On Saturday night, St. John’s University basketball ended a 25-year drought, clinching the Big East Tournament. Nothing short of a miracle, as Coach Rick Pitino, achieved this in just his second season. As the team was celebrating cutting down the nets, one man got emotional, It was Mike Repole. Not just a billionaire, but an alum of Red Storm made the journey even sweeter. After the win, he described the feeling that had been missing in his life for a long long time.

“When I was on the floor Saturday after we beat Creighton you know I was on with my brother and three childhood friends. We’re 55 years old and you know we’ve been friends for 45 years and you know we went to the game as 15-year-old kids.” Repole spoke to the New York Post.”The ability to come back and just feel New York again and feel what I felt as a kid you know it’s giving me chills. it really it really has it’s really special.”

The entire Madison Square Garden was covered in red, white, and blue confetti. The feeling of childhood was restored for the billionaire because St. John’s used to be a fixture of college basketball excellence in the 1980s and 1990s. They were led by legendary coach Lou Carnesecca, but since Carnesecca’s departure in 1992, the program lacked a leadership figure. In came Rick Pitino in 2023, and it was Repole who suggested it in the first place and last year pledged a 7-figure NIL lifeline to the Red Storm.

The entrepreneur built beverage brands like Vitamin Water and Bodyarmor, both of which he sold to Coca-Cola, for $4.1 and $5.6 billion. But seeing the Johnnies win their first outright Big East regular-season championship in four decades was a feeling like no other. So, let’s look back at the Head coach’s record this season.

Rick Pitino, turning the tide, which he has done many times in the past

The 72-year-old led St. John’s to a 30-4 record this season, his second at the helm. Plus coached them to be conference tournament champs for the first time since 2000. This would be his 24th NCAA tournament appearance, not short of experience. His previous stints were with Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona, and St. John’s. The overall coaching record stands on a mammoth 884-310.

Rick Pitino’s return this week to Providence, will be after he memorably led the Friars to a Final Four appearance in 1987.  He recently admitted to not being near the end of his coaching career. “I don’t know if God will bless me with two, three, four more years, but if he does, it’s going to stop. So why not have a blast? Why not get the most out of it? Laugh, have fun, get great experiences.”

He is soaking in all the experiences as the number 2 seed Red Storm begins its journey. Some reports suggest that it won’t be easy. But then again, hardships make the journey even sweeter. Just ask Mike Repole, who felt emotional after the Johnnies success.

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