John Stevens burst onto the Rose Hill basketball scene during his sophomore year, when he showed the promise of good things to come by being named to the Metropolitan All-Star team. That year the Rams posted an 18-8 record.
 
After averaging 16 points a game as a junior, Stevens' senior campaign was his best, as he led the 1964-65 Rams to a 15-12 record and an NIT bid. Highlights of that season include wins over Memphis State, St. John's, and NYU. In the opening round of the NIT, the Rams narrowly missed victory, falling to highly-touted Western Kentucky, 57-53.
 
Stevens' 506 points that season gave him 1,128 for his career, fifth on the Fordham career scoring list at the time. He was also a defensive force throughout his career, grabbing 917 rebounds during his three years as a varsity cager, including 405 in his final season.