As we approach the first full day of the NCAA tournament, the Amica Mutual Pavilion hosted each of the eight schools playing here in an open practice on Wednesday. I was able to attend for the final three schools, Kansas, Omaha, and St. John’s, and each team had a decidedly different approach to the forty-minute sessions.
First up was the Kansas Jayhawks, led by Coach Bill Self. Coach Self appeared as if he had no interest in being at the AMP and seemed to treat it as a necessary annoyance. To be clear, he did nothing wrong, but they just seemed to be going through the motions. Of course, some people have made this accusation against Kansas all season, as they went from pre-season number one ranked team to a seven seed in the tournament.
Next to take the floor was the Omaha Mavericks, making their first NCAA tournament appearance in their thirteen years in Division 1. The players and staff exuded the joy and passion of a team thrilled to be in the dance. They were absorbing each and every moment of their new fame, as the players, coaches, and support staff were smiling and having the time of their lives for the entire 40 minutes.
The last team to take the floor was the St. John’s Red Storm. As they were announced, Coach Rick Pitino received a nice ovation from the 1000 or so fans in the arena. Pitino made the rounds as a conquering hero, as he seemed to have a personal connection with most of the people there. He started by greeting some former players, including Harold Starks, Jacek Duda, and Quinton Burton. He then spoke with a Blues Brother and about 20 other people who have been around in the forty years since he roamed the sidelines here.
Unlike the previous two teams, the Red Storm approached the session with thoroughness and efficiency that is the hallmark of Pitino teams. This was not a true Pitino practice but he did not waste time for him or his players. Most of the practice was conducted by his assistants, but he still called out signals and times for the players to move to the next phase of the practice. His staff, including former Friar assistant Bob Walsh, know exactly what Coach Pitino wants and make sure the team is also aware of what is going on. As an aside, Bob Walsh is well respected throughout the college basketball fraternity and is the perfect assistant for Pitino. For those who forgot, it was Walsh that Pitino credited for designing the inbounds play the led to the Storm’s victory over UConn at Gampel this year.
The one player who really impressed me on the court was Zuby Ejiofor. He was clearly happy to be there, but whenever they were practicing, he was all business. Like a number of the St. John’s players, he is much bigger up close than he appears on television. He took every shot, cut, and spin move seriously, and it was clear that his dedication is why he was the Big East Most Improved Player this year. The entire team runs their drills as a well-oiled machine, and one that does not plan on ending their season. While this was going on, Pitino circled to the other side of the court, exchanging pleasantries with Andrew Catalon and the great Steve Lappas of CBS, St. John’s play-by-play announcer John Minko, and about 100 Rhode Islanders that he missed on the other side of the court. All in all, it ended up being another version of the Rick Pitino show.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, word leaked out that Friar players Justyn Fernandez and Bryce Hopkins were entering the transfer portal. In both cases, their Friar careers were hindered and eventually cut short by ACL injuries. Fernandez suffered his injury shortly after committing to Providence from George Mason and was a redshirt in 2023-24. This year Fernandez’ playing time was all over this place, with 4 starts and 8 games where he did not play. He only had 10 games where he played for more than 10 minutes, with his best game being a 17-point effort with 5 three-pointers in a two-point loss to Villanova. Fernandez showed signs of being a contributor but never seemed to have the consistency or athleticism that was expected of him.
His situation might be a cautionary title for Bryce Hopkins going forward. I have always liked Bryce, and he conducted himself admirably while here. The problem was a significant knee injury and another issue with the same knee this season. What made him special in his only full season which his physical size combined with explosive speed. There is every chance that this will return for him next season wherever he plays, and he will be a potential All-America candidate. There is also the possibility that he loses some of his quickness and is a solid player but not a star. I wish nothing but the best for Bryce (unless he goes to Georgetown), but that risk is one that likely is not in the best interest of Friartown to take.
#GoFriars
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