St. John’s is still feeling the effects of last week’s strip club scandal. Two of its players have left the school, and the basketball program may be in jeopardy.
Last week six players were disciplined for violating school rules by breaking curfew and visiting a strip club. A woman outside the club accused the men of date rape, but she later confessed that she falsified her police report.
The New York Daily News reported Thursday that the St. John’s president might recommend suspending the school’s basketball program if more scandals emerge. But the school’s chief spokeswoman, Jody Fischer, denied that report later Thursday, according to ESPN.
“In no way shape or form are we thinking of disbanding the program,” Fischer said.
Elijah Ingram withdrew from St. John’s after teammate Abe Keita received a one-year suspension from the university. The players’ school suspensions come after last week’s indefinite suspensions from the team.
Another player involved in the incident, Tyler Jones, was reinstated Friday after being suspended last week.
CAL KIDD RETIRED: California honored NBA star Jason Kidd by retiring his jersey at Saturday’s game.
Kidd’s No. 5 jersey now hangs in the rafters of Haas Pavilion, joining the jerseys of Kevin Johnson and Alfred Gigsby.
In his two years at Cal, Kidd led his team to two NCAA tournaments. He received national freshman-of-the-year honors and led the nation in steals as a freshman and assists as a sophomore. He was drafted by the Mavericks after his sophomore season.
“I’m very honored,” Kidd said. “I didn’t think I did enough to get it retired, but (coach Ben Braun) did.”
BITING BACK: Common basketball injuries: ankle sprains, stress fractures, back problems … and spider bites?
South Carolina’s Michael Boynton Jr. underwent surgery after a game Wednesday night, removing an abscess infected sore from his right calf.
“He was bitten, we think, by a spider,” Gamecocks coach Dave Odom said.
The innocent bite grew distracting –swollen and pus-filled — and made it difficult for Boynton to walk. He missed practice on Thursday, drawing some teasing from his teammates.
“You’re going to miss practice because of a mosquito bite?” teammate Ivan Howell joked.
The ridicule didn’t last long, though, as Boynton came back Saturday night with a career-best five three-pointers in an 82-75 victory over Vanderbilt.
D-III DYNAMO: Yes, it’s Division III basketball. But this guy’s No. 1.
Franklin & Marshall coach Glenn Robinson became the winningest coach in Division III history after earning his 667th win Saturday night.
Robinson, in his 33rd year at the school, broke former Illinois Wesleyan coach Dennie Bridge’s record and is now 25th on the all-time NCAA wins list.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
