By ADAM ZAGORIA
Could Ray Salnave be coming home for his final year of college basketball?
St. John’s hopes so.
Red Storm head coach Mike Anderson spoke Thursday night with Salnave, the 6-foot-3 former Cardozo High School star who is a grad transfer from Monmouth and is also considering DePaul and Loyola Marymount. Salnave had previously spoken with St. John’s assistants Steve DeMeo and Van Macon, but not directly with Anderson.
“Mike A. and I were talking and to his shock, he loved my confidence and how I get down,” Salnave said. “He thinks I could do a lot and help with a lot. He told me that he’s looking for an experienced guy that’s not afraid of the moment that could provide big impact. He liked how I could play/defend multiple positions and thinks I would fit really well in their system.”
St. John’s guard Rasheem Dunn also called Salnave several times. In the 2014 PSAL AA championship game at Barclays Center, Salnave went for 16 points, including the game-winning free throws with 2.5 seconds left, to beat a Thomas Jefferson team that featured Dunn and former St. John’s star Shamorie Ponds. Ponds also had 16 points in the game.
“Rah and I were just chatting and he was saying to come home and how he knows I’ll do the right thing,” Salnvae said. “But he told me he spoke with the coaches about me so that showed me he wants me there.”
Cardozo coach Ron Naclerio, who coached his team to that 2014 championship, is a St. John’s alum.
“As an alumnus of St. John’s and former varsity baseball and JV basketball player there, it would be sweet to see Rashond show what he can do there,” Naclerio said. “He would be the third Cardozo player to play for St. John’s The other two were Darryl “Showtime “ Hill and Ryan Williams. But I really want Rashond to make the best choice for him and not the people around him. He was special to coach!”
Salnave averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season at Monmouth. He will be immediately eligible for the 2020-21 season.
He broke down his three options for ZAGSBLOG, saying of St. John’s: “It would be great to be back home and play in NYC again. Important for my family and loved ones.”
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