In the first round on Tuesday, the 13^th seeded Red Storm (17-15) upset the Connecticut Huskies (17-15), 73-51. St. John’s began the contest with great intensity and took a 10-2 lead at 15:15. A free throw by Paris Horne gave the Red Storm its first double digit advantage, 22-12, at 10:48. The first half ended with St. John’s leading, 35-22.

The Red Storm never led by less than eight points in the second half. The team surged ahead during the final eight minutes. St. John’s climbed to a game-high 25 point advantage with 46 remaining after a 22-6 scoring run. After the contest, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun profusely praised the St. John’s team, “they [St. John’s] came out with purpose, physicality and quite frankly handed us our butts. They knocked us all off our screens. They completely outplayed us. They were much hungrier than we were.” Calhoun clearly foresees a great improvement for New York City’s only representative in the Big East Conference, “They certainly have a bright future ahead of them. They’ll be one of the better teams, I think, in the Big East, certainly top five or six next year.”

The second round game against Marquette (21-10) was reminiscent of the contest between the two teams at Carnesecca Arena in Queens late in the regular season when Marquette edged St. John’s, 63-61 in overtime. Marquette scored the first six points of the contest on Wednesday, and held the lead throughout the first half. After an opening second half basket by Marquette’s David Cubillan, St. John’s went on a 22-10 scoring run to tie the game at 39 with 10:46 left to play. The game was tied four more times in the next seven minutes, but St. John’s again fell short by two points, 57-55. St. John’s was without the services of its second leading scorer Dwight Hardy. The Bronx native has made an important contribution to the team’s improvement this season. Hardy’s leg injury, suffered  late in the regular season, has kept him out of the lineup. The highly competitive contest excited the large local crowd in attendance. After the conclusion of the exciting contest, Marquette coach Buzz Williams gave credit to his counterpart at St. John’s, “Coach Roberts doesn’t get the credit he’s deserving of for how hard his team plays. ..If you were to ask our players who is the hardest playing team in the league, they would tell you St. John’s. I don’t think teams play hard just for one another. I think they play hard for one another and for their coach. I think that’s what St. John’s does. I think that’s what they did yesterday. And I thought they were the hardest playing team today.”

Nevertheless, Clottey has bypassed the questions as to why he has become the second fiddle. He almost defeated Miguel Cotto last year for the WBO welterweight title, now held by Pacquiao at Madison Square Garden.  And Clottey realizes to defeat Pacquiao more punches will have to be thrown.

“You know I am not a flyweight, not a bantamweight,” says Clottey (35-3, 20KO’s) a native of Ghana now residing in the Bronx “I am a welterweight and welterweights only throw punches that connect.  I can throw punches which connect and land and cause damage.”

That fight with Cotto, last June at Madison Square Garden in New York almost went to Clottey. Another punch here or there and Cotto would have been dethroned. That’s how close the fight was. “I can throw punches which connect and land and cause damage,” says Clottey.  “If you look at the last fight, I won the last round. He (Cotto) threw punches and I blocked them and threw punches and they connected. I will throw punches that cause damage,”

And if Clottey stands any chance against the powerful Pacquiao, (50-3, 38KO’s) from the Philippines, he will have to punch and also throw his jabs with authority. Pacquiao is considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the business and after defeating Cotto achieved boxing history as the first time seven division champion.

“My training is going to show when I get in the ring, but with Manny Pacquiao you don’t have to miss with him,” commented Clottey last week. “When he is throwing you have to let him do it.  A victory would mean very ,very more than a lot to me. That’s why I am so happy about this opportunity,”

There is constant suspicion that Pacquiao may be taking steroids, a question that has been raised now because Pacquiao refused Olympic style drug testing that caused his fight with Mayweather  to be called off/ Mayweather wanted that blood sample testing of  three random times as a stipulation and the Pacquiao camp did everything they could do to prevent it,

As a result Clottey got his big opportunity, this time at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium that could see a crowd in excess of 40,000. On the steroid issue hovering around Pacquiao, Cottey said, “I don’t want him to do that because I respect him too much. I don’t think Manny Pacquiao is doing that thing.”

