You better get Rick Pitino now while you can. You better get him now while you can, because Hall of Fame coaches never rest. Success is a choice for Rick Pitino.
A storm is rising in Jamaica, Queens … a Red Storm, and there is no shame in losing to mighty UConn in the Big East Tournament semifinals at the Garden on Friday night.
One day, and one day not too far in the future, Pitino will have built an unshakeable, unbreakable culture and roster that will be the envy of every Big East school outside of Storrs, Conn.
Pitino plants a seed on the land he is given, and before long a dream team grows. It happens wherever he puts down roots.
Just a month ago, St. John’s needed a miracle-worker to earn an invite to the Dance. Pitino was the miracle-worker, and there were the Red Storm on Friday night, infused with enough belief by their Hall of Fame coach to dare to dream on a magical, electric Big East Garden night straight out of Looie Carnesecca’s yesteryear.
He has restored pride to a program longing for it. UConn 95, St. John’s 90 doesn’t change that. UConn is the defending national champion, and beast of the Big East and beyond. The St. John’s fan base could hold its head high trudging out of the Garden. The best is yet to come.
It was last March at Pitino’s introductory Garden press conference when he said: “St. John’s is one of the legendary names in college basketball. Has it fallen on tough times? Yes, it has, but now we’re ready to fall on great times. We’re ready to raise this roof up because St. John’s is going to be back. I guarantee that.”
The noise could have raised the Garden roof on a March Friday night when St. John’s needed to play the perfect game to shock UConn and the college basketball world.
It had the feel of a heavyweight fight. Pitino was booed by the pro-UConn crowd during the introductions. Pitino, in a black suit, fist-bumped every player and coach on his bench. Fans all over the arena chose to stand for the first several minutes.
The Huskies kept surging to 10-point leads, and the Red Storm kept surging right back. But an Alex Karaban 3 before the shot clock expired and a Cam Spencer feed to Samson Johnson underneath made it UConn 69, St. John’s 56. The UConn crowd exploded. Timeout, Pitino.
Their deficit swelled to 14, but the Red Storm again fought back. Jordan Dingle drilled his second 3 of the half, and a 5-second inbound violation on UConn plus a Dingle drive cut it to 76-69. “Dee-fense,” the St. John’s crowd roared. “Dee-fense.”
Dan Hurley was coaching Secretariats, and Pitino’s Red Storm refused to stop riding their gallant race.
St. John’s had no fear. Under Pitino now, St. John’s no longer hopes to win. Under Pitino now, St. John’s expects to win. Pitino lieutenant Daniss Jenkins threw the first punches — 14 of the Red Storm’s first 16 points. Hurley’s Huskies — namely Tristen Newton (20 first-half points) and Spencer — knew how to punch back with big man Donovan Clingan on the bench with two early fouls.
Technicals were charged to both coaches a little more than midway through the half. What else would you expect in a lion’s den with a pair of lions stalking the sideline?
Clingan had collected his third foul 18 seconds into the second half, but St. John’s quiet big man Joel Soriano drew his third with 16:08 remaining.
Pitino has forever been a big-game coach. He lives for nights like these. You better believe he will get St. John’s more big-game players before they have to tear the Armani suit off him.
Hurley has built his program brick by relentless brick, and look at UConn now.
The transfer portal poses a clear and present danger to most coaches, but Pitino has all the street cred any master recruiter needs. No, Larry Bird or Kevin McHale or Robert Parish or even Billy Donovan aren’t walking through that door, but whomever walks in should believe he will walk out infinitely better.
You better get Rick Pitino now while you can.
When Pitino took Iona to the Dance in 2021 as a 15 seed, he said: “The best part about March Madness — I don’t care if you’re a 16 seed, or a 1-2 seed — but it’s the ability to dream,” Pitino said.
He has given St. John’s and the Red Storm fan base license to dream big. At last.