Carter-Williams Ready To Lead Syracuse

[Sgt Cuse]

I like this team's potential, but but I don't think we start out rated in the top 5-10. First of all, we're young and not especially deep in either the backcourt or on the frontline. MCW has a huge upside, but when he walks on the court, he'll be going from 10 minutes of cleanup to 30 minutes of prime time. I love his size, court vision and ability to get to the rim. But he's an untested leader and his outside range is unproven. BT... we know what we're getting there. Solid defense, strong slasher that can create off the dribble and hit the open jumper. But Cooney as the sole backup will not be the energizer that Dion was, although he does give us an outside threat. Not sure about his defense, but he's worked hard. Hopefully this trio will grow up fast and overcome the absence of elite depth.

The frontline is similar, lots of potential but lots of inexperience. DC2 is not only big and powerful, he moves well and has a nice all around game -- he'll be as productive a scorer as AO and probably rebound the ball better. Rak .. a project last year, looks jacked and ready to make the jump. I like him as an inside (possibly high/low) compliment (to DC2) and with his athleticism he has potential to be a good off-the-ball shot blocker. Keita gives us depth and experience at center but we have only SF's to back up the PF -- (CJ, JS, Grant) they're plucky but don't have the length or strength required for the position. The only spot we're really loaded at is SF -- there we have two talented guys that each lack what the other brings. JS has the outside stroke CJ needs, and CJ has the drive game JS needs. Hopefully, they can make it work or both get in the rotation at the 3/4 when we go small.

I think we're a top 20 team that could become a top 10 team by season's end if the guys we're expecting to explode ... do.

I disagree, I think SU should start out top 10. I also don't think SU is necessarily young. A non-frosh lineup of MCW, BT, Dirty, CJ, and Rak/Keita is experienced and impressive. That alone is top 20.

Then you add in a McD AA big in DC2 and a guy that has been around a year in Whitehot and there is a lot to build on.
This team is much more in the wheelhouse of JBs more typical good crew. A post presence, a designated 3 ptr, experience in the backcourt, long and athletic wings. All the ingredients are there.

Five years ago many (including myself) had this year circled as the beginning of SUs rise into the elite. Now as the situation has developed as hoped for/planned (BT helps lure in DC2 and is surrounded by experienced players) there is no reason not to think SU will be good. Real good.

 

[reedny]

You are not comparing our to team to the field. Your comparison is based on last years team or something else.

I hear you guys, but when you have a sophmore PG with little playing time (compared to a junior or senior) and a freshman center (compared to a player with any D-1 experience at all), and no elite depth anywhere ... you have some questions. We're also thin at PF ... and I don't think with all the youth in our starting rotation it's unfair to conclude that this team will need time to mature before it starts realizing its potential.

A non-frosh lineup of MCW, BT, Dirty, CJ, and Rak/Keita is experienced and impressive. That alone is top 20.

We do have experienced depth, Sgt. That's a good point, but not elite depth like we had last year. The backup experience (along with our starting talent) puts us in the top 20 (maybe top 15), but top 5 is a stretch, at least until we see how the team gets through the BEC.

Realistically, we're not even the team to beat in the BE this year -- that distinction goes to Fried Chicken U. So we'll see. I hope the team proves me wrong, and I respect the dissenting opinions.

 

[Cusefaninvirginia]

but i think the point about comparing this team to last year's is a fair one. last year we were a number one ranked team for a good chunk of time. sure, compared to that we are a little young. but if we compare ourselves to the other top ten teams going into this year, we're actually more on the experienced end. Look at top five teams like UK and KU. KU has maybe 3 impact guys with any kind of experience returning, and UK has just one. I think we have a nice mix of experience, freshmen, and young players about ready to break out. I feel very comfortable saying we're top 10 going into this year.

 

[AlpharettaCuse]

"Look at top five teams like UK and KU. KU has maybe 3 impact guys with any kind of experience returning, and UK has just one. "

There is no way Kansas is a Top 5 team this year. They lost way too much. Of course, I said the exact same thing last year and they made the title game. UNC is another one. I can't imagine them being near the Top 10.

