Orangeyes Daily Articles for Tuesday for Basketball

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Welcome to Syracuse Athletics Night!

Head Coach Dino Babers and the Syracuse football team will be on hand at NBT Bank Stadium on Tuesday night as the Syracuse Mets host 'Syracuse University Athletics Night' in their game against the Rochester Red Wings.

Babers will toss out the ceremonial fist pitch and the Orange marketing and sales departments will have a table in the concourse that will feature giveaways and prizes, plus information on Otto's Kids Club and season tickets!

The game begins at 6:35 p.m. and tickets can be purchased here: Buy Tickets to Syracuse Athletics Night

SU News

Report: Lakers 'Most Likely Landing Spot' for Carmelo Anthony if he Leaves Portland (SI; McAllister)

Former Syracuse star Carmelo Anthony could be looking for a new NBA home this offseason and he could land with one of the favorites to win the title next season. According to Evan Massey of NBA Analysis Network, should Anthony leave the Portland Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers could be his next home.

"The Lakers seem like the most likely landing spot for Carmelo Anthony if he leaves Portland in free agency," a source told Massey. "Both sides have a high level of interest in each other."

This makes sense for a variety of reasons. First, Portland fell in the first round of the playoffs yet again last season. Superstar Damian Lillard is clearly frustrated with not competing for championships. This offseason could be one of significant change for the Trail Blazers, especially if they deal Lillard. With Carmelo in the twilight of his career, would he want to stick around for that? Or would he be more interested in looking for an NBA Title before he hangs up the cleats for good?
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Syracuse basketball wants ‘me to come there,’ 4-star J.J. Starling says (itlh; Adler)

Syracuse basketball 2022 high-priority target J.J. Starling recently took an official visit to the Hill, and he said in an interview that this trip went well. That’s highly encouraging.

Still, the competition for the stellar four-star guard and Central New York native is quite intense, and it seems that the 6-foot-3 Starling is taking his time with his recruiting process.

Besides an official visit to the ‘Cuse, Starling has traveled to Maryland, Connecticut and Alabama of late. He holds a bunch of impressive scholarship offers, including from blue-blood squads Kansas and Duke.

The Blue Devils, a fellow Atlantic Coast Conference group, offered Starling not too long ago, and that offer is a worrisome one for Orange fans, in my opinion.

That being said, Syracuse basketball coaches have targeted Starling for quite some time, offering him a scholarship about two years ago. And he has said in past interviews that he’s in consistent communication with the ‘Cuse coaching staff.

Starling continues to rise up the national rankings for his cycle, and he’s universally deemed a top-50 prospect at this juncture, according to all of the primary recruiting services. Several recruiting insiders have said that Starling is potentially headed toward five-star status.

Syracuse basketball is in a recruiting battle for four-star guard J.J. Starling.

Depending on the recruiting Web site, Starling is listed as either a point guard or a combo guard. In a recent Q&A, Starling told SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister that Orange coaches are recruiting him as a point guard and a shooting guard.

I believe that’s an important facet to note. Syracuse basketball is also in the running for 2022 four-star point guard Quadir Copeland and 2022 four-star combo guard Chance Westry.

That Starling and Westry can play both guard positions, while Copeland is more of a pure point guard, may help the Orange’s chances to land two of these three 2022 guard prospects.
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Recruiting Reset: Syracuse Basketball's 2022 Class (SI; McAllister)

Syracuse basketball currently has two players committed to the Orange and several other players are on the radar. Here is the latest on where things stand.

THE COMMITS

SG/SF Kamari Lands
Height/Weight: 6-8, 200
High School: Prolific Prep (IN)
Other Notable Offers: Louisville, Texas Tech, Xavier
Commitment Story:

SG Justin Taylor
Height/Weight: 6-6, 200
High School: St. Anne's Belfield School (VA)
Other Notable Offers: Florida, Indiana, Marquette, Maryland, NC State, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech
Commitment Story:

COMMITTED ELSEWHERE

PG Dior Johnson - Oregon
SG Roddy Gayle - Ohio State
C Donovan Clingan - UConn

OFFEREES

PG Quadir Copeland
Height/Weight: 6-6, 175
High School: IMG Academy (Originally from PA)
Other Notable Offers: Maryland, Miami, Oklahoma State, Oregon
Notes: Copeland took an official visit to Syracuse and an unofficial to Maryland last month. Syracuse has a good shot here and a decision could come at any time. He does not have a specific date/timeframe for a commitment.

PG JJ Starling
Height/Weight: 6-2, 170
High School: La Lumiere (Originally from NY)
Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Connecticut, Duke, Kansas, Maryland, Miami, Stanford
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Syracuse Basketball: 4-star point guard a key piece for second NCAA title (itlh; Adler)

Syracuse basketball has a lot of momentum with its 2022 class, and a lot of attention is now turning to the point-guard position, where the Orange is pursuing three top-flight targets.