“If he is doing that thing he is killing the sport. I believe in him. I know he throws a lot of punches. He is the man now and he is the best fighter out there.  When I walk in the ring I know what I will have to do to win the fight.”

Cottey was never thinking about this fight. He wanted another shot at Cotto. But the chance came, and his career has always been about defeating any fighter that would give him an opportunity. Pacquiao this Saturday night offers that opportunity and a win for Clottey could turn the division upside down.

One other factor to consider as Clottey fights for his fourth world title. His trainer, Kwame Asante was not granted a visa form Ghana. Clottey has been tutored by the veteran Lenny DeJesus of the Bronx, a valuable cut man as well who at one time worked the corner with Pacquiao’s main and acclaimed trainer Freddy Roach.

“:Lenny has over 40 years in the business and I feel very confident and comfortable with him,” says Clottey.  DeJesus has also been in the corner of Clottey as a cut man. “He was pushing me a lot,” says Clottey, “and he knows what he is doing.”

What the boxing world will find out Saturday evening is how much the Cotto fight taught Clottey. He wins and for sure he is not looked as a second fiddle when it comes to the mega fight.

GOLDEN GLOVES CONTINUE WITH DISAPPOINTING OUTCOMES:  Bronx based Victor Pena was a busy trainer the past few days preparing three of his fighters for a chance to advance in the 40^th annual Daily News New York City Golden Gloves Tournament. Pena has guided 42 champions to the illustrious gold over the years.

The 49^th annual tournament, most prestigious amateur one in the country, that has led many more to pro boxing championship fame continued last week in the New York City area. Pena packed his bags and met his kids at his temporary quarters, John’s Gym in the South Bronx.  His kids have been training there because their home gym, Morris Park was gutted by a fire in December,

Pena on three separate evenings got his fighters in his van, along with some supporters as they took the journey to Glen Cove Long Island, Flushing Queens and near the Sheepshead Bay area of Brooklyn. Golden Gloves venues are picked months in advance by Daily News Community Relations Director Brian Adams a Golden Gloves champion in the 1990’s who had a brief pro career as a welterweight.

“We prefer to do the shows at community centers and churches,” says Adams at ringside last week when the quarterfinals continued at the Electrical industrial Center in Flushing   “It’s a win situation for all,” he says as the directors of the venues split profits with tournament organizers.

As so often happens, Pena and other trainers will arrive at venues and their fighters will discover that the preparation has to wait for another day. Either one or two participants is, a no- show, or there is a medical or weight issue and the result is a bye into the next round.

Pena’s fighters get to Glen Cove and find out that their bouts in the 114 pound weight class are not until Saturday evening in Brooklyn. “Someone made a mistake, somewhere,” comments Pena.   So it is on to Friday in Flushing/

You arrive at the venue. Fighters are cramped in a back room and called one-by-one for their physicals. This time Pena’s fighter, Frank Garriga is first on the bout sheet and ready to try and advance to the semifinals in the 123-pound open class. He, like many others has no idea what his opponent will do. It is hard to study an opponent in this tournament, not like the pro game where fight tapes are available.

Garriga had a tough time with Marcus Suarez and failed to get his second pair of gloves. He won the 119-pound novice final at Madison Square Garden two years ago. “You did not do your running and lost your stamina,” said Pena to his fighter when it was all over.  “I want to turn pro,” said Garriga who felt he won the fight.

Pena quickly dispelled any thoughts to his fighter about turning professional. At the age of 21, Garriga still has plenty to learn. But like most fighters who fail to get a decision in this tournament, the feeling is they got robbed by inept judges. “No you win when you throw more punches,” says Pena.

Pena’s two other fighters, Chayanne Rivera and Jeffrey Archie also fell short in the quarterfinals on Saturday night. Rivera, of the south Bronx lost his first amateur fight getting stopped after the second round. The anticipation that was there Thursday waited another day and was quickly over.

You here the same response from Rivera, that was heard from Garriga the night before.  “I want to turn pro.” And they same response from Pena, “You are not ready,” as this trainer has concern for his fighters.   “It’s back to the drawing board,” said Pena to his fighters after Archie lost a tough decision to conclude a losing thee days.

