DENVER — The sweet sound of NCAA Tournament basketballs bouncing on the court reverberated through the Pepsi Center at approximately 7:10 Jamaica time last night, and dribbling them were proud young men wearing this unmistakable WE ARE … ST JOHN’S look, in their eyes and in their body language, proud young men who never stopped believing that March Madness would one day be theirs.
More than any other moment — whipping Duke in the Garden, rising to 15th in the national polls — this was truly the moment that told the college basketball world that St. John’s was back.
It looked like any other basketball arena … baskets on either end … benches … a Jumbotron overhead … but it really was much more than that for the St. John’s Red Storm.
It was a monument to faith and perseverance. To belief. To heart. To an indomitable will. These diehard seniors had waited four years for this. The school had waited nine years for this. Even the coach who had taken UCLA to five Sweet 16s prior to his television hiatus had waited seven years for this.
Now Dance, Johnnies, Dance.
“I think this team — with D.J. — could win a national championship,” Justin Burrell said of injured star D.J. Kennedy. “Without him, it’s a challenge, but I still think we can do it.”
And when it all goes as planned tonight at 9:45 Jamaica time — when Dwight Hardy begins raining 3s from The Bronx … when Paris Horne plays defense like nobody’s business … when Sean Evans plays the part of the neighborhood bully under both baskets … when Justin Brownlee slashes into the lane … when Malik Boothe plays with that chip that always seems to be on his shoulder … when Burrell reminds us again why he was Big East Sixth Man of the Year … when they all try to Do It for D.J. Kennedy — back on Union Turnpike they will be calling the name of the dance The Gone-zaga.
All it takes is 40 minutes of endurance and hustle, of ingenuity and athleticism and mental toughness, to do The Gone-zaga.
Dance, Johnnies, Dance.
Thursday Night Fever, starring Steve Lavin as John Travolta.
After all the waiting for its one shining moment, it would be too cruel for St. John’s to pack up and go home after tonight. The romance of Revive and Advance is not lost on any of us who remember what St. John’s basketball is supposed to mean, always used to mean under Joe Lapchick and Looie Carnesecca.
But now it is Survive and Advance.
If anyone deserves to be Lavin La Vida Loca of March Madness, it is these guys. Our guys.
“Dickie V, Obama, everyone got us losing,” Kennedy said. “It’s firing the fuel, just making us just more want to prove people wrong and just show people we got a great team,” Kennedy said.
The magic of the moment hit as the bus pulled up to the Pepsi Center.
“You see this stuff on TV … it was something you don’t think you’re gonna forget for a long time, pulling up to an arena like this,” senior walk-on Kevin Clark said.
Now they left Auxiliary Locker Room 1, and Burrell looked up from the tunnel and said with a smile, “It’s crazy, man. Big-time arena, I love it.”
The public address announcer introduced St. John’s and then said: “Head coach Steve Lavin, and the St. John’s Red Storm,” and polite applause greeted them, and music began playing.
Kennedy had a tiny video camera in his hand and began taking pictures. As he hobbled onto the court on his wrecked right knee, behind his teammates, in front of fans attending the open practice, he smiled and said: “Never seen nothing like this.”
Kennedy plans on addressing his team sometime before tipoff.
“Just to let ’em know, ‘Don’t worry about me. … We had a great four years, great season … a storied season, one that will probably go down in St. John’s history. Got a lot to be proud about. Don’t let it end tomorrow [tonight].’ ”
No one expects it will. So we should expect to see a team with swag?
“I think our Swag-O-Meter is definitely off the Richter Scale,” Sean Evans said, “and we’re ready to play.”
Ready Storm.
steve.serby@nypost.com