Carnesecca’s funeral brings St. John’s family together in remembrance

As it turned out, Lou Carnesecca was a big draw until the end.

The Hall of Fame basketball coach was celebrated in a funeral mass Friday at the cozy St. Thomas More Church on the St. John’s campus, with people from all over attending.

There were generations of former Red Storm players — many who didn’t even play during his 24 seasons at the helm of the St. John’s program — as well as rival coaches, family members, school administrators and longtime friends.

And while his basketball career was the canvas of the day, the words and stories they all told about Carnesecca, who died last Saturday at age 99, painted more of a picture of a man who will be remembered for his example. the life lessons he taught and the important role he played in their lives.

Chris Mullin, perhaps the show’s best-known star, described a person who preached fundamentals in everything, not just basketball.

“That’s how he trained and how he lived,” Mullin said. “If you do that and stick to the basics, you win. And he is the ultimate winner. That’s why there are so many people here from all walks of life and every decade – because we love him. He gave people that respect and people respected him. This is the ultimate way for everyone here to live their life.”

“He did a lot for a lot of people and he was one of the greatest people I ever knew,” said Walter Berry, his voice breaking a little with emotion. “This is a hard day for everyone. The coach was my guy, man. He helped me in a way no one else could. . . I didn’t have a father and he almost stepped in and became like a father figure to me.

“You see all these guys here that he didn’t coach?” Berry added. “They still stood up for him because they knew St. John’s was Lou Carnesecca.”

Carnesecca replaced Joe Lapchick as head coach in 1965 and retired in 1992, spending three seasons as coach of the ABA New York Nets.

In his 24 seasons, his teams posted a 526-200 record. A banner commemorating his overall victory hangs from the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

“He’s such a part of the fabric of New York,” said Frank Alagia, who played for St. John’s in the 1970s. “Remember, he followed a legend in Joe Lapchick and became greater than that legend. And if you think about it in sports, how often can you remember a legend following such a legend? That speaks for itself.”

Carnesecca led his 1984-85 team to the Final Four, and a quartet of icons from that team – Mullin, Berry, Bill Wennington and Mark Jackson – attended the funeral and shared memories.

Jackson remembered the first time Carnesecca attended one of his high school games and the impact it had.

“I remember Coach sitting there and his presence in the gym, it was almost like it was just him in the spotlight,” Jackson said. “In every room or gym he walked into — on every sideline — he commanded the bright lights, and you could tell there was something special about him. From that moment on, I wanted to be a member of the St. John’s basketball team.”

“I met Coach when I was 10 or 11 years old at his camp,” Mullin remembers. “He was more reserved, giving lectures, teaching basketball and telling stories. When he recruited me, he was again very reserved. On my first day of practice (at St. John’s), I couldn’t stop laughing. This guy is running around and jumping. I’m like, ‘Who is this guy?’ I haven’t met this guy.’

“My favorite thing: He had a great sense of humor,” Mullin added, pointing to the sneakers he wore with his suit. “If he saw me today, he would put on my sneakers and make fun of me like I was catching clams or something. . . Of course he had to be very serious about discipline, but always make it clear to you that everything would be okay. I had some challenges. He was always there for me, honest and direct, but also with care and love.”

Even after he retired and longtime assistant coach Brian Mahoney took over the program, Carnesecca remained a beacon for basketball players from around the world to come to St. John’s.

“As a former player, there has not been a more influential person in my life. . . as Coach Carnesecca,” said Tarik Turner, who played in the late 1990s. “I met him when I was 18 on my recruiting visit here at St John’s and I remember what he told me. He said, “Look, son, you know, if you can be successful here in New York City, you can be successful in anything you want to do in life beyond basketball. We’re here to support you, and even though I’m not going to coach you, I’m here to support you beyond the court.” And that stuck with me.

“Being from Virginia, I didn’t know much about New York,” Turner added. “I knew a lot about the Big East. I knew a lot about St. John’s. But he made me feel like he was looking out for me and I told my dad, ‘I want to come to St. John’s.’ Coach Carnesecca is the main reason I chose St. John’s.”

Metta Sandiford-Artest – who was known as Ron Artest during his time at St. John’s – recalled that as a 17-year-old freshman at St. John’s, he couldn’t wait to shake the legendary coach’s hand.

“You would look out the door at practice and hope to see him,” he said. “You saw the name and the pictures and the Final Four team everywhere. As a 17-year-old, you kind of idolize it.”

One thing players of all generations mentioned was, as Mullin put it: “He gave his players the wins and took the losses. He burdened us with the defeats and let us celebrate the victories. . . I always felt like he was protecting us.”

After 20 years at the Daily News, Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball. He has been a Baseball Hall of Fame inductee since 2011 and has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.