D’Angelo Harrison wasn’t surprised St. John’s was picked to finish 10th in the Big East by the league’s coaches and media, but the Red Storm’s leader doesn’t feel his team belongs in the bottom third of the elite conference, either.
“It motivates us more than ever,” Harrison said Wednesday during the Big East media day at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan. “Having the stuff we brought in, the JUCO transfers, we can definitely finish better than that. … We can shock a lot of people. We’re gonna win a lot of games, we’re gonna play hard, play defense and lock people up. We’re all hyped sitting right here. We’re ready to start right now.”
With nine sophomores and four freshmen, the Red Storm has one of the youngest teams in the nation. While coach Steve Lavin has raved about his team’s talent and versatility – he has said it is the deepest team he’s ever coached – the third-year head man has also expressed caution because of its youth.
“We’re at a stage where every day we have to make a little progress because we’re so young,” Lavin said. “If we do that, we hope by February or March we have a team that can surprise people and try to be in the picture for the postseason.”
There is very little experience to speak of. Sophomore forward Sir’Dominic Pointer was OK with where the Johnnies were picked, though he expects them to find themselves much higher by the end of the regular season in early March.
“Our job is to go out there and prove them wrong,” Pointer said. “I definitely feel we’re better than that. We have to prove it on the court.”
As has been the case virtually every season of late, all three locals were picked in the bottom third of the league. Rutgers is right behind St. John’s at No. 11 and Seton Hall is 14th.
Like St. John’s, Rutgers is relying on underclassmen, though not nearly as many, as the Scarlet Knights have one freshman and seven sophomores. Many of the second-year players saw extended minutes last winter, notably guards Myles Mack and Jerome Seagears and forwards Derrick Randall and Kadeem Jack.
“They’re now more consistent,” Rutgers coach Mike Rice. “They understand how hard you have to work to be successful in this league. I think they are ready, more focused and more mature. Everybody is stronger, better conditioned and more experienced. We have better practices, we can get better.”
Louisville was a unanimous choice at No. 1 and point guard Peyton Siva was selected as the preseason Player of the Year. Following Louisville is Syracuse, Notre Dame, Georgetown and Pittsburgh to round out the top five. After the Panthers, come Marquette, South Florida, Connecticut, St. John’s, Rutgers, Villanova, DePaul, Seton Hall and Providence.
The preseason all-Big East teams were dotted with locals as Providence point guard Vincent Council of Brooklyn and Cincinnati shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick, a White Plains product, made the first team, Harrison was a second team selection and Brooklynite Travon Woodall of Pittsburgh received honorable mention honors.
The other honorees included Jack Cooley of Notre Dame, Otto Porter of Georgetown and Gorgui Dieng of Louisville on the first team. DePaul’s Cleveland Melvin made the second team, along with Shabazz Napier of UConn, Anthony Collins of South Florida and Syracuse point guard Brandon Triche. In addition to Woodall, Syracuse forward C.J. Fair, Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant and Louisville wing Chane Behanan were honorable mention picks.
zbraziller@nypost.com