One of the most accomplished players, in terms of wins and championships, returns to Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon when the St. John’s basketball program hosts Iona.
Sadiku Ibine Ayo, a two-time captain and four-time Big East champion, made the move back to the Gaels this offseason after beginning his career there under head coach Rick Pitino
Ibine Ayo followed Pitino to the Red Storm once the school hired the Hall of Famer and he was integral in helping change the culture of the Johnnies and be the translator for his teammates when his head coach would yell in practice or games.
“He’s like a son to me,” Pitino explained of his former player on Wednesday.
He added that his children joke with him about how he could let Ibine Ayo go to another team and his grandchildren refer to him as “Uncle Sadiku”.
Yet there will be no love lost when the ball is tipped at noon for Rick Pitino.
“We’re going to do everything to stop his [butt],” he said.
Yet the conversation between Ibine Ayo and Rick Pitino in the offseason was not that difficult, the head coach said, about letting his co-captain go elsewhere and get more playing time to finish out his career.
“Once we play you, I’ll be at a lot of your games,” Pitino recalled of his conversation with Ibine Ayo. “He took less money to play at Iona than play with us, and I was totally in favor of it. He needs to play major minutes.”
After not scoring in Iona’s season opening victory over Vermont, Sadiku Ibine Ayo went for 10 points and five rebounds in a win over NJIT.
He played in 66 games in his three years with St. John’s, averaging 1.9 and 1.8 points per game, respectively, in his two fully healthy seasons but his scoring production is not what’s missed in Queens, it’s his leadership.
Ibine Ayo was always one of the most liked and respected players inside the St. John’s locker room and his void in leadership is something the Red Storm are still looking to replace.
“You’ve just got to understand the type of person he is,” Ibine Ayo said this week following Iona practice about Rick Pitino. “He is putting his all into you…When you get to understand why he is doing that, then you kind of realize that it’s not coming from a bad place.”
Sadiku Ibine Ayo joked that he thinks the reunion in Manhattan will be emotional for Pitino “because he kind of loves [him].” Ibine Ayo even said that he thinks his former coach will shed a tear.
“No, I won’t cry,” Pitino emphatically said when asked if he would be emotional. “I’ll cry if we lose,” he equipped.
Nevertheless, Sadiku Ibine Ayo will get a wonderful and rousing ovation from the St. John’s fans gathered at The Garden on Sunday afternoon.
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