St. John's Red Storm coach Rick Pitino is known for his unconventional tactics, but this latest move may be one step too far. In a surprise switch, Pitino opted to start Idaho State transfer Dylan Darling over highly touted transfers Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon in Saturday night's 93-60 victory over William & Mary.
When questioned about the decision, Pitino praised Darling for his "great moxie" and ability to play with "no fear." While the coach acknowledged that his team's starters struggled against William & Mary's full-court press, it was clear that he had a change of heart after seeing how practice turned out.
Darling, who returned from a calf strain on Thursday, figured out he was starting in Saturday morning's shootaround and delivered a strong performance. His chemistry with Oziyah Sellers, who scored 18 points in the game, was evident as they found ways to get each other open on offense.
Sellers praised Darling for his vision and ability to find him open on the court. "He finds ways to get me open," Sellers said. "I'm used to playing off-ball, so I feel natural."
It's worth noting that this is the first time St. John's has scored 90 or more points in the first three games of a season since 1971-72. While Pitino's unconventional approach may pay off in the long run, it remains to be seen how his team will adapt to their new starting lineup.
In other news, Pitino was challenged by a referee on Saturday night regarding a goaltending call against Dillon Mitchell with a 78-45 lead. Despite his coach's protests, the referee allowed the play to stand, and the Red Storm ultimately won the game.
As for Darling, he will look to build on his performance against William & Mary in upcoming games. With his unique style of play and ability to find his teammates open, he may be just what St. John's needs to take their season to new heights.
When questioned about the decision, Pitino praised Darling for his "great moxie" and ability to play with "no fear." While the coach acknowledged that his team's starters struggled against William & Mary's full-court press, it was clear that he had a change of heart after seeing how practice turned out.
Darling, who returned from a calf strain on Thursday, figured out he was starting in Saturday morning's shootaround and delivered a strong performance. His chemistry with Oziyah Sellers, who scored 18 points in the game, was evident as they found ways to get each other open on offense.
Sellers praised Darling for his vision and ability to find him open on the court. "He finds ways to get me open," Sellers said. "I'm used to playing off-ball, so I feel natural."
It's worth noting that this is the first time St. John's has scored 90 or more points in the first three games of a season since 1971-72. While Pitino's unconventional approach may pay off in the long run, it remains to be seen how his team will adapt to their new starting lineup.
In other news, Pitino was challenged by a referee on Saturday night regarding a goaltending call against Dillon Mitchell with a 78-45 lead. Despite his coach's protests, the referee allowed the play to stand, and the Red Storm ultimately won the game.
As for Darling, he will look to build on his performance against William & Mary in upcoming games. With his unique style of play and ability to find his teammates open, he may be just what St. John's needs to take their season to new heights.
and yeah, that goaltending call was sus asf... I mean, come on coach, you're not even a ref anymore, chill. 
anyway, only time will tell if this unconventional approach pays off or just ends up being another bad decision from Pitino 
. The Red Storm's chemistry with Darling and Sellers was definitely on display, and if they can keep that up, watch out! The 90+ point mark is crazy for the first three games - we're gonna see some big numbers this season 
. But, gotta wonder what went through Pitino's mind when he decided to make that change... did he have a gut feeling or just saw something in practice that others didn't? 
That's some bold moves right there! I'm not sure if it was a calculated risk or just a gut feeling, but I think it paid off big time 
. Darling's chemistry with Sellers is undeniable - they're like two peas in a pod out there on the court! 
And let's be real, scoring 93 points against William & Mary? 
That's some serious momentum building for this team!
It's not often you see a coach give that kind of praise to a player who was brought in as a backup. And I'm glad they got the win, but now it'll be interesting to see how this new lineup adapts to their next opponent 
. Either way, I'm hyped for this team's season and excited to see how Darling continues to contribute 
... I mean, I get the "no fear" vibe from Darling, but is he really ready for this level of competition? 
... St. John's hasn't scored 90+ points in a season opener since 1971-72... that's some old-school mojo 
... anyway, I'm both intrigued and worried about this new starting lineup 
. I mean, who needs experience and chemistry when you can just throw someone into the mix and hope for the best? 
The fact that his team scored over 90 points in one game is definitely not a fluke... or is it? 
The Red Storm's starting lineup changes are already getting old, but hey, maybe this is what they needed to shake things up. Let's see how this "great moxie" of Darling's plays out over the next few weeks