St. John's To Face Kentucky in Big East/SEC Challenge

Two of the winning est college basketball programs will hook-up next season when St. John's faces Kentucky in the Big East/SEC Challenge.  The game will be played at Rupp Arena in early December.

The Big East/SEC Challenge, which was expanded last year, will pit the Red Storm-- with the nation's #2 rated recruiting class--against a tournament-tested Wildcats squad which lost 56-55 to Connecticut in the 2011 Final Four semi-finals.

Both schools have two of the most storied programs in college basketball history.  Kentucky is the all-time NCAA men's basketball wins leader with 2052 victories and a .760 winning percentage, while St. John's is #7 on the list with 1724 wins and a .658 percentage.

Next season, St. John's will field it's youngest team in 104 years and one of the youngest in NCAA history.  Nine freshmen will be on the roster of the 2011-12 team after four senior starters from last year's team completed their eligibility.

Last year, the senior-heavy Johnnies compiled a 21-12 record and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. 

Head coach Steve Lavin, who is battling prostate cancer, hasn't let the disease hinder his piling up of top players.  Yesterday it was announced that Arizona guard Lamont "MoMo" Jones will transfer to St. John's and could be eligible to play next season under NCAA hardship rules.

MoMo, the  Harlem product, will join the rest of the highly-touted Red Storm class including God's Gift Achiuwa, Sir' Dominic Pointer and Nurideen Lindsay--and all will be potential nominees for the 2012 All-Name team.

Kentucky will be without Brandon Knight, their star guard, who opted for the NBA.  The Wildcats will be led by Queens, NY guard Doran Lamb and a squad of experienced players.

Lavin vs. John Calipari, call it the Big East/SEC Hair Gel Challenge.

God's Gift Answers St. John's Prayers

St. John's basketball coach Steve Lavin announced today that God's Gift Achiuwa signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Red Storm in 2011-12.  The bruising post-player chose the Johnnies over Cincinnati and Washington.

This is the second big acquisition by Lavin during the spring signing period.  Last week Phil Greene, a sought-after guard from Chicago, signed with St. John's too.

The 6 foot-nine, 240 pound Achiuwa is a 2011 JUCO First Team All-American from Erie Community College.  He led the team to a 28-4 record and averaged 22.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.  He also shot 56% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the three-point line.

Besides having to live up to one of the great names in college basketball, Achiuwa will be playing under the New York media's spotlight.   Just picture the tabloid's back page headlines. The Nigerian minister's son seems ready for the attention.

"I am excited to come to St. John's and New York City," he said.  "They are a running team and that's what I like, fast paced basketball."

Achiuwa joins eight other top-rated recruits who have already signed with the Red Storm for 2011-12.  Standing out on St. John's No. 2 rated recruiting class (by ESPN and Rivals.com) may not be easy but, the Nigerian may be the most imposing body on a team that is already fast and big.

Lavin thinks heaven is the limit for his new signee.  "He's an ideal fit for our baseline-to-baseline attacking style of play," the head coach said.

Lavin, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer, continues to show no sign of letting it slow him down.  He inherited ten seniors in his first season as head coach of St. John's last year and lead the team to a 21-12 record and it's first NCAA tournament in nine years. The 2011-12 team will be Lavin's own team and it looks like it's ready for the rough-and-tumble Big East.

You might think the Red Storm have completed their stockpile of blue-chippers for next year but, the scary thing is, they still have two scholarship places left on the roster.

Steve Lavin Signs Chicago Prize; Could God's Gift Be Next?

The St. John's basketball team continues to pile up key recruits and, yesterday, acquired an important cog in next year's squad by signing guard Phil Greene of Chicago.  Head coach Steve Lavin will now focus on  going after 6-foot-8 power forward/center God's Gift Achiuwa from Erie Community College and Jamari Traylor, another big man from Chicago.

Greene joins eight other blue-chip players who have signed a letter-of-intent with the Red Storm in 2011-12.   There are three remaining scholarships left on the roster.

Greene is a vital pick-up for St. John's; who are loaded with front-line players.  The 6-foot-2 guard, who is enrolled at IMG Academy in Florida, would play an important role in bolstering the team's backcourt.  His IMG teammate, 6-foot-8 Traylor is a bulky post player.  Traylor and Achiuwa would give the Red Storm one of the most fearsome front-lines in the physical Big East Conference.

Lavin continues to collect great players in his first wave of recruiting.  His class of 2011-12 already boasts six freshmen ranked in the top-100 by most recruiting services.  St. John's recruiting class is currently ranked the # 2 by rivals.com and ESPN.

Yesterday, St. John's lost a key recruit when forward Dwight Meikle from Long Island was granted his release.  The previous signing of three other forwards would have probably meant fewer minutes to Meikle anyway.

Achiuwa will visit St. John's this weekend.  The Nigerian minister's son has already visited Cincinnati and Washington.  Kentucky is also interested.  Achiuwa could be a huge difference maker to whichever team lands the big man.

Lavin, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer before last season, doesn't seem to be slowing down. He secretly battled the disease throughout last season when he lead the Red Storm to a 21-12 record and it's first NCAA Tournament spot in nine years.