2013-14 Starting 5

[Trueblue25]

It's our best starting lineup but as RF and others said, JB will use Grant as a spark off the bench (and he'll play huge minutes too).

I'd almost rather Roberson start than Rak, I know it wont happen.

 

[jekelish]

My guess is that JB will bring Grant off the bench. He'll still play starter's minutes, but will continue the trend of us bringing a potent scoring threat off of the bench that we've enjoyed in recent years.

Tend to agree. I've made this comparison in the past, but it'll be similar to how he used KJ and CJ during their sophomore years, I think.

 

[jekelish]

A scarier question: who will be the B team?

G - Buss
G - Cooney
F - BJ
F - Roberson
C - Keita

How many teams have legitimate 10-man rosters? JB has pretty much any type of player at his disposal. We better be preseason #1.

Preseason #1? Um...yeah, not even going to come close. I'll be thrilled if we're in the top 10. More thrilled if we aren't, because I like it better when we sneak up on people.

 

[iommi]

I'd almost rather Roberson start than Rak, I know it wont happen.

I'm not a big Rak fan myself. I love his athletic ability but not his motor. Hope he surprises me and gets better.

 

[orangefan13]

I would like to see Roberson/BJ come of the bench at the four instead of Grant. We could use one scoring forward off the bench and one scoring guard. But we don't necessarilly need that if Dajuan is in the game.

The four and the five are a logjam though with 5 players fighting for 80 minutes thats 16 minutes apiece with 5 to spare to give CJ a rest. And if CJ slides to the four and BJ plays the three(he might have the best isolation dribble and pull up three at forward behind CJ which is very imprtant) that makes 6. Its going to be interesting. Yes, we are loaded.

 

[tee1222]

Hey, let other people underestimate us.
We shouldn't.

I don't think most of you realize that this team might actually be better than last year's. And everyone underestimated us last year. I am guilty of that too.

But they came on at the right time. No reason to think that this team, with just as much talent can't do the same.
I'm not throwing anyone on this team under the bus until they prove otherwise.

 

[orangefan13]

On paper preseason I like this team better but we all have really high expectations preseason its natural. Can't remember last years preseason that well. I remember everyone thought DC2 would come out of the gate strong and Cooney would be a sharpshooter though.

What Dajuan and Ennis have been acomplishing helps. Tough for a point guard to average 23 ppg to lead a world games enviroment and thats with being sick on 1 or 2 nights. And almost just as tough for Dajuan to be averaging 23 and 18 rebounds in the king of kings with all its seniority and upper classmen ex college players stength. He only put up 15 the first game but has been in the 20-30 ppg since as well. Reports were Gbinije was doing good things in practice and taking mike one on one with or without a screen well. By comparison Trey Burke had a tough time taking Mike one on one in the combines they say.

Compared to some of Cooneys rough AAU and jr world shooting numbers, and the typical freshmen centers aren't ready (Baye being a enigma) those are good signs. Plus Roberson BJ and Ron are all good off the bounce as freshmen that bodes well. I don't think we will see a more mature senior then Keita for years he looks 34 years old out there. To the others I am missing like Grant I am just silent for now

 

[tee1222]

I remember people being very doubtful of MCW and his ability to lead an offense.
Sorry he disappointed.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Ennis
G
CJ
Grant
DC or Rak

Perhaps we rotate starting centers based on opponents? I know it's not JB's style but each has tremendous benfits depending on whom the opposing 5 is.

The absurd thing is we could run 2 Syracuse teams next year and have 2 ~25 win, top 25 teams. Practice is going to be rediculous and they could probably sell tickets to intra squad scrimmages.

 

[SgtCuse]

Im in the JG off the bench camp. I got:

Ennis
Silent G
CJ
Coleman
Rak

Grant - Super Sub
Baye
TC or Buss (May the best man win for the 3rd guard spot)

That's my 8 once the ACC games start.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Cooney starts at the two, IMO. DC and Rak @ the 5/4.


Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk 2

If Cooney starts that means that silent G is a bust and it will be a long season.

 

[AlaskaSU]

A scarier question: who will be the B team?

G - Buss
G - Cooney
F - BJ
F - Roberson
C - Keita

How many teams have legitimate 10-man rosters? JB has pretty much any type of player at his disposal. We better be preseason #1.

Tell that to Kentucky, Louisville, Duke

 

[realorange]

If Cooney starts that means that silent G is a bust and it will be a long season.

So does that mean if Grant doesn't start it will be a bust? Power off the bench both ways?

 

[Rocco]

Ok, I talked to Jimmy. Here's the deal:

Ennis
G
Fair
Rak (gives Jimmy a chance to bench Rak on the first dead ball if he's lazy and put in Grant)
DC

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Pete Moore ‏@MooreOrange 36m
Rakeem Christmas and Michael Gbinije are part of the "East Coast All-Stars" who will play in the Four Nations Cup in Estonia July 25th-27th.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

I'm not a big Rak fan myself. I love his athletic ability but not his motor. Hope he surprises me and gets better.

Rak does seem to be unneeded this year, we have more talented forwards and he is kind of redundant to BMK at center.

But it is important to keep him happy. Rak is scheduled to be have a big role in the NC contending '14-'15 squad as one of the two main centers. Rak as a senior will be miles better than Chino as a first year. Let's keep that in mind.
If we look ahead for a moment to '14-'15, we should have our backcourt back with a year of experience, forwards Grant, McCollough, and Roberson along with centers DC2 and Rak. I don't think that squad will be underrated because everyone will be calling them title contenders.

