And just like that, it’s over.
For St. John’s 10 seniors, their four-year journey ended on St. Patrick’s Day as the Johnnies fell to Gonzaga 86-71 in the Red Storm’s first trip back to the tournament since 2002.
For St. John’s seniors this has been a season of resurgence under first-year Head Coach Steve Lavin.
The Johnnies’ stated goal this year was an invitation to the “big dance.” They earned that invite on the strength of six wins over ranked teams, a third place finish in the Big East and a top 25 ranking. But for the seniors who had to wait through three years of losing and insignificance nationally a one-and-done in the tournament was a bitter pill to swallow – even if it was their goal from the day they walked through St. John’s doors.
“I wanted to compete for a national title,” said senior Dwight Hardy.
The Johnnies surpassed early season expectations; of four preseason projections only one (CBS Sports) had the Johnnies qualifying for the tournament. And after two early season losses to St. Bonaventure’s and Fordham those predictions looked prescient. Surviving a gauntlet of eight straight games against ranked teams propelled a St. John’s run that landed the team in the rankings for the first time in almost a decade.
For all the accolades and buzz this team created with each win, next year’s team will be very different. The coach will be the same, and a few players will be holdovers, but of those players only Dwayne Polee II and Malik Stith received any playing time.
It’s very rare, especially for a major conference school, to lose such a large senior class. The unfortunate thing is that, due to the lack of recent success at St. John’s many fans didn’t have a chance to follow the team until this year. And now they are gone.
But for fans of the team that are afraid this season may have been an oasis will be comforted with the knowledge that the Red Storm’s 2011 recruiting class ranks amongst the best in the nation and should continue this year’s success into next season.
Though for the seniors that helped put “the electricity back into the program,” as Lavin put it, after one of the roughest stretches the men’s basketball team has ever seen there will be no next year. Their college careers ended, but their efforts in helping put St. John’s back on the basketball map should last long after they’ve graduated.
“I’m proud of the four years I had at St. John’s,” said D.J. Kennedy, who was unable to play in his only tournament due to an injury. “It’s something I’ll always remember.”
A new day has dawned for men’s basketball at St. John’s, but the sun is setting for these 10 seniors.
To read more about the top-rated Red Storm recruiting class click here.
