Deivon Smith question mark for St. Johns Big East Tournament opener

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Deivon Smith remains a question mark to play in Thursday’s Big East Tournament opener against Butler.Sixth-ranked St.John’s senior point guard has practiced the last two days after missing Saturday’s victory at No.

25 Marquette.After suffering a bruised right shoulder on Jan.11 against Villanova, Smith has missed five games and been limited in several others.“[Since] he came back from the Villanova game, he was never the same Deivon.

He was always worried about getting hit again,” coach Rick Pitino said Wednesday.“More than anything else, he has to get over the mental part of getting hit again, because you’re going to get hit if you’re a point guard.

You have to get over screens, you have to handle picks-and-rolls.“Once he gets over the mental aspect of that, he’ll be fine and he’ll be the great player he was in the first half of the season.”Pitino said the speedy Smith, one of St.John’s top 3-point shooters and the key to its transition game, has looked “rusty” in practice this week.

He didn’t practice at all last week, which Smith attributed to wanting to make sure he would be available for the postseason after he was hit hard in the shoulder in a win over Seton Hall on March 1.“I just don’t want to miss any more games, period,” Smith told The Post on Monday.“We’re going to do what’s smart at the end of the day.”The Pitinos made history by winning Coach of the Year in their respective conferences.

Richard Pitino was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year after guiding New Mexico to a regular-season title.Rick won it with St.

John’s in the Big East.No father/son tandem had ever won Coach of the Year honors in the same year.“I’m pleased, don’t get me wrong [with my award], but I’m more pleased that my son won and the players got their awards.

My son did one of...