Rick Pitino wins in his debut as St. John’s head basketball coach
Nick Faria – AMNY
QUEENS — College basketball made its return to New York City Tuesday night and the new face of the St. John’s Red Storm has everyone keeping an eye on Carnesecca Arena for the 2023-24 season.
Rick Pitino’s debut as Red Storm head basketball coach couldn’t have gone any better if the team had tried. Behind a double-double from First-Team All-Big East big man Joel Soriano, and a 50% success rate from three, the Johnnies overwhelmed the Stony Brook Seawolves to kick off their season, 90-74.
“For 90% of the game I was extremely pleased,” Pitino said after his first career win as the Red Storm coach. “I’m extremely pleased with our first-half defense. Unfortunately, we’re coaching on the fly. We’re trying to teach them habits. They’re learning when they come down the court.”
St. John’s came out red-hot in Pitino’s unveiling in front of a packed Carnesecca Arena by shooting 51% from the field for the entire game. While the Hall-of-Fame coach has made his career emphasizing both the three-point shot on offense, it was holding the Seawolves to just four made threes on the night that left him most impressed.
“I’ve never gotten credit for the other aspect of being one of the original guys but it’s only good if you stop it. Tonight, they made four, we made 11. It’s a weapon. Only if you stop it does it become a weapon.”
Pitino received major contributions from several newcomers from the transfer portal on Tuesday evening. Guard Daniss Jenkins, a player who followed Pitino from Iona, got the ball rolling for the Johnnies though. Jenkins finished with 17 points on 7-13 shooting. Add in eight assists and six rebounds and it was a complete kind of night for the graduate guard.
St. John’s jumped out to a 21-point halftime lead thanks in part to Jenkins and transfer Chris Ludlum. The former First-Team Ivy Leaguer out of Harvard finished the…
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