The good thing is these are kids. The earning process to only get better, and as Archie said, after failing in his second attempt to get to the finals, “I won’t quit this tournament until I get those gloves.” Yes the Golden Gloves are so important to these young pugilists looking for prominence.  The finals are at the Madison Square Garden WaMu Theatre March 25^th and 26^th.

COTTO FIGHT HEADED TO YANKEE STADIUM:  It is not official but should be in the next few days Miguel Cotto, the former welterweight champion who lost to Pacquiao late last year will return to New York and have his next fight at Yankee Stadium Saturday June 5^th opposing Yuri Foreman in a fight that would be televised on HBO Sports.

“It’s almost certain to be a date,” said a source at Top Rank, promoter of Cotto.  The particulars as to seating and where the ring would be placed are the remaining elements that have kept the official announcement from being made.

Foreman and Cotto does not have the magnitude as a Cotto-Mayweather or Cotto-Shane Mosley bout would, however the Yankees organization is intent on returning boxing back to their palace in the Bronx, and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is a close friend of Yankees CEO Lonn Trost.

Foreman holds one of those alphabet soup belts in boxing and has a tremendous following in the New York Jewish community.  So the fight will generate some interest in the Bronx especially with the popularity Cotto has in the Puerto Rican community.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com Log on to: www.keepitinthering,net

St. Johns manhandled Jim Calhoun’s squad, 73-51 in a game that may have said more about UConn then it does about St. Johns. With Roberts’ job rumored to be hanging by a thread, with the pressure to win a few games at least in this tournament, this win over one of the top collegiate programs in the country may have let some of the steam out of the pressure cooker St. Johns has become for its coach and its players.

Calhoun, the Hall of Fame coach who took UConn from being another backwater basketball program to among the top five in the country over the past 20 years, didn’t come through on his promise to bench seniors Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson at the start because of poor play in recent weeks. They did not reward him for the trust.

St. John’s (17-4), the 13th seed, advances to a second-round meeting with No. 5 Marquette at 2 p.m. Wednesday. UConn (17-15) had any hope of reaching the NCAA Tournament snuffed.

Sean Evans had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Horne and Justin Brownlee added 13 points apiece for the Storm as it overcame the absence of second-leading scorer Dwight Hardy (knee). Kemba Walker scored 12 points for UConn.

Being without Hardy was one thing, but leading scorer D.J. Kennedy picked up a second foul just 4:07 into the game and had to go to the bench. He did return for a few minutes and had just five points in seven minutes at halftime but St. John’s held a 35-22 lead.

The slack was picked up by Brownlee and Omari Lawrence. It had been more than a month since Lawrence played more than 10 minutes in a game, but he was the first one off the bench. He had four points on 2-for-3 shooting in 12 first-half minute. Brownlee had seven points on 3-for-5 shooting in 11 first-half minutes.

The Huskies shot just 31% in the first half.

In the second half UConn never got closer than eight points, last at 42-34 on a Robinson layup with 14:23 to play.

After it’s over, you have to wait 50 more weeks to see some live tennis in New York City.

Of course, a true fan of the sport can travel across the country – or even the world – to see the best play, but nothing compares to, as it’s called, the rock-and-roll atmosphere of the big city.

That’s why it’s refreshing to see an event line the 2010 BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup which took place on last Monday at Madison Square Garden. With Kim Clijster, Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Venus Williams playing an exhibition, a glimpse of the last summer came to New York during the cold winter.

And it really didn’t matter the first matches only went one set each and the played with the no-Ad rule, what was seen was very exciting tennis at the Mecca.

“There was definitely a real connection [at the Garden],” said Williams, the eventual winner over Clijsters, 6-4 3-6 7-5. “They were just rooting me on and it felt great. That’s the most fun I had in front of a crowd anywhere. It’s nice to see how much it means to them having tennis at the Garden.”

Back about 20 years ago, the New York area was the capital of Tennis. Besides the Open, the WTA championships were held at the Garden and even the Davis Cup came to New York. There was an event in Northern New Jersey over the summer, and even old Forest Hills hosted bigger events.

