NEW YORK, NY — As they began their March Madness run last weekend in San Diego for the Rounds of 64 and 32, the best season for the St. John’s University men’s basketball team this century ended Friday night at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
The Red Storm lost to the top seed in the East regional bracket of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Duke Blue Devils, 80-75, in the Sweet Sixteen.
To their credit, the Red Storm did not seem intimidated by either big moment, or the fact they were playing one of the favorites to win the tournament. They did not crumble when Duke started off with an 11-4 lead, and it looked as if the team from Durham would run Queens’ college team out of the building. The Red Storm swarming defense forced turnovers which led to several thunderous dunks by Zuby Ejiofor.
Image Credit: Terry Mayo Jr./A Lot of Sports Talk
Unfortunately, many of the problems which plagued the Red Storm in the Big East Tournament reared their ugly head Friday night. The Red Storm were once again outrebounded 40-27. That led to Duke being able to score many easy close-in buckets. That was a key difference maker.
The Red Storm were able to build a ten-point lead with fi[een minutes to go in the games, but they quickly watched it evaporate. This was a recurring theme in their three games played at Madison Square Garden in March as the Providence Friars, Seton Hall Pirates, and the University of Connecticut Huskies all made scary late runs. Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino would say at every one of his Big East Tournament press conferences, “We bent, but we never broke.” They did break, however, against a talented and physical Duke team.
The Red Storm also blew a big lead a week ago when they defeated the University of Kansas Jayhawks, 67-65. Disaster was avoided when guard Dylan Darling was able to drive the length of the court and hit a running hook shot just before Sme expired to give the Johnnies the win.
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Last second magic eluded Darling Friday night. In the closing seconds of the Duke game, Darling heaved up a desperate three-point shot which turned out to be a way off the mark air ball. It did not take long for the internet to post clips of haughty Carlton Banks, played by actor Alfonso Ribeiro, doing the same thing in a basketball game, as part of a classic “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” episode.
While it is easy to paint Darling as the scapegoat, the entire Red Storm offense was awful in the final two minutes. Both their clock management, and moving away from the ball skills, let a lot to be desired.
Image Credit: Terry Mayo Jr./A Lot of Sports Talk
Pitino was philosophical following the game. He credited Duke for winning, and he compared his team’s accomplishment to winning a bronze medal in the Olympics. Not the desired gold, but all something of which to be proud.
Messi and Inter Miami defeat NYCFC at Yankee Stadium
The St. John’s March Madness run obscured attention to the Major League Soccer match between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami team and the New York City Football Club at Yankee Stadium last Sunday. Inter Miami won 3-2.
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Messi is the best-known active soccer player in the world. Wherever he is playing, it is a media news story on both newspaper backpages and local TV sports reports days in advance. Tickets for his games rival the demand for Taylor Swift’s concerts. To be fair, 46,000 fans watched Lionel Messi play, and score a goal. That was the second largest crowd in NYCFC history.
Mets hold workout before 2026 home opener in Queens
The Mets held a workout last Wednesday, the day before the 2026 season opener which featured a press conference with new Mets ace, Freddy Peralta, who appeared happy to be in the World’s Borough. He told me he had close relatives in Flushing and Corona.
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Former Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira won the Republican primary to represent Texas’s 21st congressional district which is located near Austin.
I asked Mets infielder Breg Baty, who is from Austin, if he wants a career in politics after his playing career ends. “You never know. Right now, I am worried about whether I will be playing tomorrow!” he quipped.
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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jake Mangum was drafted by the Mets in 2019 and was a teammate of Baty’s in the minors. Mangum never played for the Mets, as he had cups of coffee with both the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays. He told me he was thrilled to finally make it to Citi Field for the first series of the year. “The best part is I get to enjoy two free evenings in New York City. I am hoping to catch a couple of Broadway shows and try some top- notch restaurants,” he told me.
Citi Field recognized for having best ballpark food for third consecutive year
Citi Field was voted to have the best ballpark food by the readers of USA Today for the third straight year.
Phillies remove Harry Kalas’ name from popular watering hole in Citizens Bank Park
Speaking of baseball stadium cuisine, the Philadelphia Phillies unleashed a hornet’s nest when they removed Harry Kalas’ name from a popular watering hole in Citizens Bank Park and replaced it with an energy drink brand in a naming rights deal. Harry Kalas was a beloved Phillies broadcaster from 1971 until his sudden death in 2009. Philadelphians saw the Phillies’ decision to remove Harry Kalas’s name for revenue as the equivalent of selling naming rights to the Liberty Bell.
Phillies owner John Middleton grew up a Phillies fan in the Man Line suburb of Bryn Mawr.
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In many ways, he is the mirror image of Mets owner Steve Cohen, who grew up in Great Neck.
Both men are billionaires several times over and bought their baseball teams later in life. Middleton should have been able to foresee the reaction of his passionate fan base.
Netflix opens up 2026 MLB season in San Francisco with Yankees-Giants
Netflix was criticized for going overboard in self-promotion in its streaming of the season’s opener between the Yankees and the Giants at San Francisco’s Oracle Park Wednesday night.
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We did not need to see comedian Bert Kreischer, who has done many stand-up specials for Nellix running on the field before the game screaming like a maniac trying to pump up the crowd. The world’s largest streamer also had WWE star Jey Uso make an appearance at Oracle Park to promote its “Monday Night Raw” series.
There were many positives, however. Having New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston be part of its pregame show was a good out-of-the-box decision. Winston, who played both baseball and football at Florida State University, was excited to be discussing each sport and more. Having the San Francisco Giants players be introduced to the crowd by stepping off a cable car, the city by the Bay’s most recognizable symbol, was brilliant.
The broadcast team of former Yankees ace and Hall of Famer, CC Sabathia, one at ex-Giants outfielder Hunter Pence, and the play-by-play voice Matt Vasgersian was solid.
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Vasgersian was Major League Baseball’s iron man the first week of the season. After calling the Yankees-Giants game in San Francisco Wednesday night, flew across the country as soon as it was over to do the play-by-play for NBC for the Mets home opener against the Pirates the next afternoon. To his credit, he did not sound the least bit weary.
Former Mets and Pirates infielder Neil Walker, and ex-Mets and Yankees pitcher Al Leiter provided excellent color commentary.
New children’s book out by Shohei Ohtani: “Decoy Saves Opening Day”
The most famous player in baseball today, Shohei Ohtani, has written a children’s book, “Decoy Saves Opening Day” (Harper). The book tells of how Ohtani’s dog in real life, Decoy, had to retrieve lucky baseball for the Dodgers’ Opening Day ceremonies.
Image Credit: Harper
It is nicely illustrated and intended for those learning how to read.
And the 2026 Sports Emmy goes to…
The nominations for the 2026 Sports Emmy Awards were announced last week. Forest Hills High School alum Ian Eagle will be competing with Whitestone native son Mike Tirico for the Outstanding Play-by-Play Award. Also competing for that honor are Jim Nantz, Joe Buck, and Joe Davis, who won the award last year.
I would not be surprised if Ian Eagle finds himself competing with his son, Noah Eagle, for this award in future years. Noah will be calling WNBA games this year for NBC. He won the Best Emerging Broadcaster Emmy in 2024. Ian has won many local Emmy Awards but is awaiting his first national Emmy.
Catch “Tracker” on CBS
Veteran wrestler Chris Jericho did a superb job playing a villain named Virgil Dean on a recent episode of the CBS Sunday night drama, “Tracker,” which is broadcast television’s top-rated show.
You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.
