Fair & Ennis

[Col. Bleep]

Raf Addison was money, too.

You beat me to it.
But CJ is much better at setting up his shot...which is almost unblockable.
Might also toss Greg Monroe in there. And in first year of 3-ball he shot 49% from the field.

 

[TBCuse11]

I just watch Ennis and i realize he is one of a kind. The kid can do everything and he has been in college for 15 games.

 

[ruggerpa]

Ennis has to perfect the alley oop pass in order to really become the 'best PG we have ever had.' Shooting is nice, but an oop to bring the Dome to it's feet is the stuff legends are made of.

That and I wish he could get the fast break going a little more.

 

[ruggerpa]

Agreed about Moten on the mid-range. CJ is right there, though, as were Louis Orr and Leo Rautins. I never saw him play, but given the era he played in and his numbers, Dave Bing probably had a tremendous mid-range shot.

Ennis appears to be good enough to be at the top of our PG list, but I don't expect him to stick around long enough to earn the spot away from Sherm. As CuseFaninVT alluded to, Sherm's alley-oop passes were legendary. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I have never seen a better alley-oop passer at any level. He could put the ball right at the rim from anywhere in the half-court. In fact, I recall one (succesful) alley-oop he threw from roughly 3/4 court.

I still tell everyone th e best pass I ever saw was when Sherm hiked the ball between his legs for the fast break.

 

[orangefan13]

Watching CJ drive laterally protecting the ball with his back straight ready to pull up and adding a lean (many times one handed) as part of the chemistry of his release is a rare thing of beauty.

And he makes it look so easy. Even if we are loaded(and we will be) We still are going to miss him one day like edelin's slow dribble backdown, warricks emphatic dunks, Gerry's 3 point shooting and pace's turning hook.

 

[RealSUFan]

You gotta give John Wallace some love for his mid-range jumper too. I'm surprised he hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet. I remember him swishing from 15 feet out -- in traffic -- again and again and again. JW had other skills and that team had other good players, but that year's offense was built largely on that one shot.

 

[br801]

I just watch Ennis and i realize he is one of a kind. The kid can do everything and he has been in college for 15 games.

That's something to keep in mind as he faces the challenges ahead this season. Enjoy the ride, but don't assume you already know everything about his game or how his season (or career) will play out.

 

[orange79]

1. CJ is up there with Moten and Addison
2. Ennis has been fantastic, no doubt. But for him to be mentioned in the same breath as Sherm (or Pearl for that matter), he has to be here for at least 3 years.

Make it so, Number 1.

 

[strumpfasaurus]

I don't think anyone will be as good as Sherm, only for the fact that once someone approaches that level they bolt to the NBA. Had Sherm played in today's era he probably blots sophomore year. That being said Ennis is a fantastic player and even if he leaves after this year he will go down as one of the greats.

 

[MCC]

I am aware that these are two statements that people will say are me being overly dramatic since they are on the current roster, but:

1. CJ Fair has the best mid range jumper in SU history. Honestly, who thinks he is ever going to miss when he pulls up from 15? Moten was good, Pace, Melo, etc... But CJ seems to be 80% on these.

2. Ennis has a very good chance to be the best PG that we have ever had here. I know how good Sherm, Flynn, Gmac (if u count him), Sims, etc. were, but this kid has it ALL. Absolutely an A+ floor general, and he can penetrate and shoot at an above average level. The kid is insane. 1st team All ACC next year for sure.

are these ridiculous statements?

No way. Stevie Thompson had the best 15 footer, hands down. Way over 50% IIRC. Usually got a wide open shot, no defenders anywhere near him. And he didn't even jump when he shot it.

 

[RF2044]

CJ's mid range jumper is great. It's also a lost art in college basketball. You know who would have loved to have CJ Fair? Bobby Knight. His ball fakes and mid range jumpshots would have him salivating.

I cannot put Ennis ahead of Sherm yet. But Sherm was the guy who really hooked me to Cuse bball (along with DC) when I was younger. So I may have bit of hero worship with him.

But if Ennis sticks around another year, I think at worst he is the second best PG ever here.

Agree 100% with this post. Sherman Douglas is the gold standard for point guards we've had here at SU. Ennis is phenomenal, but has a lot of proving to do before he can be mentioned in the same classification as The General.

But even if he's #2, that tells you how freaking good Ennis has played, and what his potential is. Kid is a STUD lead guard...

 

[cuseincincy]

I am aware that these are two statements that people will say are me being overly dramatic since they are on the current roster, but:

1. CJ Fair has the best mid range jumper in SU history. Honestly, who thinks he is ever going to miss when he pulls up from 15? Moten was good, Pace, Melo, etc... But CJ seems to be 80% on these.

2. Ennis has a very good chance to be the best PG that we have ever had here. I know how good Sherm, Flynn, Gmac (if u count him), Sims, etc. were, but this kid has it ALL. Absolutely an A+ floor general, and he can penetrate and shoot at an above average level. The kid is insane. 1st team All ACC next year for sure.

are these ridiculous statements?

