New Heights director Kimani Young will meet Wednesday with St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts and will decide by the end of the week whether to join the St. John’s staff, the Daily News reported.
St. John’s has two open staff positions and Roberts has also offered Oswald Cross, the New York Panthers 17U head coach.
“I think Oz and I can add a lot to the program, but I don’t think we are the final answer,” Young told the Daily News. “I love Norm and have a lot of respect for the school. I think this is a great opportunity. But the basketball program and the school are bigger than both of us. I do think we can bring a lot to the program.”
New Heights features several talented juniors being recruited by a number of schools, including St. John’s. That group includes Bishop Loughlin junior Jayvaughn Pinkston, St. Anthony forwards Devon Collier and Ashton Pankey and South Kent (Conn.) point guard Devon McMillan.
Cross coached current St. John’s sophomore Justin Burrell at Our Saviour Lutheran in the Bronx and also happens to have strong relationships with talented New York seniors Kevin Parrom and Omari Lawrence, both of whom play for the Panthers. Parrom is considering numerous schools, including St. John’s, while Lawrence says the Johnnies are his leader at the moment.
“It’s Oz’s job to turn down,” a source said.
MOMO TO RICE?
Lamont “Momo” Jones may end up back at Rice now that he will not play for Bob Hurley at St. Anthony.
Raiders coach Maurice Hicks will meet this week with Jones’ mother, Jeneen Fuller, to discuss that possibility, the Daily News reported.
“We would love to have him back,” Hicks told the paper. “In my opinion he should have never left. I just think that he’s a Rice Raider. I saw that when he was younger and I still see that today.”
The 6-foot Jones spent his first year at Rice before transferring to American Christian (Pa.) to play for Tony Bergeron. When American Christian closed its high school wing, Jones tried enrolling at St. Anthony, but Hurley said the school had a rule prohibiting seniors from enrolling.
Jones’ eligibility would have to be ruled upon by the CHSAA Scholastic Eligibility Committee. Transfers generally have to sit out a year, but because American Christian shut down, Jones might be permitted to play.
“We miss him and we still miss him,” Hicks said. “If he was here last year, I think we would have won the state championship.”