We've got plenty of experience in Triche, Southerland, Keita, and CJ. Rak and MCW are stepping into big roles, but I think Coleman and Cooney could both make a big impact for us.

 

[Cusefaninvirginia]

i hear what you're saying about Kansas, and kind of agree, but I've seen a lot of people out there annointing them as the #4 team - after the big 3 of Louisville, Indiana and UK. and in any case, they're widely regarded as a top ten team, at a minimum. which speaks to my point that, after the big 3, SU is as good as anyone. lack of experience is not an issue for SU compared to the field. There's a lot of very good teams out there this year, but not many elite teams.

and yeah, I agree about UNC. I'd put them just outside the top ten at this point.

 

[cusetown1]

i hear what you're saying about Kansas, and kind of agree, but I've seen a lot of people out there annointing them as the #4 team - after the big 3 of Louisville, Indiana and UK. and in any case, they're widely regarded as a top ten team, at a minimum. which speaks to my point that, after the big 3, SU is as good as anyone. lack of experience is not an issue for SU compared to the field. There's a lot of very good teams out there this year, but not many elite teams.

and yeah, I agree about UNC. I'd put them just outside the top ten at this point.

UK is going to take a few steps back this year.

 

[Orangezoo]

Coleman/Cooney are going to be big. The addition of a true inside offensive player and outside offensive player gives us two things we absolutely didn't have last year. Having this should help take pressure off the primary ball handlers so we don't have to rely so much on the high ball screens every trip. Its really amazing how far we went using the HBS last year along with Scoop and Dion penetrating off the dribble. MCW should really benefit having a lot of options regarding where to direct the offense. Personally I think this team could be a lot better than most think. Add to that - UK isn't the same UK as last year as AD is a once in a 10 years type of player.

This team shares a lot with 03 other than not having Melo.. has the makings of a very complete team.

 

[CU44SE]

The only teams I can really think of that will be older then us are Indiana and Louisville. Those teams are pretty scary because they were good last year, and most of them are returning. Other then that everyone in the top 10 are going to be pretty young teams.

 

[reedny]

but i think the point about comparing this team to last year's is a fair one. last year we were a number one ranked team for a good chunk of time. sure, compared to that we are a little young. but if we compare ourselves to the other top ten teams going into this year, we're actually more on the experienced end. Look at top five teams like UK and KU. KU has maybe 3 impact guys with any kind of experience returning, and UK has just one. I think we have a nice mix of experience, freshmen, and young players about ready to break out. I feel very comfortable saying we're top 10 going into this year.

Well, with all due respect, Ky is really not a fair team to use for the 'experience' comparison... since they get their pick of top talent and virtually all of their starters are NBA prospects. As to kansas, they lost Robinson and Taylor, but they bring back Withey (7' center), along with Releford and Johnson.

SU looses 4 of its best players -- the scoring nucleus, almost 43 points per game -- to the NBA. This includes a sophomore 7' center, a senior SF and one of the most talented 2Gs in the country (that we brought off the bench), in addition to a veteren PG (who may yet reach the NBA). And these guys weren't just scorers. They made us one of the nation's best teams on D last year. A great deal of this had to do with a 7' anchor/shot-blocker and experienced guards -- and all of them are gone.

In place of that talent, our returning veterens are steady-but-not-elite BT and CJ (with steady-but-not-elite JS and Keita second rotation guys). Yes, we have some younger players who have elite potential -- a soph point (McDAA) and a frosh center (McDAA), neither of whom has much experience, as well as an underperforming sophmore PF (another McDAA) with very little prime time pt at his position (the cinci game and a couple of NCAA games he played center). Will our inside offense be better than it was with Fab? Probably. But our inside defense will probably not be.

All in all, without a true shot-blocker in the middle, and so much youth and inexperience in the starting rotation (especially the backcourt), I think it's premature to annoint this group as top 5-10 material.

 

[CU44SE]

Im still wondering how good are defense will be this year, to me that is one of the only questions. The offense last year was very stagnant if we were not getting out in transition. This year we will have guys that can consistently score inside and shooters (cooney), something we didnt have last year. We never had that knock down shooter that you couldnt leave open, everyone was streaky. Without a doubt, this team will rebound 100x better then last years team. Hopefully the rebounding will make up for Fab's shot blocking and altering, and maybe even give us more second chances on Offense.

