Just imagine: the crowd had already been standing for about three hours, but when Madison Square Garden caught fire in the last minutes of a game that was almost over, everyone cheered along. Two free throws by big man Zuby Ejiofor and a powerful dunk by Aaron Scott gave St. Louis a big lead. John’s. And when point guard Kadary Richmond blocked a three-point shot in style, the spot nearly fell! It’s been a long time since the fans have been this excited.
These nights were exactly what the university wanted when it hired legendary coach Rick Pitino, who came from Iona. And look, he arrived with a bang! In his first season, he already had 20 wins and almost led the team to the major championship, which didn’t happen with the previous coach. But now, some 11 months later, when St. John’s, in the top 15, hosted Marquette, also ranked high, on a Tuesday night, the anticipation was huge. The race for the Big East lead had been heating up ever since UConn defeated the Golden Eagles over the weekend.
Pitino relished this historic context in a game where defense and brute force secured a 70-64 victory, the ninth straight win for St. John’s. Three players recorded double-doubles and the team finished with an incredible 22 more rebounds than its opponents, humiliating the Golden Eagles with 21 offensive rebounds, which generated 16 second-chance points. No foul or bad shot from outside was going to get in the way of this all-important victory.
Pitino also praised the team’s effort, saying it had been a long time since he had seen a group put in so much effort. “This team is unique,” he said, highlighting how they defy statistics game after game.
He’s working miracles, for real! Pitino put together a powerful roster using the transfer portal, trading all the starters from the previous campaign. And St. John’s secured a home record with 15 wins in 15 games, despite a poor performance in three-point shooting and free throws. The coach’s confidence is so great that the team has landed in the top 10 of the USA Today rankings, something that hasn’t happened in ages.
This incredible moment for St. John’s is reminiscent of the glory days of the past. The last time they were ranked this high was about 25 years ago, when they had a team that beat everyone. And now, with Pitino at the helm, they are enjoying another incredible moment.
It took a while, but it seems like the right time for Pitino to shine at St. John’s. Even the city agrees! When he entered the gym, he received a standing ovation from the crowd, showing that the city trusts him. The presence of famous people in the audience, such as actors and players from other sports, only reinforces his reputation.
The fans were so excited that they started chanting against UConn in the last seconds of the game, showing that they were ready for the next challenge. And that Pitino is nothing but proud of this incredible team.
