Seton Hall 104 – St. Peter’s 85
Seton Hall and St. John’s are separated by a river and a ridiculous Big East Conference schedule that doesn’t have the two metropolitan area league rivals playing each other during the regular season.
If the programs with the second and third best recruiting classes in the league are to meet this year, it will be in the conference tournament in March.
For now the players, fans, and coaches at each school can only eye each other from afar. “That would be a special game,” said Seton Hall superfrosh Eddie Griffin. “They have three freshmen starting. We have three freshmen starting. It would be the game of the year.”
The big games are coming for Seton Hall which dusted off a scrappy but overmatched St. Peter’s team 104-85 last night in Continental Airlines Arena. It was a similar matchup to Saturday afternoon’s mismatch between St. John’s and Niagara, won by the Red Storm 92-59.
The Red Storm’s freshman trio of Cook, Kyle Cuffe and Willie Shaw combined for 48 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists. After that game, St. John’s coach Mike Jarvis said he wouldn’t trade his freshman class for any other in the nation.
Perhaps he has yet to see Seton Hall’s class in action. The Pirates’ heralded trio of Andre Barrett, Griffin and Marcus Toney-El combined for 41 points, 31 rebounds, and 20 assists. Griffin had 26 points, seven blocks and 21 rebounds a Seton Hall freshman record.
“I wouldn’t trade mine,” said Amaker.
Like St. John’s, Seton Hall got off to a significant lead and then went to sleep on the defensive end while showing no teamwork on offense. With 9:18 left, St. Peter’s (1-3) had taken a 26-24 lead and coach Tommy Amaker had to use a timeout to awaken his team.
By halftime the Pirates had a 57-38 lead and second half was showtime, highlighted by Darius Lane’s spectacular three-point play with 15:54 left that made it 73-48. St. John’s led Niagara 43-28 at the break.
Seton Hall has better outside shooting, led by Lane, better shot-blocking, led by 6-11 sophomore Samuel Dalembert, and more experienced depth with Ty Shine, and Greg Morton. The Pirates, because of the presence of Dalembert, Griffin, and Morton, don’t play good defense. They block shots, eight by Dalembert, seven by Griffin.
“I think our defense is atrocious,” said Amaker. “We block shots and that’s a part of defense, but we don’t play defense.”
St. John’s has the better point guard in Omar Cook but he also is the Red Storm’s best shooter. St. John’s might have a shot blocker in 6-11 freshman center Mohamed Diakite, who missed the first month with a broken left hand. The Red Storm (3-1) plays better, tougher and more intense defense.
Seton Hall doesn’t have anyone who can match up with Anthony Glover, the Red Storm’s 6-6 power forward who is as strong as he is relentless. Morton and Charles Manga might get a shot.
St. John’s doesn’t have anyone to matchup with Griffin, the ‘Parade National High School Player of the Year’ from Philadelphia powerhouse Roman Catholic. Reggie Jessie and Cuffe will get a chance.
The only chance for Seton Hall and St. John’s to meet is in the Big East tournament. Or maybe the NCAA Tournament. Too bad, it would be a heckuva matchup that the Pirates probably would win.
“I think it’s going to take time for them to understand what it takes to win as a team,” said St. Peter’s coach Bob Leckie. “But I wouldn’t want to see them in March.”
Seton Hall vs. St. John’s in March, now that’s madness.
