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Media Day: St. John’s prediction, Preseason Player of the Year

Listing the predicted order of finish, all-league teams

By Norman Rose
Mustapha Heron wonders where he is on the all-league teams?
Wendell Cruz

Picked fourth by the league coaches, and with the Big East Preseason Player of the Year, the Red Storm are in a position to finally get over the hump in the Big East this season.

The Red Storm enjoyed the festivities at Big East Media Day, with four players joining head coach Chris Mullin at Madison Square Garden to answer questions from media outlets that cover the league. Optimism was high, with the NY Post reporting that student season tickets are already sold out.

The Red Storm know this is the year to show results. As Chris Mullin said to the Rumble today, “we’re looking to deliver.”

Preseason Voting

The preseason standings as voted on by the coaches

  1. Villanova (8) 79 points
  2. Marquette (1) 70 points
  3. Providence 58 points
  4. St. John’s 57 points
  5. Butler (1) 45 points
  6. Xavier 41 points
  7. Georgetown 33 points
  8. Seton Hall 26 points
  9. Creighton 25 points
  10. DePaul 16 points

Note that Providence and St. John’s are very close, DePaul is not a unanimous last-place team, and Butler got a first-place vote, as did solid second-place squad Marquette.

St. John’s got two players on the all-Big East teams — Shamorie Ponds and Justin Simon. It may be a surprise to not see Mustapha Heron mentioned even as an honorable mention, but he can play his way onto a team once Big East coaches watch his game — and game plan against him.

Of note (at least to these eyes) — four of the six first-team Big East players (including the Player of the Year) are from New York City or Westchester (Ponds, Govan and Diallo are from NYC, Paschall is from Westchester).

Players below are listed with name, school, position, year, height, and weight.

Big East Preseason Player of the Year

Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s, G, Jr., 6-1, 175

Big East Preseason co-Freshmen of the Year

David Duke, Providence, G, Fr., 6-5, 198

Jahvon Quinerly, Villanova, G, Fr., 6-1, 175

Preseason All-Big East First Team

  • Kamar Baldwin, Butler, G, Jr., 6-1, 195
  • Jessie Govan, Georgetown, C, Sr., 6-10, 255
  • Markus Howard, Marquette, G, Jr., 5-11, 175
  • Alpha Diallo, Providence, G, Jr., 6-7, 211
  • Eric Paschall, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-8, 225

Preseason All-Big East Second Team

  • Max Strus, DePaul, F, Sr., 6-6, 215
  • Sam Hauser, Marquette, F, Jr., 6-8, 225
  • Justin Simon, St. John’s, G, Jr., 6-5, 215
  • Myles Powell, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-2, 195
  • Phil Booth, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-3, 194

Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention

  • Martin Krampelj, Creighton, F, Jr., 6-9, 235
  • Naji Marshall, Xavier, F, So., 6-7, 222

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