If you think Steve Lavin’s decision to announce he was going to begin treatment for prostate cancer was going to slow down the 46-year-old coach, think again.
Lavin is giving up his Easter weekend in the hopes of getting highly rated big man God’s Gift Achiuwa to sign with St. John’s. Achiuwa, a 6-foot-8 power forward from Eric Community College, already has visited Cincinnati. He will visit Washington this weekend and St. John’s the following week.
The Red Storm also are very interested in 6-8 post man Jamari Traylor of Chicago who is enrolled at IMG Academy in Florida. Traylor has Indiana, Kansas and Mississippi State high on his list.
St. John’s might have an edge with Traylor because guard Phil Greene, who has verbally committed to St. John’s, also is at IMG. Ideally the Red Storm will sign both front court players giving them a Big East-caliber front line.
Achiuwa, a first team National Junior College Athletic Association selection who averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots, is considered the more ready player and plays a relentless style. Combined with the decisions of some underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft, Achiuwa has become a hot commodity.
St. John’s and Cincinnati were the first two schools to show interest in the physical post player but Kentucky also is looking to make a late push. Several years ago Cincinnati beat out St. John’s for guard Lance Stephenson, but the game has changed under Lavin.
The Red Storm staff has been a steady presence in Achiuwa’s development. They were on Achiuwa last July when they watched him play at the National JUCO Tournament in Las Vegas. They watched him play at Erie three times and saw him when he played a game in New Jersey.