St. John's Jordan Dingle is getting back to basics, and it's paying off
Jordan Dingle of the St. John's Red Storm puts up a shot during the second half against the Creighton Bluejays at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
INDIANAPOLIS – While the task looked considerably daunting, Rick Pitino seemed the perfect choice to do it. After a near quarter-century slide, St. John’s wanted its basketball program to once again be relevant, competitive and highly successful. Yes, there would be tremendous pressure and expectations but, hey, it’s Rick Pitino – it’s what he does.
Now consider what it might be like to be a player on Pitino’s first Red Storm team. The Hall of Fame coach is doing what he’s done to turn around programs like Kentucky and Louisville, but it’s on you to deliver the results.
And when the team gets off to its best conference start in more than two decades?
On one hand, you get the confidence it’s all coming together. On the other, you now have something to lose. And you feel that second one more after a couple near misses and a clunker make for three straight defeats.
It is unsurprising to hear the Pitino-crafted Daniss Jenkins describe the last part of the Storm’s recent 2-8 stretch – when so many leads were blown – as a team with a mindset of “playing not to lose.”
“I think that there was a big fear out there of not wanting to make a mistake,” Jordan Dingle said Tuesday. “Obviously all of us are new to St. John's and the majority of us are new to coach Pitino. Probably the reason why [Jenkins is] such a great leader for us is that he's never really let that affect him. He's never really out there worried about making a mistake. And he's, you know, had an amazing season as a result of it.”
Note the use of the past tense there. St. John’s played its best game Sunday to score a huge Big East win over then-No. 15 Creighton, keeping alive the chance of winning its way to an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. The Red Storm (16-12, 8-9) can keep that hope kindled and extend its win streak to three at Butler (16-12, 7-10) Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Dingle has played his best in the back-to-back wins with 40 points on 16-for-26 shooting. As Division I’s top returning scorer, the Penn transfer and Valley Stream product arrived with much hype. But when Pitino spoke about Dingle in the first months, it was always about him needing to improve defense, rebounding and passing. And with his scoring average down about 13 points from last season just a couple weeks ago, he drew attention for the wrong reasons.
Pitino has now stopped asking Dingle to focus on weaknesses and instead emphasize his strengths. And he has played like a changed man.
“It's not like he's just completely asked me to stop doing those things, but I think that he noticed I seemed uncomfortable and [was] overthinking a bit and just wanted to ease that,” Dingle said. “He is still on me about being more than just a scorer, but when I get out there just look to play basketball the way that I know how to play.”
Associate head coach Steve Masiello delivered Dingle the message that truly landed.
“He said . . . ‘sharks don't climb trees, and squirrels don't swim, so do what you do. Be a shark – go swim. Be squirrel – go climb,’” Dingle said. “Don't try to do things outside yourself.”
Among the Storm regulars, only Jenkins and Nahiem Alleyne have played in an NCAA Tournament. The rest – especially the four others in their final college season – want that very badly. And sometimes that desperate desire to succeed throws off your game. Think about a hitter in a slump. We hear him say he’s “pressing” or “chasing” or “trying to do too much.” Some aspect of this may have been present in the 2-8 skid.
Now after two wins, players say they’re having more fun playing and it’s helping produce good results. Sure, they heard Pitino, asked about the big picture Sunday, reply, “Do I think we can continue? I think we learned a lot tonight. . . . Is it too late? Who knows?” Certainly, Dingle thinks it’s not.
“I definitely did have very high expectations for myself and this team, but the season is still ongoing,” he said. “The journey is almost never what you expect it to be. And the ups and downs and the unforeseen challenges are kind of what make the journey so special."
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
