However -- I hope this doesn't make me sound cantankerous -- West Virginia was in the Southern Conference that year, and despite finishing 4th in the conference in the regular, they won the conference tournament, which earned them an invite to the NCAA:http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/southern/1965.html

 

[redken]

Does anyone recall where SJU and Villanova were ranked after the NIT, and who got the northeast at-large NCAA bids over us? We did win that memorable Holiday Festival that year.

NIT was the end it was either NIT or NCCA, Conference Champ result of tournament required to go to NCAA and only one team from conference allowed in NCAA. We are talking about 1965 NIT, right.

NCAA EASTERN 1965 Princeton, Penn State, St Joseph U Conn,and West VA

With the exception of independent Penn State, the schools you cited were all conference winners (Ivy, Mid Atlantic, Yankee, Southern). The other Northeast at large bid -- I'm not sure that Penn State and WVU fit that description, although they were, along with NC State (ACC), in the Eastern bracket -- was Providence. Led by Jimmy Walker, the Friars went 24-2 that year and were ranked 4th at the end of the regular season.[/quote

In 1965 only NC State in as a was conference member .Ivy &, Yankee not recognized by tournament a worth of inclusion. BY 1965 West VA no longer in Southern and In addition Southern Conference not recognized as worth of inclusion.

Deleted: Duplicate posting.