Mike Jarvis fired by St. Johns

<p>Mike Jarvis was fired Friday as mens basketball coach at St. Johns, a team off to one of the worst starts in school history and beset by problems away from the court.</p><p>Jarvis was in his sixth season with the Red Storm and had a 110-61 record, including 2-4 this season.</p><p>He will be replaced by associate head coach Kevin Clark. The Red Storm play at No. 5 Georgia Tech on Sunday.</p><p>Jarvis still had next year remaining on his contract.</p><p>This wasnt my choice, but you must respect the decision an employer makes, Jarvis said. There were discussions all of yesterday between the schools attorney and my attorney. I have been relieved of my duties. I want to coach college basketball next year.</p><p>St. Johns also fired Jarvis son, assistant coach Mike Jarvis Jr.</p><p>Athletic director Dave Wegrzyn said no single event led to the decision.</p><p>After an overall review of the program, we have come to the decision that in the best interest of all parties involved, we needed to make a coaching change, Wegrzyn said.</p><p>He said the university would stay with Clark as coach for the time being. We are not officially searching (for a coach) at this point, Wegrzyn said.</p><p>The Red Storm started the season 1-4, something that last happened in the 1922-23 season. Losses to Marquette and Duke, both ranked teams, surrounded consecutive home losses to Fairfield and Hofstra and the lone win, at Stony Brook.</p><p>The crowds at Alumni Hall started chanting Fire Jarvis! early in most of this seasons games and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski chastised his fans when they did the same at Cameron Indoor Stadium earlier this month.</p><p>There were off-the-court problems as well. Senior guard Willie Shaw was arrested on marijuana possession charges last month and kicked off the team. Shaw also was suspended for four games at the end of his sophomore season after testing positive for marijuana.</p><p>Junior college transfer Grady Reynolds was arrested just days before the 2002-03 season started on charges he attacked a female student in a dormitory. This summer, Reynolds was ordered to perform community service and undergo anger management counseling to settle the charges, which would be dismissed in six months if he was not arrested again.</p><p>Jarvis replaced Fran Fraschilla, who was fired after the 1997-98 season. Jarvis spent the previous eight seasons at George Washington and was at Boston University for five seasons before that. His career record for 18-plus seasons is 364-201. He took Boston University to the NCAA tournament twice and George Washington three times.</p><p>Jarvis led the Red Storm to the regional finals of the NCAA tournament his first season and they lost in the second round the next year. St. Johns also went to the tournament in 2002, losing in the first round, and the Red Storm won the NIT last season, finishing with a 21-13 record by closing with a 7-1 run after going 2-6 in February.</p><p>Jarvis first came to national prominence as Patrick Ewings high school coach at Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, Mass.</p>

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