Tuesday night marks a reunion for members of the St. John's and Seton Hall coaching staffs.
Seventeen years ago, Rick Pitino gave a young coach his first chance at the collegiate level at the suggestion of one of his assistants.
St. John's met its coach, Pirates assistant Rasheen Davis, during a visit to Seton Hall at the Prudential Center.
“I was a guidance counselor in New York City. [Department of Education] I make good money, but is there a chance to work for Rick Pitino? Nobody can say no to that,” Davis told the Post in a phone interview.
None of this would have happened without St. John's Associate Head Coach Steve Masiello.
Davis and Masiello have known each other dating back to childhood, as two locals who played with rival teams on the AAU circuit. Davis played for Riverside Church, Masiello the Gaucho.
After Davis finished playing at Division II St. Thomas Aquinas College, he coached under Moe Hicks at the defunct Rice High School and the Gauchos, where he befriended Masiello.
He was about to play in the college game, but Louisville had an opening on its lower-level staff. Masiello, who was working at Louisville at the time, convinced Pitino to give Davis a chance.
“I definitely think Masiello and Mo Hicks have been very instrumental in getting me to where I am, as well as Coach Pitino,” said Davis, 44, a Bronx native. “He still had to say yes.”
Regarding working under the demanding Pitino, Davis said: The first time I sat down with him he told me what he expected. It was an adjustment. But if you believe you can do something, you will find a way to make it happen. ”
A few years later, Masiello and Davis reconnected, and Davis joined Masiello's staff in Manhattan. Together, they appeared in his two NCAA Tournaments in 2014 and 2015, and continued their memorable battles through his MAAC tournament in March.
“He's very similar to Pitino. Very detail-oriented, very intense. He forced his players and staff to think bigger and better every day,” he said at Arizona State, Pittsburgh, Xavier and the University of Massachusetts. But Davis, a talented recruiter with coaching experience, reflected on Masiello. “His unrealistic expectations have allowed us to do what we have. He makes his players think about things they never believed could happen. is completed.”
Davis added: “You're making your dreams come true. I don't see this as a piece of work. It's what I wanted to do and tried to strive for in every camp. [when I was younger] I hope you are where I am. ”
They are now on opposite sides of the rivalry, with Masiello at St. John's and Davis at Seton Hall, both of whom are important parts of projected NCAA Tournament teams.
They remained close and frequently exchanged text messages. Despite the fact that they are currently recruiting each other, being on opposite sides of the rivalry has not affected their friendship.
Davis previously played against Masiello when Masiello was still the head coach in Manhattan and Davis was an assistant to current Seton Hall head coach Shaheen Holloway at St. Peter's during the 2021-22 season. This was their first meeting as Big East coaches.
“It was definitely a little weird the first time, but it was okay the second time,” Davis said. “It's easy, right? I'm not kidding. I just had to sit there and help the players in any way I could and go along with Sha's message.”
