2000-01 record: 14-15; 8-8 in Big East (t3rd in East) Final Ranking: NR Postseason: None. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Shaw 13.8 ppg | Rebounds: Glover 5.9 rpg | Assists: Fordham 1.2 apg | FG %: Cuffe 51.9% | 3pt %: Shaw 37.6% | FT %: Bangura 75.0% 00-01 Stats: St. John's | Big East

		Monday, Oct. 29 The loss of Omar Cook could be addition by subtraction. Junior college transfer Marcus Hatton is beginning to make folks in New York forget about Cook. Hatton must still learn to decide when to distribute, or breakdown defenses, and when to look for his own shot … all before the season starts. Undersized low-post warrior, Anthony Glover, needs help inside from 6-foot-8 Don Emanuel and 6-10 Mohammed Diakite. The Red Storm may be the season's big sleeper because of Hatton.

Outlook
St. John's will be breaking in a new point guard, but head coach Mike Jarvis has been here before -- for the third time in four years, he'll have a first-year Division I player at the point. He can only hope the player, whoever it is, turns out to be as good as the previous two: early NBA entrants Erick Barkley and Omar Cook. And then Jarvis can sincerely hope his point guard sticks around a little longer.

The Red Storm's top choices to play the point are freshman Tristan Smith and junior college transfer Marcus Hatten. Smith is more of the pure, get-everyone-involved floor leader, while Hatten is the better talent -- and more of a scorer. If Jarvis can get this position solidified, the team will have a chance to improve on its 14-15 record of a year ago. Powerful 6-foot-6 senior forward Anthony Glover (13.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg) returns along with streaky 6-6 sophomore Willie Shaw (13.8 ppg) and pair of part-time starters, 6-6 junior Alpha Bangura (6.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg) and 6-4 senior Sharif Fordham (4.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

That's a decent nucleus.

What this team doesn't seem to have is decent depth, though reserves like 6-8 senior Donald Emanuel and 6-10 sophomore Mohammed Diakite could have something to say about that. The same goes for 6-6 freshman Eric King, a New York City product who had more than 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 blocks in high school.

What we like: Jarvis has constructed a team of interchangeable parts -- how many 6-6 guys can a team have, anyway? -- which means more versatility on both ends of the court. Glover and Shaw are a respectable inside-outside scoring duo, and Hatten might be electrifying.

What we don't like: The best player on the team last season was Cook, and he's gone. How much better he made everyone around him with his passing and leadership, we find out this season. Jarvis might not like the answer.

The bottom line: A sub-.500 finish was a surprise last season. It wouldn't be one this season, unless Hatten can do for the Red Storm what another junior college transfer, Steve Francis, did for Maryland a few years back.

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Willie Shaw	So.	F	6-6/185	PTS: 13.8 | REB: 3.3 | AST: 0.8
Anthony Glover	Sr.	F	6-6/225	PTS: 13.7 | REB: 5.9 | AST: 1.1
Kyle Cuffe	So.	F	6-8/210	PTS: 8.3 | REB: 4.4 | AST: 0.2
Sharif Fordham	Sr.	G	6-4/200	PTS: 4.8 | REB: 4.9 | AST: 1.2
Alpha Bangura	Jr.	G/F	6-6/220	PTS: 6.4 | REB: 2.6 | AST: 0.5

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Omar Cook	G	6-1/190	PTS: 15.3 | REB: 3.0 | AST: 8.7
Reggie Jessie	F	6-7/213	PTS: 5.9 | REB: 3.2 | AST: 1.8

Providence Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Marcus Hatten	G	6-2	Tallahassee CC (Fla.)
Tristan Smith	G	6-1	Amityville (N.Y.)
Eric King	F	6-7	Brooklyn, N.Y./Milford Academy (Ct.)