Newsday: Andy Laurent of St. Joseph’s (LI) in Grand Company

Courtsey of Newsday - Written by Kenny DeJohn

Junior point guard Andy Laurent of St. Joseph's (LI) became the 12th player in school history to score his 1,000th point on Jan. 7, in an 89-61 win over St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) at the Hill Center in Brooklyn.

Laurent achieved the milestone by converting a layup with 5:43 remaining in the first half. He said he wasn't aware the layup pushed him into the exclusive group.

"I was cognizant before the game about how many I needed at the half," he said. "But when I was in the zone, I wasn't focused on individual accolades."

He finished the game with 28 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.

Laurent's progression from valuable bench player to invaluable starter has been key to the Golden Eagles' third-ranked scoring offense in the Skyline Conference (76.5 points per game).

"He does a lot for our team," coach Kevin Spann said. "He's a natural born scorer. He does a good job putting pressure on defenses. He put in a lot of work in the offseason with his jump shot."

Laurent averaged 14 points in 25 games (nine starts) last season, logging 29.9 minutes per game. His role has since expanded, as he has started all 14 games this season.

Laurent, who played at Amityville High School, is averaging 21.4 points — tops in the Skyline Conference — and 38.1 minutes per game. He's also shooting a career-high 39.6 percent from three-point range.

"He has an opportunity to be one of the best guards St. Joe's has ever seen," Spann said. "He's relentless at trying to get better and understanding the game."

His brother, Olivier, played for the Golden Eagles from 2009-2012 and is also a member of the 1,000-point club (1,036). David Acree (05-09) is the school's all-time leader scorer with 1,879 points.

With still a season and a half to go in his Golden Eagles career, Laurent hopes to set a new record. Said Laurent, "I would be lying to you if I told you I didn't want to catch Acree."