NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — While virtually every other high-major coach in the country is here at Peach Jam, St. John’s coach Steve Lavin is in Bosnia pursuing additional frontcourt help for this coming season.
Sources said Lavin is “intrigued” by 6-foot-9 Bosnian forward Amar Alibegovic, currently playing with Bosnia & Herzegovina in the U20 European Championship Division B tournament, where he is averaging 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds. Alibegovic, who also plays with the Italian team Stella Azzurra, will play next week with the Bosnian Senior National Team.
It is still possible Alibegovic could sign to play professionally in Europe, but he remains an amateur for now, sources said.
Alibegovic, 19, is the son of former Oregon State player Teo Alibegovic, who played with Gary Payton on the Oregon State NCAA Tournament teams in the late 1980s. The son was born in Oregon and holds passports from the U.S., Italy and Bosnia.
St. John’s lost big men JaKarr Sampson, Orlando Sanchez and God’sgift Achiuwa, and adds Christ the King big man Adonis Delarosa and junior college forward Keith Thomas.
The Johnnies also return Chris Obekpa and Christian Jones, but if Alibegovic joins the team it would enable them to stretch the floor more.
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