St. John’s basketball staying busy on recruiting trail during summer

The St. John’s basketball program is staying busy over the summer months. 

Despite missing out on the postseason it has been a busy couple of months in Queens as the St. John’s basketball program positions itself for the future.

The Johnnies added a dynamic duo in the transfer portal of Illinois guard Andre Curbelo and DePaul wing David Jones but the work on the recruiting trail does not stop there for head coach Mike Anderson and his staff.

St. John’s has hosted several elite prospects since its season has ended, most notably Christ the King (NY) standout Brandon Williams.

Williams, a member of the Class of 2023, is one of the major targets for St. John’s this summer alongside four-star forward Brandon Gardner.

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Brandon Williams is also ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 134 player in the country and No. 2 player of New York, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Four-star rising senior Carl Cherenfant also visited St. John’s this summer as well as three-star guard Silas Demary Jr.

Cherenfant, a star at Calvary Christian Academy (Fla.), ranks as the No. 85 player in the Class of 2023 while Demary Jr., a Liberty Heights Athletic Institute (NC) standout, is slotted as the No. 180 player in the nation.

Hudson Catholic (NJ) standout athlete Elijah Gertrude also visited Queens within the last month as the local product has many other suitors in the area such as Seton Hall, Rutgers, and Iona.

St. John’s basketball targeting high school teammates

There seems to be a theme surrounding St. John’s strategy on the recruiting trail and that involves brining high school teammates to Queens.

The strategy has already worked for Mike Anderson and his coaching staff as Our Savior Lutheran (NY) teammates Posh Alexander and Dylan Addae-Wusu are already on the Red Storm’s roster as well as Long Island Lutheran (NY) teammates Rafael Pinzon and Drissa Traore, who were joined by Curbelo as an addition from the transfer portal.

St. John’s hosted Roselle Catholic (NJ) teammates Jaiden Glover and Rich Brisco, Archbishop Stepinac (NY) teammates Johnuel ‘Boogie’ Fland and Danny Carbuccia, as well as Bishop Loughlin (NY) teammates Christian Jeffrey and Jakai Sanders.

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Glover and Brisco, both Class of 2024 recruits, are not yet ranked among major recruiting outlets nor are Jeffery and Sanders, however, Bishop Loughlin produced St. John’s star Julian Champagnie, an unranked recruit who developed into one of the best players in the Big East Conference.

Champagnie is hoping to hear his name called at the NBA Draft in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday night.

‘Boogie’ Fland, a Class of 2024 stud, is ranked by the 247Sports Composite Rankings as a five-star point guard, No. 13 player in the nation, and No. 2 player in New York.

Danny Carbuccia, a Class of 2025 recruit, is not ranked as recruiting outlets have not publicized its rankings for the rising sophomore class.

St. John’s is certainly making more inroads on the recruiting trail than previous coaching staffs with the program but now the Johnnies have to seal the deal and land multiple of these coveted prospects.