One down, one to go.
St. John’s yesterday received a letter of intent from Los Angeles high school star Dwayne Polee Jr. and now the hope is that is his signing will help land Sacramento prep star Remi Barry.
Polee Jr., a freakishly athletic 6-foot-7 swingman gives the Red Storm an electric type of player they haven’t had in years.
D.J. Kennedy is a money player and Justin Burrell shows flashes of highlight-reel athleticism. But Polee Jr. is a highlight waiting to happen.
And he doesn’t mind watching his own replays.
“I like to make plays that get the crowd into it,” Polee Jr. told The Post. “It’s not about me. It’s about getting the crowd behind my team and giving my teammates a lift.”
Barry is a flashy athlete but he has terrific shooting range, excellent passing skills and solid ballhandling. A West Coast source said Polee would reach out to Barry and try to sell St. John’s.
If St. John’s coach Steve Lavin can land Barry, it would give him a 1-2 punch similar to the combination he landed at UCLA in 1997 when he signed Baron Davis and Earl Watson. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from commenting on unsigned players but Lavin told The Post he loves what he has in his first recruit.
Polee helped lead Westchester High (L.A) to consecutive state titles by averaging 20.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and two blocks. He chose St. John’s over Georgia, UNLV, UTEP, USC, New Mexico and Oregon which made an 11th-hour push.
“Dwayne’s an electric player,” Lavin said. “We want those types of players. We want to play a style which appeals to players and fans.”
