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Jordan Dingle, the leading returning scorer in Division I, is still adjusting to new surroundings: A new coach, new teammates and a new school.
“It’s been a lot of fun, first and foremost, and it’s also been challenging, I will admit,” the Penn transfer, who averaged 23.4 points per game a year ago said Tuesday at St. John’s media day. “Obviously coming into a situation with so many new people, playing for a new coaching staff, playing in a system I’ve never played in before, it’s been a tough adjustment. But I’m gaining my footing just like everybody else.”
The Valley Stream, N.Y., native tested the NBA draft waters, but opted for one more year of college ball, playing for Rick Pitino.
The Hall of Fame coach said he believes Dingle is getting used to working harder than he ever has and getting accustomed to a different style of play.
Dingle has been up and down in practices so far.
“I think I do have a lot of room to grow,” Dingle said. “Sometimes I get in my own head, and I overthink at times. That’s something a lot of us do, because of adjusting to the new way we’re playing. There’s a lot of new information being thrown at us. But when we all just settle down and play basketball the way we know how, we look really good.
“It’s more important to just react and let my instincts that I’ve developed over the years guide my actions.”
Connecticut transfer Nahiem Alleyne played for an intense coach last season in Dan Hurley, and he is playing for another one now in Pitino.
Alleyne said there are similarities between the two.
“I kind of joke about it a little bit, but I feel like Coach Hurley is like a younger version of Coach Ptiino, just how he gets after it,” Alleyne said. “Coach Pitino really gets after you. I mean, Coach Hurley does it, too. Coach Pitino is going to push you to your max potential. You need a coach like that every single day.”
Alleyne said the 50-year-old Hurley may yell a little more than Pitino, because he is 21 years younger. But the two have similar ways of pushing their players.
Sophomores RJ Luis and Cruz Davis are both dealing with broken left hands and will miss the start of the season.
Pitino said he is hopeful they will be back by the start of the Charleston Classic, which begins on Nov. 16 against North Texas.
Pitino said he plans to add three players from the transfer portal in the spring to the recruiting class for next year.
St. John’s currently has three high school players committed — four-star wing Jaiden Glover, four-star center Khaman Maker and Greek guard Lefteris Liotopoulos — and is involved with five-star guard VJ Edgecombe of Long Island Lutheran.
The class is ranked 25th in the country by 247Sports.com.
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