 

[reedny]

Coleman/Cooney are going to be big. The addition of a true inside offensive player and outside offensive player gives us two things we absolutely didn't have last year. Having this should help take pressure off the primary ball handlers so we don't have to rely so much on the high ball screens every trip. Its really amazing how far we went using the HBS last year along with Scoop and Dion penetrating off the dribble. MCW should really benefit having a lot of options regarding where to direct the offense. Personally I think this team could be a lot better than most think. Add to that - UK isn't the same UK as last year as AD is a once in a 10 years type of player.

This team shares a lot with 03 other than not having Melo.. has the makings of a very complete team.

Very legit. points, OZ. DC2 is a good counter-argument, and I think he can score ou of the pick and role (the HBS as you mention). He also brings the inside offense we didn't have last year -- this COULD be an improvement. However, this is Dejaun's first year in the BE and he is not the shot-blocker that Fab was. The other front line player, Rak, still has not come of age, and an inexperienced backcourt (2 of our 3 guards) is going to hurt us offensively and defensively. People are forgetting (already) how good our zone was last year. Dion and scoop lived in the passing lanes (BT was solid there as well). This year .. we don't have that kind of experience or elite talent off the bench; we don't have elite shot-blocking; and Cooney, although he might be able to shoot it, is an unknown quantity defensively.

 

[senorpalmer]

I like this team's potential, but but I don't think we start out rated in the top 5-10. First of all, we're young and not especially deep in either the backcourt or on the frontline. MCW has a huge upside, but when he walks on the court, he'll be going from 10 minutes of cleanup to 30 minutes of prime time. I love his size, court vision and ability to get to the rim. But he's an untested leader and his outside range is unproven. BT... we know what we're getting there. Solid defense, strong slasher that can create off the dribble and hit the open jumper. But Cooney as the sole backup will not be the energizer that Dion was, although he does give us an outside threat. Not sure about his defense, but he's worked hard. Hopefully this trio will grow up fast and overcome the absence of elite depth.

The frontline is similar, lots of potential but lots of inexperience. DC2 is not only big and powerful, he moves well and has a nice all around game -- he'll be as productive a scorer as AO and probably rebound the ball better. Rak .. a project last year, looks jacked and ready to make the jump. I like him as an inside (possibly high/low) compliment (to DC2) and with his athleticism he has potential to be a good off-the-ball shot blocker. Keita gives us depth and experience at center but we have only SF's to back up the PF -- (CJ, JS, Grant) they're plucky but don't have the length or strength required for the position. The only spot we're really loaded at is SF -- there we have two talented guys that each lack what the other brings. JS has the outside stroke CJ needs, and CJ has the drive game JS needs. Hopefully, they can make it work or both get in the rotation at the 3/4 when we go small.

I think we're a top 20 team that could become a top 10 team by season's end if the guys we're expecting to explode ... do.

The pollsters (for what they're worth) will likely rank the team top 10 preseason just based on the fact that the team has spent a lot of time there in the last 3-4 years. Hell UCon was in the top 10 last year just based on their cinderella title run from the previous season. Whether or not they're worthy is a different discussion of course.

I disagree on the frontcourt being thin, 4 experienced guys return and they add another mcd aa. Rak was the only "true" 4 last yr too and that worked out ok. The zone can and will be highly effective when JS and CJ are on the floor together, that's still a lot of length (and experience); on offense they'll cause many more mismatches for opposing defenses than they will for this team. I also think the length in the backcourt is being overlooked, the size at guard is exceptional; with the length all around the roster the zone has a chance to be as good as we've ever seen it.

 

[senorpalmer]

[quote="reedny, post: 347881, member: 14] AND, we have a soph point with no big-game experience, a frosh center, and an underperforming sophmore PF with very little prime time experience at his position[/quote]

All of whom are mickey d's. Sure they all have something to prove and there are no guarantees with recruits, but that's a hell of a trio of question marks, many top 25 programs would be thrilled to have this problem.