BIG Drop off from Keita to Christmas

[OrangeinBoston]

He needs experience and will be fine. But right now, SU misses Baye.

 

[WilmingtonCuse]

In a big way

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

He jumps too early for rebounds...out of position. Hopefully Fab stays out of foul trouble in the 2nd half..

 

[jordoo]

I think he is battling out of it, but it is certainly trial by fire. To bad he didn't make that dunk of the year put back attempt!

 

[l'orange]

What did I miss? Why isn't Keita playing?

 

[orangejunkie]

It was reported that he injured his hip in a non basketball related accident.

 

[Bortukal]

What did I miss? Why isn't Keita playing?

Probably because he hurt his hip before the last game. P-S reported he took it easy at practice on Monday but he was supposed to be ready for tonight's game. Probably being rested as a precaution.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

What did I miss? Why isn't Keita playing?

Hip pointer in warm ups last game.

 

[baggerbob]

Lets just hope we win and Keita is ready by saturday. Melo is not as effective without Keita because he needs to stay on the floor can't afford to pick up cheap fouls.

 

[IthacaMatt]

He needs experience and will be fine. But right now, SU misses Baye.

Christmas has been staggeringly bad in the first half. I know he got credited with 5 rebounds in the first half, but 3 of them just fell to him. He just didn't stop anyone on about 5 trips in a row. I don't know how Boeheim wasn't lighting him up. He looked clueless out there, and not very energetic.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Probably because he hurt his hip before the last game. P-S reported he took it easy at practice on Monday but he was supposed to be ready for tonight's game. Probably being rested as a precaution.

Ordinarily you wouldn't think we'd need him against a team like Providence, but we didn't rebound worth a damn for most of the game. We're stopping the initial shot, but we keep giving up the board. Thank goodness for the steals and deflections. But we're not blocking as many shots so far either, not just because of Fab's foul trouble. Nobody else is stepping up among the forwards.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We're playing very soft tonight. Not fighting for it inside.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Xmas's defense leaves much to be desired. He doesn't "get it" yet.

 

[OttoMets]

It didn't help that he was the recipient of more freshman calls than I can remember. Hit on most of his shot attempts without a whistle, plus two or three fouls on the defensive end for breathing on a guy.

 

[donniesyracuse]

I'm not sure I heard the announcers mention Keita's absence at all; although I did fast forward through time outs.

 

[Madbiker]

The game is too fast for him right now. He doesn't get the positioning in the zone. It takes time. It took Fab a whole year. He has the basic tools, his mind will catch up.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The game is too fast for him right now. He doesn't get the positioning in the zone. It takes time. It took Fab a whole year. He has the basic tools, his mind will catch up.

He needs to move with more purpose on the floor. He just kind of floats down to the other end after a change of possession. He looks disinterested out there compared to our other 2 big men.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I'm not sure I heard the announcers mention Keita's absence at all; although I did fast forward through time outs.

Those guys were idiots. Had the half tie differential wrong. Didn't know who had and hadn't played in the first half, never discussed Keita, etc. ESPN 3 means 3rd level announcers and production. For instance, why no graphics on the foul discrepancy.

 

[Ghost]

He always looks so small out there - what's his legit height?

 

[OttoMets]

He always looks so small out there - what's his legit height?

Very long arms, but I think he's 6'8" at most, maybe a little shorter. And it doesn't help that he's playing tentatively.

 

[pfister1]

Those guys were idiots. Had the half tie differential wrong. Didn't know who had and hadn't played in the first half, never discussed Keita, etc. ESPN 3 means 3rd level announcers and production. For instance, why no graphics on the foul discrepancy.

The other thing they constantly due, was more of an issue against DePaul who was pressing, is go to sideline shots and shots of the coaching staff or things other than the action on the floor way too much. Has you missing the inbounds because they are showing you the coaches reaction to the last play. I guess the price you pay for getting to see so many of these games is that you get JV quality announcers and production staff.

 

[pfister1]

With regard to Christmas, I think you also have to take into account that he was being asked to play the center position which is a new position with different responsibilities than his usual position. He wasn't as aggressive as you'd like and there were definitely some lapses, but all in all he did a credible job of stepping up and filling in at position he hasn't really played much, if any, time at for this team. After all he's still trying to get things to come together at the position he's been working at from the beginning of practice.

 

[OttoMets]

With regard to Christmas, I think you also have to take into account that he was being asked to play the center position which is a new position with different responsibilities than his usual position. He wasn't as aggressive as you'd like and there were definitely some lapses, but all in all he did a credible job of stepping up and filling in at position he hasn't really played much, if any, time at for this team. After all he's still trying to get things to come together at the position he's been working at from the beginning of practice.

I agree. For a third-string center, how could one not be pleased with his performance? Think of how the majority of Boeheim's teams would've fared if they'd been stuck playing the third-string guy for 16 minutes. (As someone who rewatched the 2000 Michigan State game yesterday, I was struck by that - many Syracuse teams haven't had one credible back-up, let alone two.)

Rakeem's going to be good. For the time being, he's passable.

 

[orangecuse]

I think he'll be fine down the road...he's gaining valuable experience right now. He did contribute at a crucial moment last night with that key rebound and put back after Joseph shot a brick 3 pointer that caromed wildly off the backboard from the left wing...Providence had closed the gap to 6 I believe prior to...

 

[rosconey]

we go 4 deep at center now that cj had some paint time last night-lol

rak is going to get spanked early on in the big east-its a mans league-but by march when it counts i have to think he will be a solid contributor because of it