Sports

Johnnies wary of gunning Pirates

Steve Lavin might as well have put his following words on the marquee outside the Garden:

“We’re at a stage in the building of this basketball program where we haven’t accomplished anything,” the St. John’s coach said. “So there never should be a case where we’re overlooking our opponent, or complacent. We haven’t arrived yet as fat-cats.”

Lavin’s surging team, winner of three straight, faces Seton Hall today, a game sophomore forward Sir’Dominic Pointer acknowledged could be a trap. The Pirates (13-6, 2-4 Big East) have been hindered by injuries and the lack of a defensive presence inside, but they can knock down 3-point shots, as was the case last season in a 94-64 win over St. John’s at the Prudential Center.

“For some reason, Seton Hall always [has] got our number the last couple of years,’’ Pointer said. “Last year they made what, 15 3-pointers, and shot a great percentage. So this is a trap game for us. If we come out too lackadaisical and look at their record instead of coming out with respect, we’re not going to win.’’

If the Johnnies (12-7, 4-3) needed any reminder of how fragile success in the Big East is this season they got it yesterday. Villanova handed Syracuse its first league loss of the season, 75-71 in overtime and Louisville, a preseason Final Four favorite, dropped its third straight league game, 53-51 to Georgetown.

But these Johnnies might just be young enough to think they have it all figured out, that Seton Hall, which they compared to Notre Dame, is a perimeter team that lives and dies on the 3.

In the Red Storm’s 67-63 win over the Fighting Irish, Lavin used a small, three-guard lineup — D’Angelo Harrison, Jamal Branch, Phil Greene, JaKarr Sampson and Pointer — that smothered Notre Dame, which was 1-for-9 (11 percent) on 3-point shooting. Lavin has stayed with that unconventional lineup during the three-game win streak.

Pointer, at 6-foot-5 is the power forward. In Wednesday night’s 82-70 win at Rutgers, he was a mismatch nightmare, scoring 13 points, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing for seven assists, making six steals, blocking two shots and drawing three offensive fouls.

On one breathtaking play, he grabbed a defensive rebound, pushed the ball up court, missed a layup, raced back on defense and intercepted an alley-oop pass at the rim.

“Pointer, for two years, has always been in the middle of anything good that’s happened,’’ Lavin said. “Every dramatic comeback, every big win, Pointer has been the central figure.’’

He’s likely to be in the middle of it today, because the Pirates don’t have a player that can match up with him.

“This team has never looked ahead,’’ Lavin said. “We had struggles. Part of that may be [attributed] last year’s struggles. When you’ve had the number of smack downs or beat beat downs as we had last season, I don’t think you can overlook an opponent.’’

The Johnnies were 13-19 last season. The worst of those 19 losses was courtesy of Seton Hall.