As Rick Pitino was introduced as the hopeful savior of St. John’s men’s basketball, one of the strongest links to the program’s last run of greatness looked on at Madison Square Garden.
Lou Carnesecca, now 98 years old, was the head coach when the Red Storm last reached a Final Four back in 1985, when the Big East was quickly making its mark as the premiere conference in the nation. St. John’s has been searching for that level of success since Carnesecca departed in 1992, but he sees Pitino getting the school back to those heights before his new six-year contract runs out.
“I see Rick Pitino getting us back there in the next four or five years,” Carnesecca said of a Final Four return.
Why that level of confidence in Pitino? For Carnesecca, it’s as easy as looking at the resume, which shows Pitino having taken three different schools to the Final Four already.
“Look at the background. It’s there,” Carnesecca said, via SNY. “Wherever he’s coached, he’s done a marvelous job. He’s dedicated, almost to fanaticism. He’ll do the job.”
As for any advice for Pitino to replicate his previous success at his next stop, Carnesecca kept it very simple.
“Get players,” Carnesecca said.
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