The relationship between New York basketball and bookies is as its always been — complicated

Young Luigi Carnesecca had made the pilgrimage with a few of his teammates from St. Ann’s Academy, settled high in the rafters at the Old Garden on Eighth Avenue and 50th Street. 

This was one of the first NITs, maybe 1940; more than 60 years later what Looie — by then retired as the St. John’s coach — best remembered was one sight and one sound.

“You couldn’t see the game very well up there for all the cigarette and cigar smoke,” Carnesecca said. “Also, late in the games, a guy made a shot during garbage time. And a group of men around us started celebrating.” Looie, a naïve kid, didn’t understand: “They still lost by eight points!”

One of his savvier friends responded, “Yes. But those guys were getting eight and a half.”