Super Bowl Sunday was a huge letdown for St. John’s and its fans, but it had nothing to do with the big game.
The Johnnies lost out on touted local prospect Jermaine Lawrence of Pope John XXIII in New Jersey, who said he will attend Cincinnati. He made the announcement on his 18th birthday via Twitter with a link to his Tumblr page.
Lawrence, a 6-foot-10 Jamaica, Queens, native, posted a picture of a Bearcat — Cincinnati’s mascot — with the No. 18, his birthday, and wrote underneath: “My family and I would like to thank all the schools that showed interest. I’m humble to have had the experience of being recruited. After a long discussion with my parents, I’ve decided I’ll be attending the University of Cincinnati!!!!! I’m excited to be apart of #BearcatNation.
“I appreciate and thank those in New York who have supported me. It was a tough decision, however I do believe UC is a better fit for me.”
A consensus five-star recruit, Lawrence is ranked 19th in the nation by Scout.com, the highest ranking for a senior from the city since Lance Stephenson, who also spurned St. John’s for Cincinnati four years ago.
A gifted and versatile athlete, he has 3-point range and is explosive around the basket.
Lawrence is a rare miss on the recruiting trail for St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin, who has quickly turned the Red Storm into a popular destination.
St. John’s, which has limited scholarships available, is actively recruiting top Philadelphia guard Rysheed Jordan, and recently placed a call to gauge interest from Christ the King guard Jon Severe, the top unsigned senior left from the city.