So while starting Rak may technically "Boeheim" Roberson, it could be good for SU in the long term.

 

[orangefan13]

Rak will be better then Baye against centers that try to back you down as they won't be able to do it as fast or get the square up they hope for Hes a better blocker from a standing anchored verticle also. Baye will be better against ones who try to score with lateral quickness and has better hand reflexes from a standing position and weakside shotblocking.

We don't want Grant or BJ redshirted. While Grant can hit a baseline jumper occasionally Roberson favors it, Grant can hit a occasional 3 from the corner but BJ favors them. Grant can get a layup off the bounce but BJ,and Roberson can shoot a pullup off a bounce. Having that on the right baseline will make us better and bother opponents doubling with one of their forwards.

Actually I wouldn't be suprised to see Gbinije in that corner some with BJ uptop as BJ likes 3 point shooting and isolation. Reason I say BJ and not Ron is because of size they are interchangable as sg/wing on offense/defense. Leaders stand up and do the things that the team needs, they make the things that they are not use to doing their bread and butter. Freshmen can be leaders like Gerry Macnamera and Billy Edelin. The minute BJ, Roberson Gbinije start operating from the right baseline at a confident clip the lane is open and we are undoublable. That is very important for 1. Ennis, Fair and whoever else is uptops driving game, 2.will help Fair and Dajuan scoring in the post. and 3. gets us a 6th man at pf without a occasional 5ppg post up bucket like Grant.

 

[TBCuse11]

My guess is that JB will bring Grant off the bench. He'll still play starter's minutes, but will continue the trend of us bringing a potent scoring threat off of the bench that we've enjoyed in recent years.

agreed. There is almost no chance Grant will start, unless Coleman is an absolute stiff in practices. If he is, Rak will man the 5 spot and Grant will start.

Although i see really no way Grant starts, I so think he is far and away our 2nd best player. Not close.

 

[orangefan13]

There was once a time JB favored defensive energy off the bench now he favors offensive.

 

[TBCuse11]

Rak does seem to be unneeded this year, we have more talented forwards and he is kind of redundant to BMK at center.

But it is important to keep him happy. Rak is scheduled to be have a big role in the NC contending '14-'15 squad as one of the two main centers. Rak as a senior will be miles better than Chino as a first year. Let's keep that in mind.
If we look ahead for a moment to '14-'15, we should have our backcourt back with a year of experience, forwards Grant, McCollough, and Roberson along with centers DC2 and Rak. I don't think that squad will be underrated because everyone will be calling them title contenders.

So while starting Rak may technically "Boeheim" Roberson, it could be good for SU in the long term.

... Grant will be gone after this year. 2014 will Feature DC2 at center, McCollough and Rak at forwards, Ennis at PG and Silent G at the SG. This will leave Roberson, Cooney, BJ, etc.. on the bench.

This team (with or without Grant) will be a pre-season top 3 team. This will be a LOADED team and i believe will be Jim's last year as coach.

 

[orangefan13]

I am in the opinion there is no way Grant is gone unless he gets up to like 11-12 ppg minimum. I think he will be around the 6.8 ppg range.

Doubt we see that to his jr year. He doesn't have the footwork/body to roll off his defender in the post and lacks the dribble. He will have to depend on quick release in the post and from outside. Although this team has the weapons around him to pass to which helps his chances.

I think Grant has more potential growing into a 6'10 pf ala Anthony Davis then he does as a 6'8 sf.

 

[Lawrinson14]

... Grant will be gone after this year. 2014 will Feature DC2 at center, McCollough and Rak at forwards, Ennis at PG and Silent G at the SG. This will leave Roberson, Cooney, BJ, etc.. on the bench.

This team (with or without Grant) will be a pre-season top 3 team. This will be a LOADED team and i believe will be Jim's last year as coach.

Geez. That will be 4 five star players plus Gbinije who was ranked 29th in his class by ESPN.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

... Grant will be gone after this year. 2014 will Feature DC2 at center, McCollough and Rak at forwards, Ennis at PG and Silent G at the SG. This will leave Roberson, Cooney, BJ, etc.. on the bench.

This team (with or without Grant) will be a pre-season top 3 team. This will be a LOADED team and i believe will be Jim's last year as coach.

If Grant goes it will be McCollough and Roberson at forward with BJ backing them up and DC2 and Rak at center. Not only is Roberson better suited for the forward position but there is no way JB would want to rely on Chino for the critical backup center role.

Another added benefit of starting Rak is that it helps "boeheim" Grant.

 

[TBCuse11]

If Grant goes it will be McCollough and Roberson at forward with BJ backing them up and DC2 and Rak at center. Not only is Roberson better suited for the forward position but there is no way JB would want to rely on Chino for the critical backup center role.

Another added benefit of starting Rak is that it helps "boeheim" Grant.

No chance Roberson starts over Rak over DC2. None. When Roberson comes in, Rak will slide to center.
Just my opinion.

 

[orangefan13]

Yeah I agree. I don't think we will see much of Dajuan and Roberson on the floor together unless its late in the game or JB smells blood up 6-8. We will need Robersons offense at the four with Rak and Keita out there.