Sweet Lou

I saw where Lou Carnesecca passed away at the age of 90 . He won over 500 games at St Johns. But my HS coach who I replaced many years ago was a pitcher at St Johns and Lou was the freshmen baseball coach at St Johns before he coached basketball Those were the years where St Johns went to the College World Series in baseball. I met Lou a few times and he basically recruited NYC kids . I had the 2nd best player in the metropolitan and Lou was very interested in him. But because he didn't predict{ not sure of the terminology they use today} My player scored under the NCAA guidelines of 720 on the SAT's . So Lou was hooked up with San Jancinto juco in Texas and any player that St Johns didn't accept academically went to San Jancinto Being and knowing Texas juco's since I was at North Texas the reputation was the San Jancinto's kids although got over 60 hours and some got to play D-1 many never became eligible . But Lou's St Johns players did My kid went the Kansas Juco's route . There kids almost always graduated with an associate degree and were eligible.. Think Walter Berry went to San Jincinto . I might be wrong about that. Anyway Lou was one of the nicest people I ever met. He would have his asst coaches call my kid almost every game we played . When I told Coach he was going to a Kansas juco and St Peters was recruiting him big time Lou was so nice and respectfu. When my player scored his 1,000 HS points Lou sent him a congratulations letter and said St Peters is a good school . But you have to graduate from your Kansas juco. It was such a honest down to earth letter.
A few months later in the Empire state games in Albany Christian Laettner who already signed with Duke in the opening play blocked from behind one of my kids shots under the basket. I was sitting in the stands and at halftime Lou walked over to me and winked and said " we still have a spot for him at St Johns". My kid needed that block shot because he was on fire, We beat the Buffalo area team and my kid dominated Christian the entire game. I know my kids parents who lived in NYC wanted the Johnnies but thought like me St Peters is across the river and they would still get to see him play. A very kind coach who was so down to earth. May he rest in peace Sweet Lou

Nice story Box ... thank you 

@Box and one

 Great story

My father in law follows St John's and is 91. Berry went to San Jacinto in Texas 1983-84. RIP Lou 

 99 years old, great man as was Joseph V Austin in the Jamaica area. 

Great story thank you for sharing. Great memory of Lou as a kid watching his ¡®85 team in the final four made me a huge fan. 

@Box and one

 Thanks for sharing Box.   I remember as a kid going to the National Juco Basketball Tournament in Hutchinson, KS. Multiple times over the years.    I remember seeing Lou amongst other great coaches there recruiting and watching the tournament. I always enjoyed watching his St. John¡¯s teams & my 2 favorites: Chris Mullin & Mark Jackson. 

   Great talent rolled through the Juco ranks such as: Harvey Grant (Independence CC) Mookie Blaylock (Midland CC) , & Larry Johnson (Odessa CC) to name a few.  

A legend 

RIP

Every once in awhile ya find a gem here, great story, thanks for sharing¡­.i forget sometimes that there are some real ones here

Nothing better then going to msg late 80s, sealy Buchanan werdann teams. Still think if Lou could of kept Kenny or Jamal home Johnnie¡¯s would of gotten that elusive title