Where Do They Go From Here?

Where do they go from here? That's the question on the mind of many area hoop fans. The Knicks? St. Anthony's HS? Wonder if the game would be close if St. Anthony's added one 5 star 6ft 11 guy against the NY Knicks? Maybe Bob Hurley should be the next Knicks coach? Ok back to the blog post lol. What about SHU? Rutgers?

This is the meat and potato portion of the season for many basketball teams. We now wonder what the end results will be. Well I for one think The Knicks are right where they will be, St. Anthony's the same although their position is a positive one compared to the Knicks. But as a huge (in more ways than one lol) fan of college basketball my focus today is on college teams.

Seton Hall is playing very good basketball with the kids on the team playing in a comfortable mode. Having Eugene Harvey, a tough and speedy skilled point guard really makes all the players job easier. Laing could be a pro in time. Hazell is a star in the making. Gause is Gause. Nutter has stepped up on and off the court with leadership. Lets see if he can keep it up. But his leadership was outstanding against Rutgers in the last game.

I remain concerned about the bigs in the next 6 games where they will be going against top comp before playing 4 more games that should be W's including Syracuse. The big folks are talented but raw. Garcia seems too happy on the bench which is a concern. He seems to be just enjoying the ride. Mike davis wants in on the action and that is a good thing. I think Garcia would not mind if he played 8 minutes a game. And this is the kid I RAVED ABOUT WHEN HE SIGNED WITH SHU! If he gets hungry as MD, and gets into better sshape watch out in the future!

Bobby G will keep this team motivated as long as he can keep his tantrums under control. Some know what I mean. For those who do not maybe later. But coaching and motivating? He is doing it well! I see some tough games but SHU can wind up with 20 wins by splitting the next 10 games which has at least 4 definite wins in my opinion. POST SEASON IS A DEFINATE FOR THE PIRATES!!!

Rutgers next game is a real hard one. Louisville will be up for the Scarlet Knights because they do not wish to lose to two NJ teams in the same year. Slick Rick knows what it could do to him recruiting wise and the area players at Louisville want summer bragging rights. C&C Basketball (not Music) Factory continue to lead. Too those two kids credit they did not expect to have to do this with FIG in place. But toughness does not have age requirements. Those two kids along with Hamedy give RU 3/5 of what will be needed to be a future post season team.

Though I am down on the FIG development and performance this season, I have not given up on them. Here is what those 3 kids need to do. Inman needs to be in NYC this summer as opposed to boot camp or the Barn suburban league. He needs to play in the Nike Pro Am at Hunter College, work out with professional players at Manhattan College (Jim Couch), and on his own look in the mirror and decide what he wants? A career working for my guy Shayle Keating (Shayle says he will consider hiring him lol), or make money one day playing basketball. I would say playing the game he loves but it sometimes does not seem that way watching. Farmer needs to be in Philly playing ball at Temple and in the Sonny Hill League. He needs to really work hard for his senior year. Griffin needs to shoot 600 Js a day as well as find a team in the East Orange Summer League run by Harry James. In addition all three need a NCAA leadership course that Webb took early in his career.

But again the 3 young players along with Rosario, Jackson, and Morris provide RU with a totally different personality. Its a tougher and more skilled team. With RU it is about toughness now. Coburn is not the fastest, or best shooter, but his toughness allows him to excel.

FHJ seems to have RU on the right track and with new kids will be better next season. The remainder of this season could provide 4 more definite wins, and at least 2 maybe games. The worst RU will be is a 14 win team, which is better than people thought two weeks ago. I think that record reverses next season and RU makes a post season tournament. The young 3 are that good and getting great experience.

Lets talk St. John's. Norm Roberts is a wonderful person and I really hope it works out for him at SJU. But to be successful he needs to change up his staff by helping them obtain positions at other D1 schools which would allow him to bring in a very good X and O guy and a few aggressive recruiters. The big problem for him right now is re-gaining control of his team. The other problem is the NCAA! Yes the NCAA! They have lifted the ban on a guy who St. Johns would love to get. Yes I am talking Jim O' Brian, the former Ohio State Coach who really received a raw deal in the past. I am surprised this has not come up. But O' Brian gets it done at SJU if Norm is ever out of the picture. And if Norm leaves he will be recruited by 100 schools to be the lead assistant because he does that exceptionally well.

I am off to Villanova this evening to see some great basketball on the HS level. The last game should be great, but what makes the trip even better is I will have an opportunity early to get a sandwich from Gooey Louie, a place with the best Italian Hoagies in America in my book.