But then everything changed when world class facilities popped up around the globe offering top dollar prizes. Most of the tournaments moved out of the Metropolitan Area, leaving the last major of the year as the only tennis in the city.

And that’s why putting an event at the Garden is so important for the sport. With less and less coverage in the in the papers, having a any event in the largest media market means tennis will get the exposure it desperately needs.

That’s not to say all these other cities that want to host events shouldn’t get them, but the ATP and WTA needs to keep the sport in the focus of the largest media markets in order to keep it in conscience of the TV, radio and print.

So, maybe the powers that be should consider expanding this new late winter event into a weekend event. Instead of making it one night, it could be a full weekend with no gimmicky rules and an expanded card. And since it would be in February or March, the event won’t get the distracted of other sports. Football will be over, baseball is in Florida, and the Knicks and Rangers obviously are road teams for that weekend.

And every newspaper looking to fill their pages will be there and tennis, once again, may get the spotlight it so desperately seeks.

John Tortorella

Chris Drury

Henrik Lundqvist

Jason Arnott

Dan Ellis

Notes:

POST-GAME QUOTES

John Tortorella on the team…

“When you are trying to crawl out of a hole and trying to gain some consistency in your game, your structure of your team concept and your discipline, at all times, at this time of year, is so important.  We are not good enough not to be dead on with that stuff there.”

Henrik Lundqvist on his play…

“I felt good.  There were a lot of breakaways tonight.  They created a lot around the net.  I knew, going into the game, I can’t afford any mistakes.  I think the D played really well around the net.  It is really tough.  We play as good as we can in our end, still let up a couple of breakaways, but I still think we played pretty good in our end.  It comes down to scoring.  You can see how you feed off of a goal.  As you score we get energy and some speed but then they score and we lose that energy a little bit.”

Chris Drury on the team…

“We have just been trying to play the right way. We have been playing the right way for the most part. It’s just such a fine line in this League, the smallest little mistake, whether it’s a penalty or just not finishing a great chance, or just the bounce of the puck can cost you the game and can get you spinning in the wrong direction.”

For more information contact Bob Trainor at trainorcomm@gmail.com.

During tonight’s 118-114 Sacramento King win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Evans decided,with the Kings losing at the half and making up no ground in the third quarter, he would take over the game as the bright lights of Broadway were shining clearly on him. The kid didn’t flinch as he led his team.

Evans finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, scoring 12 points in the final seven minutes of regulation after the Knicks had built a 15-point lead, repeatedly finding his way into the lane.

“I think the people in New York got a little idea of why we like Tyreke so much,” Kings coach Paul Westphal said. “The Garden got kind of quiet when he did that little two-step slippery thing he does. It’s something you don’t see very often.”

With 7:15 to go in the fourth quarter and the Knicks leading by 15 points, Evans scored 12 of the Kings final 15 points to bring them to a tie as the final buzzer sounded. He was an unstoppable force as his skill with the basketball, quickness, 220 pound strength, long arms, and court sense led to a variety of drives to the hoop for layups and penetration and dishes to a waiting Kevin Martin as the Knicks, even with their defensive stopper, Jared Jeffries guarding him, could do nothing to stop the kid.

The 6’6” first year player, fresh off of John Calipari’s previous point guard development program in Memphis, Tennessee (before moving on to Kentucky and John Wall) has taken the league by storm and is the leading candidate for NBA Rookie of the Year. The reality is this – if this kid, just 19, stays on the straight and narrow and continues a normal maturation process for any young player, he will become among the greatest of players in the games’ history. He’s that talented.

Meanwhile, the Knicks continue their precipitous drop into basketball oblivion as any previous hopes for playoff participation this season disappear into the netherworld of NBA also-rans.

Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni was left scratching his head again after his team lost it’s 10^th game out of their last 13, a streak that couldn’t come at a worse time as their record dropped to a season-worst 13 games under .500 (13-32).

“We’re up 15 with about seven to go and we didn’t get up on Donte Greene’s shot,” he said. “Then they had a lay-up, we didn’t get back in transition and Donte hits another one. So, it went from 15 to about 7 in about 30 seconds.”

