Sports

Lavin wants St. John’s to use Knicks’ Garden locker room

St. John’s basketball coach Steve Lavin knows his two recruiting trump cards are the university’s location in New York and the prestige of being the only college team that can call Madison Square Garden home.

He’s looking to make the most of the latter.

Lavin yesterday told The Post he would like to use to the Knicks’ locker room and turn it into a Red Storm experience for players and recruits.

St. John’s has used an auxiliary locker room in the past. Lavin chatted up Joel Fisher, the Garden’s executive VP for Sports Properties at halftime of yesterday’s U.S. national team tuneup against France.

“I want the players to know that this is a special building in college basketball history,” said Lavin. “We want to take playing here to the next level.”

Lavin said he would like to put down a red St. John’s carpet, install players nameplates above the lockers and use lush chairs. Fisher was excited about the idea and doesn’t see a scheduling conflict with the Knicks.

“St John’s and MSG go back a long, long time and we’ll work with them to accommodate their goals,” said Fisher. “We look forward to working with coach Lavin and continuing the Garden’s tradition as the mecca of college basketball.”