At the site of the worst terrorist attack ever on American soil, the St. John’s University basketball players huddled around one of their own — Dr. James O’Keefe, a St. John’s graduate, former professor and now NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Training — their eyes transfixed, their faces concentrating.
“St. John’s and the NYPD and FDNY are uniquely New York,’’ O’Keefe said. “They are the fabric of this great city.’’
This city took the most inhuman of blows and although the Twin Towers collapsed, the city stood. And here at Ground Zero it is again rising — bigger, better, more beautiful.
This Red Storm team is composed almost entirely of players from outside the Big Apple and the roster is made up of just two seniors to go along with one junior, and 13 freshmen and sophomores. Coach Steve Lavin has been searching for ways to bring this group together.
So he took them to the Garden, their home court for most Big East games, to the Chelsea fire station for Engine 3, Ladder 12, Battalion 3 and to this hallowed ground. Wednesday might prove to be the day the Red Storm look back on in March as it prepares for postseason and remembers that this is where it all started.
“I’ve always believed if you can get younger people to gain perspective on the fact that there are things more important than basketball, then they become more complete people,’’ Lavin told The Post.
“Which then, in turn, helps you build a basketball team when you put it all back together again. In a nutshell you also understand that the spirit of the first responders is something that all can learn from and carry over to sport, and more importantly, the rest of our lives, when it comes to sacrifice.’’
The players, coaches and support staff looked on at awe at the Memorial North and South Pool, the 30-foot waterfalls that cascade into the very foundations where the towers once stood. Some took pictures, others looked at the names of some of the 2,977 victims from more than 90 nations who lost their lives that Sept. 11, 2001 morning.
Center God’sgift Achiuwa recalled the “bad feeling’’ he was overcome by when he learned the news in his native Nigeria. “I come here and it makes me appreciate life more,’’ he said.
Guard D’Angelo Harrison of Houston, who is rarely at a loss for words, said the 911 Memorial is breathtaking. Swingman Amir Garrett of California said when listening to the firefighters speak he could feel their emotion that fateful morning.
O’Keefe urged the Red Storm players to remember the sacrifices that took place here, the dreams cut short, the lives taken, and implored the players to consider that the next time they felt like not hustling. He reminded them this is a city of champions — Giants and Yankees.
The team, with Lavin and O’Keefe in the middle, came together with arms raised and broke the huddle by declaring “Heroes!’’
lenn.robbins@nypost.com