The curtain goes up on “Showtime” tonight in the Garden, whereas the Jarvis Monologues almost surely begins its final run.
Only in the mecca of college basketball is a player who has yet to see his first minutes welcomed with such adoration while an established coach must deal with so much skepticism. If nothing else, this will be an intriguing season at St. John’s.
The Red Storm, coming off an NIT championship, open the 2003-04 season in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament with a marquee game against Marquette, which went to last season’s Final Four. Wake Forest and Memphis meet in the first game.
St. John’s fans will see if former Cardozo High star Daryll “Showtime” Hill can replace do-everything guard Marcus Hatten. They also may see Jarvis, who is in the sixth year of a seven-year deal, on the sidelines for his final season in Jamaica.
Jarvis and St. John’s have been discussing an extension since the end of last season. St. John’s athletic director Dave Wegrzyn feels no urgency to get a deal done, sources say. Jarvis will not negotiate during the course of the season, other sources say.
“This game, this season is about the kids,” said Jarvis. “It’s not about me.”
It’s about both. And, it’s about the future of the St. John’s program.
Jarvis has averaged over 20 wins in his five seasons and he’s led the Red Storm to postseason play in four of those years. But since his first squad came within an Erick Barkley turnover of reaching the Final Four, St. John’s has gone 1-2 in NCAA Tournament play and Jarvis has failed to recruit most of the city’s top players.
“If Mike can be successful bringing in players from around the country to augment what’s here in the city, Dave is comfortable about letting his coaches do it their way,” said a source. “But it has to work.”
The biggest obstacle, said sources on both sides, is the university’s position to use benchmarks such as wins, conference titles and post-season success as enhancements that would make the deal more lucrative for Jarvis. Jarvis’ belief is that 18 years of coaching have earned him the right to be paid for what he’s proven he can do – and a bonus is a bonus.
“I’m hoping we can come to an agreement,” said Wegrzyn. “We want Mike to be happy and successful here for many years. We want him to have a comfort-level.”
It might take a third of the season before Jarvis is comfortable with this group. Hill is a drag-racing, fast point guard who’s just as capable as setting a course record as wiping out. Combined with Elijah Ingram, St. John’s could put a very quick and tough backcourt on the floor.
Seniors Kyle Cuffe and Grady Reynolds could be a potent combo at power forward and small forward, where Jarvis likes the mismatch problems the 6-6 Reynolds creates. Reynolds and Hill could give St. John’s two go-to players at the end of the game.
“You don’t anoint somebody the go-to guy,” said Jarvis. “That’s something that players earn.”
This is the last chance for Cuffe and sixth man Willie Shaw to stand and deliver. The two former New York high school stars have shown flashes but they’re seniors who have never garnered First Team All-Big East honors. Center will be rotation by committee led by first-year man Lamont Hamilton.
The combination of the new faces and the contract impasse could make for a volatile season. Marquette could light the first fuse.
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St. John’s hoop schedule
Date – Opponent – Time
Tonight – Marquette – 9:30
Nov. 24 – Fairfield* – 7:30
Nov. 29 – at Stony Brook – 7:00
Dec. 2 – Hofstra* – 7:30
Dec. 6 – at Duke – 2:00
Dec. 9 – St. Francis * – 7:30
Dec. 21 – at Georgia Tech – 3:00
Dec. 28 – Penn – 4:00
Dec. 29 – Manhattan/Holy Cross – TBD
Jan. 3 – Niagara – 7:00
Jan. 7 – at Syracuse – 7:00
Jan. 10 – Seton Hall – 2:00
Jan. 14 – Miami* – 7:30
Jan. 18 – at Villanova – Noon
Jan. 20 – at Georgetown – 7:30
Jan. 24 – at Rutgers – 4:00
Jan. 28 – W. Virginia* – 7:30
Jan. 31 – UCLA – 1:30
Feb.4 – at Pittsburgh – 7:00
Feb. 8 – Boston College – Noon
Feb. 11 – at W. Virginia – 7:00
Feb. 18 – Georgetown – 7:30
Feb. 21 – at Virginia Tech – 7:00
Feb. 24 – Connecticut – 7:00
Feb. 29 – Providence – Noon
Mar. 3 – at Boston College – 7:30
Mar. 6 – Notre Dame – 4:00
Mar. 10-13 – Big East tourney
*-at Alumni Hall; all other home games at MSG