From suspension to starting lineup?
Coach Rick Pitino said electric lead guard Davon Smith, who was benched 13:18 into the game against Georgia in the Bahamas and suspended for the next game after reacting poorly to a sit-in, could be. He said there was enough sex. Down in an extension of the aforementioned loss.
Pitino said Smith responded well after being disciplined.
Mr. Smith spoke on Monday for the first time since his suspension, fulfilling his responsibilities.
He blamed himself and admitted that he had learned a lesson from the situation.
“I think it was inevitable for this team to move forward and build unity. I really think it's over,” Smith said. He had a solid performance against Bryant, scoring 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. “Going forward, I want to be better for the team. Everyone accepts that, but no one really claims it. You fail, you make a mistake, and that's it.
“We had several meetings, talked to them, apologized to the team. Nothing really changed. I just had to take the hit on the wrist and move on.”
Message: There is no one greater than the team. There are standards Pitino expects everyone to meet.
“I broke it, and I was an example of that,” Smith said. “We needed to do that in order for everyone to be locked in and come together as one.”
There's no question how valuable Smith was, averaging 9.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists when he was on the floor.
St. John's outscored opponents by 98 points in 247 minutes.
The Johnnies are playing fast, and the offense seems to be flowing better thanks to the super-quick Smith.
Forward Zuby Ejiofor described Smith's entry into the game as a “change in energy.”
“He's a guy who does a little bit of everything,” Ejiofor said. “He's able to rebound the ball really well, get people open and knock down shots as well. He's a really valuable player for the team. …Especially when he comes into the game, he's starting to run a little bit. I feel like that. [to happen]thanks to his abilities and the connections between all five of them. [floor]”
Smith did not delve too deeply into the cause of the outage, preferring to keep it internal.
It was tough for him to watch that game and a half, especially the loss at Georgia.
“I won't do that. [again] “I won't miss any playing time,” he promised.
St. John's and Kentucky continue to discuss a home-and-home series, but Pitino said there remains an issue with Kentucky wanting to play at home next year and at The Garden in 2027.
St. John's University doesn't want the series to be skipped a year. New Kentucky coach Mark Pope was coached by Pitino at Kentucky.
Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Kentucky championship team that went 34-2 and earned Pitino the nickname “Untouchable.” Pope was the captain of that group.