The 1st statement is ridiculous because you are stating it as fact. We've had some really good mid range shooters over the years like Addison and Santifer but Moten was the Big East All time leading scorer and Poetry was a poor 3 pt shooter.
2nd statement isn't ridiculous because you state it as a future possibility. If he stayed 4 years he would have a good chance to be the greatest. He's not likely to stay 4 so he will likely fall short of Sherm imo.

 

[TBCuse11]

I don't think anyone will be as good as Sherm, only for the fact that once someone approaches that level they bolt to the NBA. Had Sherm played in today's era he probably blots sophomore year. That being said Ennis is a fantastic player and even if he leaves after this year he will go down as one of the greats.

I guess i dont consider number of years being here as a defining factor. Anyone who doesnt put Carmelo on SU's Mount Rushmore is insane, and he was here one year. I agree Sherm or Pearl could be argued ahead of Ennis, but he will without question be #3 at worst when he leaves here.

 

[RF2044]

I guess i dont consider number of years being here as a defining factor. Anyone who doesnt put Carmelo on SU's Mount Rushmore is insane, and he was here one year. I agree Sherm or Pearl could be argued ahead of Ennis, but he will without question be #3 at worst when he leaves here.

Barring injury, I think you are probably right.

 

[br801]

I think Moten had the best mid range that I have seen. He also was the best pure scorer we have had in many a year.

That Anthony kid was a pretty good pure scorer, too. Whatever happened to him?

 

[strumpfasaurus]

That Anthony kid was a pretty good pure scorer, too. Whatever happened to him?

Rumor has it Boeheim forced him to transfer to Denver after a year.

 

[zhanjuzi]

I think CJ appears to be the best midrange jump shooter because the 3 pt line has killed that shot. It used to be were good shooters made there hay and we've had some good midrange shooters over the years many of which I'm too young to remember. I will say that when he gets in his grove like last night it looked like he could make 100 in a row. Super smooth!

Ennis is the best PG in the ACC right now and until he goes to the NBA. Weather he makes 1st team AACC is another story. He's so excellent 15 games in that its hard to believe.

Reggie Williams and David Wingate are two mid-range guys that used to destroy us curling over the middle with grace and athleticism. I used to mope around complaining how come we could never recruit guys like that .. man things have turned around!

 

[longislandcuse]

Take away all of the ESPN hype /hoopla about Parker, Wiggins, etc... and Ennis is clearly the best freshman. I mean, I don't even think it is close. He is moving up the list of all time greats in my eyes as well. Although I'd like to see some post season play before I anoint him greatest Syracuse pg ever.

He starts getting more aggressive with that 3 point shot and Game. Over. He will literally be unstoppable if he makes that a staple of his game.

 

[domestu]

I love CJ but he is not the best mid-range jump shooter I have seen at SU.

Ennis has some point guard skills that outshine every other player I have seen play here. Everyone recognizes his unbelievable assist to turnover ratio but he also executes the half-court offense better than any player Boeheim has ever had. It blows my mind just how good he is running the offense after we cross mid-court. In this regard, Tyler Ennis stands above everyone else who has played at Syracuse.

I also want to add that Pearl Washington should be included in any discussion of SU point guards.

Go Cuse!

 

[Marsh01]

That Anthony kid was a pretty good pure scorer, too. Whatever happened to him?

He transferred and played for Marshalltown Community College in Iowa for the 1993-94 season, and then ended up at University of Hawaii from 1994-1996.

 

[IthacaMatt]

He transferred and played for Marshalltown Community College in Iowa for the 1993-94 season, and then ended up at University of Hawaii from 1994-1996.

He was talking about Melo, not Harris.

 

[br801]

I also want to add that Pearl Washington should be included in any discussion of SU point guards.

Whenever I read a "best SU point guard of all time" discussion and Pearl is treated as somewhat of an afterthought, I chuckle. Anyone old enough to have seen him play would understand.

 

[RandygoCuse]

I guess i dont consider number of years being here as a defining factor. Anyone who doesnt put Carmelo on SU's Mount Rushmore is insane, and he was here one year. I agree Sherm or Pearl could be argued ahead of Ennis, but he will without question be #3 at worst when he leaves here.

If Ennis were as good as Carmelo was, I would have no problem marking him as the best. It's more the fact that I think Ennis is going to leave before he gets to be as good as Sherm.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Whenever I read a "best SU point guard of all time" discussion and Pearl is treated as somewhat of an afterthought, I chuckle. Anyone old enough to have seen him play would understand.

Pearl's legacy was tarnished by (a) not ever having a run in the NCAAs to match his Big East tournament performances (I'm looking at you, Mr. Robinson ...); and (b) then flaming out quickly in the NBA due to not managing his weight. For all the glamour he brought the program, he left as an underachiever. There was a feeling of unfinished business when he declared early.

 

[TBCuse11]

If Ennis were as good as Carmelo was, I would have no problem marking him as the best. It's more the fact that I think Ennis is going to leave before he gets to be as good as Sherm.

fair enough. I get that most people here would put Sherm or Pearl ahead of Ennis. But lets see if that is still the case at the end of the season.