His team was missing Danilo Gallinari, who went out with an injured forearm with one minute left in the third quarter. But, that’s not what beat the Knicks tonight. It was a lack of floor leadership when the game got tight, and according to D’Antoni, a lack of spirit.

“We’re struggling to find a way to get the ball in the right place,” he said. “Gallinari being out is no excuse, we just, for whatever reason, I don’t know, there’s a lot of spirit that has gone out of this dog and we’re just not fighting.”

Evans, on the contrary, noticed the huge amount of fight his side exhibited, particularly in the second half.

“We just never gave up, we kept fighting, trying to get the win and coach Westphal believed in us,” he said. “I think the main that got us the win was me pushing the ball, getting an easy bucket and an easy transition point.”

He’s correct. Until Westphal told him in the fourth quarter to go win the game, Evans was not playing aggressively. It looked like he got the green light to take things over when it mattered most, though.

“We got a great performance from Tyreke,” said Westphal. “We did like we’ve been doing all year. If we get behind, we don’t quit, keep playing. Tonight, we happened to close it out.”

Sounds very different from D’Antoni’s laments, doesn’t it. And, this Sacramento team has a worse record (17-34) than the Knicks yet they seem hungrier and more aggressive than a Knicks team that’s falling faster out of the playoff discussion than one of Chris Duhon’s recent flings at the basket disguised as shots.

Al Harrington scored 17 for New York, Jeffries had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season and Nate Robinson had 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting, also leaving the game at one point after having the wind knocked out of him.

Coach Paul Westphal

Tyreke Evans

Chris Duhon

Danilo Gallinari

For more information contact Bob Trainor at trainorcomm@gmail.com.

McGuire was born in the Bronx on January 25, 1926. The family moved to Rockaway to be near the bar and grill owned by McGuire’s father. It was on the playgrounds in Queens and at St. John’s University where McGuire honed his considerable basketball skills.  Serving in the armed forces and graduating from St. John’s in 1949, McGuire was drafted by the New York Knicks. After his first two seasons with the Knicks, Dick’s younger brother, Al, became his backcourt teammate. They played beside one another for three seasons until Al was traded to Baltimore.

The slick ball handler led his team in assists in his first seven seasons with the club. He was elected an All-Star in five of his eight years with the Knicks. Only Walt Frazier and Mark Jackson surpassed McGuire’s total of assists as a Knick. Interestingly, both offered gracious words of praise yo a man they considered as a mentor. McGuire was Frazier’s coach when the latter joined the Knicks in 1965. Jackson, a fellow St. John’s grad, was scouted by McGuire. Both attested to the integral influence McGuire had upon their success in professional basketball and to McGuire’s innate decency.

McGuire was traded to the Detroit Pistons after the end of the 1956-57 season. He returned to the Knicks organization as coach for the 1965-66 season. He remained until his death. After his coaching duties ended, McGuire held a variety of positions, assistant coach, chief scout, director of scouting services. He was named senior basketball adviser in 2004. His son, Scott, joined the Knicks as a scout in 1988.

McGuire was the recipient of a number of well-deserved honors during his lifetime. He was one of the rare athletes whose uniform number hangs in the rafter of Madison Square Garden. The number 15 that he and Earl Monroe wore as Knicks was retired in 1992. In the following year, McGuire was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, where he joined his younger brother, Al, the former NCAA champion coach of Marquette and esteemed basketball broadcaster. They are the only pair of brothers in the Naismith Hall. In the spring of 2009, McGuire received the first Knickerbocker Legacy award.

This award is given in recognition of Knickerbocker Pride, Tradition and Class. It was announced at the ceremony that the award would be renamed the Dick McGuire Award to further honor its first recipient. The newly named honor will be awarded at MSG on February 22, Legends Night.

My final personal memory of McGuire was a long chat we had in the perss room at MSG on Janury 13. McGuire was scouting at a college doubleheader involving his Alma Mater against the Cincinnati Bearcats and Fordham against the Dayton Flyers. McGuire, self-effacing and soft-spoken as always, reminisced of his past experiences and shared his opinions of current players including the Bearcats highly touted freshman Lance Stephenson. McGuire was very positive in his personal outlook and thankful to still be a regular at MSG. He was, of course, extremely pleasant, courteous and friendly.

