Fast Start for the Storm

The St. Johns University Mens basketball team has started the 2009-2010 season undefeated causing a stir in the college basketball world.

"It's great to start 5-0 but we can't think about it for too long cause we have another game to worry about then another game after that." said Coach Norm Roberts after the Red Storm defeated the Temple Owls 55-48 on Saturday.

The Red Storm are having their best start since the 2002-03 season when they also started off 5-0 before losing their next game to Wake Forest.

But this particular team has gotten the students and college basketball experts talking about the team from Queens.

Senior college basketball writer, Andy Katz has acknowledged the Red Storm as a team who will improve and make a run in their conference this season.

And a big reason for the optimism is that St. Johns is the only team in the Big East Conference that has all five starters returning this season.

"The experience and maturity from the returning players will generate to wins on the court" said David Berov, Red Storm play-by-play announcer for WSJU radio. "They have all been on the big stage before and the trust between the players and coaches is evidence to their cohesiveness."

2009 began with the Red Storm winning their season opener against Long Island University 83-70.

One week later St. Johns showed their veteran game play against St. Bonaventure by pulling off a 69-68 victory thanks to starting guard Malik Boothe's free-throws with less than a second remaining.

"Malik [Boothe] is the one person we want with the ball with time running out." said starting forward D.J. Kennedy after the victory "He has the instinct and knowledge to know what to do when we need him."

With the momentum from the the next two games St. Johns defeated Brown and Siena University by the scores 79-76 and 77-68 respectively.

"I've been going to St. Johns for three years and haven't really had any interest in the basketball team." said senior Idil Kirimica "But it's hard to go here and not notice a different feel around this team and the campus is showing it little by little."

The Red Storm put their undefeated record to the test against Stony Brook University on Wednesday before heading to Durham to face Duke University on Saturday.

And there is no doubt in the team's mind that they can win both and continue their surprise run.