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Amir Garrett transfers to Cal State-Northridge

Amir Garrett unites with a coach who is a big fan of... "hang time."

By Norman Rose
USA TODAY Sports

Amir Garrett, who announced that he was leaving the St. John's Red Storm hoops program last month, tweeted that he has chosen a location on the west coast, joining the Big West's Cal State-Northridge Matadors, on the north side of LA*.

Garrett, the 6'6" Los Angeles native (who also attended Findlay Prep in Nevada) Garrett averaged 5.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 20 minutes per game in 2012-13. He scored a career-high 18 points against DePaul in 2012, and in 2013 had a season high of 15 points three times - against Detroit, against South Carolina, and against Villanova. A hard-nosed player, Garrett was one of the new players willing to mix it up on offense in the paint.

He will be remembered for sticking with his commitment after being deemed ineligible for the Johnnies, working at prep school to get he required grades and joining a six-man Red Storm in December of 2011.

More: Amir Garrett and St. John's churn

Garrett is currently in Arizona, working with the Reds farm system on his baseball, where his prospect star has risen. He's been good enough to consider pitching full time, and has even been mentioned as a piece in a possible trade for a major league player.

The talented wing will attempt to continue his career on the hardwood for the Cal State Northridge team, under new coach Reggie Theus - famous for his playing career and stints on the NBC Saturday morning show "Hang Time". Theus also had a solid two years as head coach of the New Mexico State Aggies, played under Jerry Tarkanian and coached under Rick Pitino. So of course, his style is aggressive.

"Our goal is to be the hardest playing team in the conference," Theus said in his opening press conference. "Our identity is going to be paramount. We're going to get after it with a full court pressure defense, and we're going to run. We want to win, compete for the Big West championship and eventually go deep into the NCAA Tournament."

The defensively-capable, fast, and athletic Amir Garrett would fit right in with that aggressive style.

Last year's CSUN team was 14-17, 5-13 in the Big West.

*Is that still considered the Valley? I don't know my Los Angeles geography.

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