A belated postmortem on St. John’s, focusing more on what this year was and less on how it ended

With 31 wins and Big East championship, this year is still cause for celebration at St. John’s despite early NCAA Tournament exit. (Photo by St. John’s Athletics)

In a perfect world, today would be a day for celebration on the corner of Union and Utopia, with St. John’s having either powered through the West regional to reach its first Final Four in 40 years or having come up just short, but still reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time this century.

Instead, the Red Storm’s season came to a screeching halt nine days ago, derailed in a slugfest against Arkansas after Kadary Richmond fouled out on a controversial call with just over six minutes remaining in regulation, while RJ Luis attempted to fight through an uncharacteristic 3-for-17 effort.

Still, and the later nature of this column due to extensive tournament travel allows the proper time to put everything in perspective, the campaign the Johnnies concluded last week should be celebrated, and deservedly so.

A 31-5 record, the win total matching the most ever in a single season, from a program that has been in existence since 1907. An 18-2 mark in Big East play, matching the bar set by one of the greatest teams in the history of the sport, last year’s UConn outfit. The first NCAA Tournament victory after 25 years of suffering and wandering the desert.

Look back on the past five months with reverence at those milestones the next time you—a St. John’s fan—wonder what could have been against Arkansas, what may have happened if Richmond didn’t pick up his fifth foul on a shaky whistle that had disrupted the entire game, how drastically different the tenor of the closing minutes would be had Luis, or any of his teammates outside of Zuby Ejiofor, been able to hit a shot.

St. John’s today stands far more stable than it did a quarter-century ago when it relished its most recent win in March before this year. Mike Jarvis struggled to a sub-.500 finish in the 2000-01 campaign after losing the likes of Erick Barkley, Bootsy Thornton and Lavor Postell. Thanks to Rick Pitino, who—love him or hate him—has already proven himself worthy of a statue alongside the bust of Joe Lapchick outside the Carnesecca media entrance, the Red Storm is already in position to be at or near the top of the Big East once more next season. Ejiofor announced his return this past weekend, one that almost everyone knew was coming but needed to be declared official in light of the landscape of the sport. Luis entered the transfer portal and will also look to the NBA Draft, but at the moment, everyone else with remaining eligibility is also on track to return to Queens, and Pitino has already racked up a verbal commitment in the transfer portal from Arizona State expatriate Joson Sanon. Look for him to shore up the well-documented gap in St. John’s shooting this past year. Bryce Hopkins, a former all-Big East forward at Providence, visited the school recently and has been rumored to become the latest piece in the reformation, but his destination remains unofficial.

There will be more twists and turns to come as the offseason rages on, but take solace in this as a St. John’s fan: This year is merely a precursor to what lies ahead as long as Pitino is in town.

“There’s always a silver lining in every cloud,” he said of his journey back to the college game, which began with a detour in Greece. “It rejuvenated me, it stopped me from being bitter. It’s just adversity. You can look adversity square in the eyes and piss all over it if you’re smart.”

“It’s been fun. It’s been a blast. Next year, we’ll have about six or seven players returning, and that’ll be a major benefit.”

Remember this year for what it was: The national reemergence, the multiple sellouts at Madison Square Garden, the old-school style used to leave no doubt who was better at the final buzzer. The defense that was, at one point, the best and most efficient in the nation, the top 5 ranking, the short work of the Big East tournament to be rewarded with a No. 2 seed on Selection Sunday. The memory of Lou Carnesecca and his indelible imprint on his hometown program, one on which he looks down from his perch above and smiles with pride at how it has risen from where it once sat amid the rubble.

If last year was act one of this revival off Broadway and this year served as act two, you may want to hit the concession stand now before act three begins. You may regret not being around to see it.

To everyone who read, engaged, supported, or even criticized my St. John’s coverage this season: Thank you for all the interaction. You all made the best season for the team in my time covering it entertaining, sometimes stressful, but largely enjoyable.

More reflection will come in next month’s epilogue, but I couldn’t leave it unwrapped after going from Providence to Raleigh and back. Thanks again.