Cincinnati News, Pittsburgh News, Providence News, Ray Mernagh, St. John's News

BELLY OF THE BE-AST: THE QUESTIONS EDITION (PART III)

by RAY MERNAGH

Yesterday’s J.J. Moore news and the opening day of the early signing period kind of interrupted things with the questions but we’re back on track now. So since we’re not getting any younger (except for maybe Sammy Sosa, and how creepy was this?) lets just keep it rolling with inquiries about Cincinnati, St. John’s, Providence and Pitt. We’ll be back again tonight or tomorrow with Louisville, the Hoyas, USF and DePaul.

Q: How big will Lance Stephenson’s impact be?

Huge.

Monstrous.

Program Changing…and that goes for if it works out or doesn’t!

Stephenson is, along with John Wall, the freshman most physically ready to impact games right now at the high-major level. His size, skill and strength are usually reserved for guys in the NBA. To make a decent, and recent, Big East comparison think Pitt’s Sam Young and the way he had his way last year as a 23-year-old senior. That’s Stephenson’s potential today! If he reaches it, or even approaches it this season, Cincinnati instantly becomes another credible destination and option for one-year stopovers that Calipari created at Memphis and is continuing at Kentucky. And if it goes bad…we’re not gonna think about that right now. The point being that, with any 18-22 year old man anywhere, there’s a risk for stupidity and mistakes. Stephenson’s attitude has been a question in the past, but his talent has never been questioned. The risk is worth it especially if it works and his name’s called in the lottery next June. If that happens, Mick Cronin instantly becomes the hard-nosed, no-nonsense, will get you there coach that attracts the Walls/Stephenson’s and ‘Melo’s of the basketball world.

Q: St. John’s — Can they improve enough to justify a seventh year for Norm Roberts?

Roberts has worked hard the last few years or so trying to make in-roads with NYC talent by adding people to his staff who were entrenched in the Gotham hoop’s culture. His mistake was not doing that in year number one. I’m not sure they can improve enough to justify a seventh year but I’m not sure it matters. St. John’s seems to be, along with DePaul, toying with the idea of playing big-time basketball while the rest of the Big East is living it.

Here’s how the team’s website sums up this year’s team: The St. John’s basketball family has long awaited this year, this roster and this team. Loaded with talent, experience and all-important depth, the Red Storm squad begins its season bursting with opportunity, and ready to make serious inroads in a conference that will once again be among the nation’s elite. “I think this team is a team that can get to postseason play,” said Roberts. “We have a tough schedule; we’re going to play tough teams early and we’re going to play tough teams late, so we will be strong and tested going into the BIG EAST season. I think this team has a chance to really uplift our program and get us really continuing on that path toward success.”

We’ll probably know if St. John’s is going to make a jump or be more of the same very early — the Johnnies play Siena and Temple in the next few weeks (not to mention St. Bonaventure on the road, who’s big man Andrew Nicholson, is a handful).

So will Roberts be back if this team is another 15-16 win team playing in the ridiculous CBI (hey it’s postseason right?). Maybe. Would that be justified? To the people that really matter (meaning those in power) apparently so.

Q: What’s the biggest thing to like about Pitt right now?

Probably the way the Panthers have recruited. This season is a mulligan that they’ve earned. They might surprise with another Tournament team or they might struggle to keep that streak alive given the uncertainty with Jermaine Dixon’s foot, Gilbert Brown’s situation and their inexperience. But no matter what happens this season the future is very bright at Pittsburgh with the Panthers in position to keep rolling for the next 5-6 years. This year’s freshman crop is deep in big men. Next year’s, and 2011′s, is deep on the perimeter. The athleticism continues to trend upwards while the kids they’ve gotten still fit the mold of a Jamie Dixon player. Cameron Wright, a 6-4 two guard, has a video circulating taken on a phone where he bounces a ball off the court, catches it in the air, puts it between his legs and dunks it. J.J. Moore, who Pitt just received a verbal from, is a 6-6 wing capable of the same type of thing and has a daily developing game that’s not close to its apex yet. And Dixon beat the uber-recruiter Pitino for him (yeah I know Louisville didn’t want him…maybe, but they sure as hell didn’t want Pitt to get him). He’s one of those three star guys, along with Wright, that Pitt always seems to turn into impact guys (and with the other programs recruiting this pair, are they really three stars…really???). I haven’t even mentioned the point guard Isaiah Epps who’s coming in with the 2010 class, who’s marvelous. Ditto 2011 verbal John Johnson. Pitt has capitalized on the Elite Eight run and in turn, gotten some players that look capable of surpassing that with a few years in the program. Pitt fans can’t ask for anything more.

Q: Who’s one player Providence fans should watch for this season, who might surprise them?

Let me start by saying how much I love their 2010 signee Gerard Coleman. He’s going to be a PLAYER in the Big East, but the one Friar that has a chance to do some real, maybe unexpected damage this season is 6-foot-6, 230 pound forward Greedy Peterson. From what theProvidence staff has told me is Peterson has been a rebounding machine all preseason long and they expect that to continue once the real games start. Keno Davis’ style is a lot of fun to watch and it will be intriguing to see how well the Friars can shoot it from deep (a must if they want to have success this year).

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