McGuire has left behind his wife of 54 years, four children, seven grandchildren and a multitude of admirers. One of those admirers was Knicks president Donnie Walsh, who commented, “He’s been a part of this, almost like the bricks, and so I don’t know of anybody in the league that I can say that about in the same way. So, it’s a terrible loss for us.” Each member of the team will be wearing the number 15 on his jersey for the remainder of the season.

Trainor Communications has provided us with this sound from the game.

Henrik Lundqvist

Marian Gaborik

Ryan Callahan

Martin Brodeur

Ilya Kovalchuk

For more information contact Bob Trainor at trainorcomm@gmail.com.

Notes:

• New York has posted a record of 12-4-2 vs. New Jersey since the start of the 2007-08 season; goaltender Henrik Lundqvist improved to 17-6-5 in 28 career regular season appearances vs. New Jersey, including a record of 16-3-4 head-to-head vs. Martin Brodeur.
• The Rangers tallied one goal in three power play opportunities (4:36), and are now five-for-nine (55.6%) on the man advantage in the last two games.
• Henrik Lundqvist stopped 41 of 42 shots to improve to 23-21-6 on the season, including a 12-13-4 mark at MSG; he has now held opponents to two or fewer goals in 21 of his last 28 games dating back to a 2-1 win at Buffalo on Dec. 5, posting a 12-11-5 record, along with a 2.33 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and one shutout over the span; it was Lundqvist’s sixth 40-plus save performance of his career and second of the season, having registered a career-high 45 saves on Jan. 12 vs. New Jersey.
• Rangers Alternate Captain Ryan Callahan notched the game-winning goal and added a power play assist in 22:22 of icetime; he has recorded four points (two goals and two assists) in the last two games; Callahan also led all skaters with six hits, and registered a team-high five shots on net.
• Marian Gaborik opened the game’s scoring with a power play goal at 7:20 of the second period to extend his point streak to five games, registering eight points (six goals and two assists) over the span; he is currently tied for the NHL lead with 13 power play goals, which marks his single-season career-high.
• Rangers Captain Chris Drury tallied the Rangers’ third goal at 9:59 of the second, registered four hits and won a team-high 10 faceoffs in 16 attempts (63%); Drury is now two points shy of 600 career NHL points.
• Brandon Prust tallied his first point as a Ranger with an assist on Drury’s second period goal, and finished the contest with two fighting majors; he is currently tied for the NHL lead with 21 fighting majors on the season.
• Michael Del Zotto registered an assist on Gaborik’s power play goal, and has now recorded a power play assist in each of the last two games; he leads the team with 14 power play assists and ranks third with 17 power play points.
• Matt Gilroy recorded one assist in 14:00 of icetime, and now has two assists in the last two games; the Rangers have now posted a record of 6-3-1 when he registers a point.
• The Blueshirts’ next practice is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8 (11:00 a.m.), at the MSG Training Center.
• The Rangers will conclude their three-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb. 10, vs. the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.); the game will be televised live on MSG Network and can be heard on 1050 ESPN Radio.

POST-GAME QUOTES

John Tortorella on Henrik Lundqvist…

“He played very well.  He made some good saves early.  When they mounted on us in the third period, he made some great saves.  We need it, that is how you win.  We are not the only team, every team that wins gets goaltending.  Henrik is the backbone.  He played very well tonight.”

Henrik Lundqvist on beating New Jersey…

“It doesn’t matter who you play.  The top teams are not that much better than the teams that are in 10th place, they are just more consistent.  The game, itself, is not tougher.  They have been very consistent, that is why they are up there.  Don’t get me wrong, they are a very good team.  It is going to be just as tough to play a seventh place team.  It was a fun game, a lot of action.  We scored some huge goals in the second period.  It was a good game to get.”

Marian Gaborik on the upcoming Winter Olympics…

“Everybody is focused on the season here.  The Olympics hasn’t started yet.  When the day comes we will focus on that but the main focus is the season right now.”