Rick Pitino, St. John's get good news on eligibility of Keyshawn Hall, Quinn Ellis
Clockwise from left: St. John's head coach Rick Pitino and new players Quinn Ellis and Keyshawn Hall. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke; St. John's Athletics.
St. John’s wasn’t on the court, but it had an excellent 15 minutes on Tuesday afternoon.
Auburn transfer Keyshawn Hall’s hearing at the New York Supreme Court in Queens concluded with judge Joseph Risi ruling against the NCAA in its effort to lift the temporary restraining order that’s made him eligible to play for the Red Storm in his fifth college season. Then, as he was exiting the courtroom, Storm coach Rick Pitino was informed that point guard Quinn Ellis, who played professionally in the Euro League, had finally been declared eligible by the NCAA.
Both players are envisioned to be part of Pitino’s rotation this season.
The two events mean that St. John’s will have a full roster of eligible players, at least for the foreseeable future. The Red Storm will have everyone available on Wednesday night for their exhibition game against Drexel at Carnesecca Arena.
Ellis, 23, is one of the top international players seeking to play college basketball. The NCAA must clear those who played professionally overseas in a process called “reinstatement” and the Red Storm have been awaiting a decision on the Ellis application.
Asked if Ellis was the one player the Storm could not do without, Pitino replied, “Yes.” Though a completely different kind of performer, he added that Ellis plays on the same level at former St. John’s point guard Daniss Jenkins and Kadary Richmond.
Hall was granted the temporary restraining order last week. He is one of hundreds of players who have sued the NCAA for not including players from the class of 2022 when they instituted new eligibility rules that allow them to play five seasons in five years. Risi will hand down a final decision on the Hall’s suit for judicial relief at some point.
Hall’s attorney, Brian Shoot, said that ruling “could be tomorrow [or] could be two months from now.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
