The promotion of former Purdue coach Gene Keady from special advisor to St. John’s assistant coach isn’t the foregone conclusion many have reported it to be, sources have told The Post.
While Keady remains an internal option, Red Storm coach Steve Lavin’s search is still ongoing to replace former assistant and X’s and O’s guru Mike Dunlap, who was hired as head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats in June.
Lavin missed much of last season after recovering from prostate cancer surgery and Dunlap ran the undermanned and freshmen-heavy team, which finished 13-19.
One name that intrigues Lavin, a source said, is brother-in-law John Moore, the longtime head coach at NAIA Westmont College who has compiled a 374-206 record in 19 seasons at the California school. Moore has coached junior national teams overseas, is Westmont’s associate athletic director and also runs camps and high school tournaments.
Westmont, in fact, faced St. John’s in Lavin’s first game with the Red Storm in 2011.
Lavin has met previously met with former NBA veteran and UCLA alum Earl Watson, ESPN recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi, De La Salle (Calif.) High School coach Frank Allocco and current New Orleans Hornets vice president and player personnel Gerald Madkins.
In-house options also include graduate assistants Jason Tilton and Steve Bulan.
Despite reports, Allocco, a close friend of Lavin’s, isn’t completely out of the picture, according to the source. The full coaching staff should be in place within the next two-to-three weeks, the source said.
zbraziller@nypost.com