Scholastic Roundup: Dan Lynch Jr. isn’t happy with this snub

March 29, 2024 Andy Furman

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Rick Pitino said no to the NIT when his St. John’s University basketball team was snubbed by the NCAA’s selection committee for March Madness.

And Dan Lynch Jr. is hot — really hot.

“Rick Pitino deciding not to have his team accept a bid to the NIT is a slap in the face to New York City basketball,” said Lynch, who coached baseball at St. Francis College, Brooklyn. “It’s a total example of the me, me, now, now mentality.”

St. John’s has always been the face of New York City basketball, Lynch continued. “When you think of Madison Square Garden basketball, the glory days of the NIT, you think of St. John’s,” he said.

“The NIT and Madison Square Garden has always been good to St. John’s,” he said. “St. John’s has always been a major part of the great history of New York City basketball. To turn your back on the 2024 NIT is to turn your back on the great basketball legacy of the Joe Lapchick and Lou Carnesecca teams who were the epitome of New York City basketball.”

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Lynch cites a great example of New York City basketball loyalty.

“In 1956,” he says, “St. Francis College was the No. 1 team in New York City. They had won 18 consecutive games. They did not have a home court on campus. They had an athletic budget less than a CYO parish program. The University of San Francisco with Bill Russell was the No. 1 team in the country.”

And when it came down to a post season tournament, the NIT made St. Francis its No., 1 local selection.

“The NCAA also invited the Terriers to be part of their tourney,” Lynch reminds. “They were hoping to sell a ‘David vs. Goliath’ showdown between St. Francis and Francisco,” he said. “They (NCAA) offered a huge financial incentive for St. Francis to select their invitation to participate in the NCAA over playing in the NIT,” Lynch said.

St. Francis Coach Dan Lynch Sr. — Dan’s dad — announced at the weekly coaches’ luncheon at Mama Leone’s that his team would be going to the NIT. He was quoted as saying: “The NIT and Madison Square Garden are what New York City basketball is all about. St. Francis College is part of New York City basketball and it’s a very easy decision to choose the NIT over the NCAA.”

Lynch Jr. added: “I guess the 2024 Rick Pitino St. John’s basketball team doesn’t share that New York City basketball loyalty.”

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Speaking of the NCAA Tournament, how about nicknames? The most common one is Bulldogs — Drake, Gonzaga, Mississippi State, Stamford, Yale. Second is Cougars, used by Brigham Young, Charleston, Houston, Washington State.

Some good nicknames: Stetson Hatters, Vermont Catamounts, San Diego State Aztecs, Iowa State Cyclones, South Carolina Gamecocks, New Mexico Lobos, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Purdue Boilermakers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Oregon Ducks, TCU Horned Frogs, South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Saint Mary’s Gaels, Grand Canyon Lopes, Saint Peter’s Peacocks, Akron Zips, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

Perhaps the best — Long Beach State. The Long Beach baseball team’s nickname is Dirtbags — really.

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Henry Lam, who still officiates PSAL basketball at the young age of 70-plus, has a follow-up after reading the recent feature on Cheshire, Conn. senior basketball player, De’Naya Rippey.

“De’Naya’s dad, Deron, was an outstanding high school coach who won a PSAL ‘B’ Championship with Bedford Academy a few years back,” Lam writes. “Our referee organization, Brooklyn Board #37, gave him the prestigious Sportsmanship Award which we give to the coach and team that displays outstanding sportsmanship qualities during the season.,

“I was on the committee for our board,” Lam says, “and tabulated the results from the referees who voted and who presented this award to Coach Rippey. I do not know his daughter (De ’Naya) personally, but I’m sure if she possesses the same qualities as her dad, she will be a welcome addition to any university she decides to go.”

Deron has always been involved with young student athletes during the summers, Lam says. “His enthusiasm and dedication were always evident to me when I officiated the games, he coached at the Nike Swoosh Tournament held at Park and Washington in Fort Greene during the summers. A truly good guy who was always about the kids.”

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Speaking of De ‘Naya Rippey, she is also the niece of Everett Kelly, the very successful basketball coach at Westinghouse High School.

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It has been a few weeks since the University of Alabama and longtime Hall of Fame announcer Eli Gold parted ways. The Midwood High grad had been the Crimson Tide’s voice since 1988, but will not be calling games for the network in 2024.

However, he’s already found himself two new posts.

Gold will be the lead announcer for the Arena Football League’s Nashville Kats, and he has been named the television announcer for Jacksonville State baseball for the rest of the season.

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The PSAL top-tier boys’ basketball championship between Eagle Academy for Young Men II and South Shore may have been canceled this season, but Epic High School South topped Brooklyn High School for Law and Technology 60-52 for the 3A crown.

Dior Legere led all scorers with 18 points for the winning Jaguars.

Mariano Mateo De Los Santos scored 14 of his game-high 36 points in the third quarter to lead Gregorio Luperon High School to a 64-54 1A title victory over Brooklyn College Academy.

Both games were played at LIU.

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Miguel Toribio, a Williamsburg Prep grad, and St. Edmund Prep grad Matt Arcati each scored — Toribio twice — but the St. Joseph’s University Brooklyn baseball team opened their Skyline Conference schedule with a pair of defeats to the SUNY College from Westbury, 4-9 and 2-2, on Sunday afternoon.

Lasha Kemashvili, a James Madison High School grad, combined for eight kills as the Bears of St. Joseph’s University, Brooklyn bested Sarah Lawrence College in men’s volleyball Saturday to split their Skyline Conference tri-match in five sets.

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The Pratt Institute men’s tennis team bounced back from their first loss of the season with a dominant 9-0 triumph over future Atlantic East Conference rivals Marywood University Sunday afternoon. The Pratt women took a 9-0 victory over Marywood on Sunday afternoon, as well.

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Leo Boisseau, a senior from Levallois, France, was named NEC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week after her performance against Stony Brook and Sacred Heart, last weekend.

Boisseau, the No. 1 singles player for LIU, won in three sets against Sacred Heart on Saturday and followed that up with a straight-set win on Sunday against Stony Brook.

In baseball, LIU redshirt junior Dominic Pieto’s record-breaking outing against Norfolk State has earned him NEC Pitcher of the Week.

The right-hander from Cranberry Township, PA, struck out 17 batters, setting an LIU record for the most in a game. His performance led the Sharks to a 14-6 win against the Spartans and the Sharks eventually swept the series.

Andy Furman is a Fox Sports Radio national talk show host. Previously, he was a scholastic sports columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle. He may be reached at: [email protected]; Twitter: @AndyFurmanFSR