St. John’s is hoping for a two-for-one in the case of Jamal Branch.
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound Texas A&M transfer chose the Johnnies over Marquette, Maryland, UCLA and Arizona, and now he’s hoping to get his friend, 6-8 power forward Ricardo Gathers, to join him.
“I’m going to be working on him real hard,” Branch told SNY.tv in the above interview Wednesday. “Our whole goal is to win a national title, and to win that you gotta have people that surround other great players and I think Ricardo would help give us that push.”
Gathers, out of Reserve (La.) Riverside, decommitted from St. John’s amid concerns about coach Steve Lavin’s health and the future of the Big East, but still lists the Johnnies, along with Duke, Florida, Baylor and LSU.
Branch and Gathers played together at the LeBron James Camp, and Branch would love to link up again at St. John’s.
“I actually played with him at the LeBron Camp, so I know him real well,” Branch said.
Branch would also like to see Darrick Wood re-commit to St. John’s after he chose to open it up. Wood is currently at Bridgton (Me.) Academy.
Currently in Houston, Branch plans to arrive at St. John’s Friday. He can begin practicing immediately but cannot suit up until December 2012.
“You can expect someone that’s going to give 100 percent and try to win every game for you guys,” he said.
