Hello readers! I’m grateful to the team at Hoopville for the opportunity to contribute to this great website! I hope you all enjoy my entries from the metropolitan area!
It was crushing news to Norm Roberts and his staff last month when informed that their best player, Anthony Mason Jr. would miss the entire season with a foot injury. It only got worse when Justin Burrell sustained a facial fracture after being hit by teammate Sean Evans in practice last Thursday. So with its top two players sidelined, along with freshman Malike Boothe playing with a sprained left thumb, it was no suprise that it would be a struggle vs former Big East memeber-now ACC foe Virginia Tech.
St. John’s (9-2), off to its best start in 18 years, lost for ony the second time this season. Virginia Tech (8-4), picked up their game after a lackluster win the prior day against Columbia to beat the Johnnies 81-67 in front of a one-quarter filled Madison Square Garden in the Championship Game of the Aeropostale Holiday Festival Tournament. In the consolation game earlier in the day, Columbia defeated the Red Foxes of Marist College 63-58.
As the defending Holiday Festival Champions from last season, the Hokies were led by 6’6 Virgina Tech senior A.J. Vassallo who scored 24 points on 8 for 21 shooting, including 4 of 8 from downtown. Malcom Delaney scored 22 points and was named the Lou Carnesecca tournament MVP.
Paris Horne led St. John’s with 14 points, D.J. Kennedy added 13 and Rob Thomas contributed with 12 points and 9 rebounds..
However, with Big East conference play around the corner and the sweet part of the schedule complete, Norm Roberts has to be concerned with DNP list as Big East Conference battles quickly approach. Even if Roberts has a positive outlook…….”There’s nothing we can do about the injuries,” said Roberts in his post game press conference Sunday at MSG. “Nothing we can do about Mason being out, nothing we can do about Burell being out, nothing we can do about Malik’s thumb being hurt. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” he also added, “All it’s going to do is make our other guys better, give us more depth.”
The always optimistic and hardworking Roberts clearly does not need these storyline injuries in such a crucial season for him and his program. As he enters year 5 of a massive rebuilding job in the newly renovated Carneseca Arena, yesterday’s contest may seem like nothing compared to the Big East wars of January and February.
St. John’s returns to action this Saturday against Miami at Madison Square Garden where the Red Storm hope to have Justin Burrell in uniform. A decision by team doctors will made later in the week.
