NEW YORK — St. John’s got a double-dose of good news on Sunday.
On the same day the Johnnies upset No. 9 Notre Dame, 72-54, at Madison Square Garden, Chicago point guard Phil Greene verbally committed for 2011.
“Yes,” the 6-foot-2 Greene said when reached on his cell phone.
“It’s a good fit for me,” he added by text. “They play an up and down style which is my style of play and I have a chance to play right away. They plan on letting me play the point and running the two at times.”
St. John’s coach Steve Lavin plans on using “interchangeable guards,” utilizing Greene, Malik Stith, Nurideen Lindsey and D’Angelo Harrison. Lindsey, Harrison and Greene will all be first-year players.
Greene, a teammate of uncommitted 6-8 wing DeAndre Daniels at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., spent Saturday with the St. John’s staff at the Big Apple Invitational at Baruch College.
He sat with assistants Tony Chiles and Rico Hines watching 2011 signees Maurice Harkless, Sir’Dominic Pointer and Dwight Meikle.
Greene and the 6-6 Pointer both attended the Notre Dame game.
Greene chose the Johnnies over Oklahoma State, Baylor, Arizona State, Kansas, Marquette, Missouri and Miami.
He is the ninth member of Lavin’s 2011 recruiting class, that was already ranked No. 3 nationally.
The Johnnies technically have two more scholarships to give for 2011, but have accepted a verbal pledge from 2012 guard Jevon Thomas. So they could opt to take two more players in 2011 with an eye toward a player potentially leaving after next season.
The news was first reported by Jerry Meyer of Rivals.com on Twitter.
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