One of those prospects is four-star Quadir Copeland, a top-100 player in his cycle who took an official visit to the Hill not too long ago. The 6-foot-6 Copeland, who would thrive in the Orange’s 2-3 zone, spoke glowingly of the Syracuse basketball program after his trip to Central New York.

Copeland has numerous high-major offers, although it does seem that the ‘Cuse and Maryland out of the rugged Big Ten Conference could have the most buzz for him at this juncture. He has unofficially visited the Terrapins.

That being said, Copeland’s recruiting process might have a way to go. His recent stellar play on the AAU circuit, coupled with his transfer to a national prep-school powerhouse, should fuel a continued rise in the 2022 rankings, along with more offers heading in Copeland’s direction.

Syracuse basketball has an excellent shot to land four-star point guard Quadir Copeland.

I’m not seeing any predictions from national analysts or other recruiting insiders for Copeland, at least for the time being. Besides the Orange and Maryland, he has recent offers from teams such as Rick Pitino-led Iona and Oklahoma State, as well as prior offers from the likes of Connecticut, Oregon, Miami, Penn State, La Salle, Saint Joseph’s and Siena.

For his senior year, Copeland is transferring from the Life Center Academy in Burlington, N.J., to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., which is also where 2021 five-star commit Benny Williams suited up during his recently completed senior season.
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Oct. 14, 2014; Syracuse, New York, USA; Former Syracuse forward Jerami Grant (L) and guard Michael Carter-Williams (R) sit on the sideline during a Philadelphia 76ers preseason game at The Carrier Dome. Mandatory Photo Credit: Kicia Sears, The Juice Online.

Orange Watch: Syracuse basketball's connection to the Olympic Games - The Juice Online (the juice; Bierman)

Item: With former Syracuse standout Jerami Grant (2012-14) and his U.S.A. Basketball teammates seeking to defend the men’s gold medal in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics (July 23-August 8), it’s the fifth straight Olympic games a past Orange player has participated on the U.S. team. Grant becomes the third member of the ‘Cuse basketball program to compete or coach on the Olympic Games world stage. Carmelo Anthony’s (see below) Olympic records will be tough to top, and, of course, Jim Boeheim superbly assisted Mike Krzyzewski on three gold medal winning teams.

How impressive is it that Grant, the 39th player selected overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014, after his seventh year in the NBA, earned a spot on the 12-man Olympic roster?

It’s certainly an out-of-nowhere development after signing a three-year $60 million contract with Detroit last November after a sign-and-trade deal with Denver. Averaging a career-high 22.3 ppg, playing nearly 34 minutes per game for a 20-52 Pistons team that was at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, and showing his versatility, Grant will be counted on to play tough defense, hit treys when he has open looks (35% last season), and also driving to the hoop to score.

“I was blessed when I got the call,” Grant told the Detroit Free Press last week about his reaction to the ultimate honor to how he has transformed his game. “This is going to benefit me, being around a group of guys that are this talented, being able to pick up the little things that they do, watching their movements and observing, things like that. It only can help me for my future.”

While Grant is just starting his international career, at the other end of the spectrum is Anthony, the most statistically accomplished Olympian in U.S.A. Basketball history.
A four-time member of Team U.S.A. (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016) with three gold medals, Anthony is the U.S.A. Basketball career Olympic leader in the following categories:

• Games Played (31)
• Scoring (336)
• Field Goals Made (113)
• Field Goals Attempted (262)
• 3-Point Field Goals Attempted (139)
• Free Throws Made (53)
• Free Throws Attempted (71)
• Rebounds (125)

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Listen to Locked On Syracuse - Daily Podcast On Syracuse Orange Football & Basketball on TuneIn (tunen.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)

The Athletic's Brian Hamilton ranked the top 15 coaches in the Post-Coach K world and slotted Jim Boeheim 15th. The guys discuss who Boeheim should be ahead of and where they would slot the Hall of Famer. Plus, Syracuse football landed its best recruit of the 2022 class so far with the commitment by Q'yaeir Price. The emphasis continues to be on the defensive side of the ball and Nick Monroe continues his recruiting heater. Tim Leonard and Tyler Aki discuss it all and more on the Monday..

Which Team Makes the Most Sense for Alan Griffin? – Orange Fizz – Daily Syracuse Recruiting News & Team Coverage (orangefizz.net; Klein)

Well, he’s not coming back. As much as that might sting for Syracuse fans, it’s time to accept him as a potential alumni the Orange can be proud of rather than a missing piece to the puzzle that shouldn’t be missing.

For the sake of this column, let’s narrow down Griffin’s NBA options to the two teams he has reportedly worked out for. About a month ago, the guard/wing played in front of Knicks personnel. Recently, it was the Lakers.

The two teams are in very different places in their championship trajectory. New York is still coming down from the high of a surprise home-court advantage playoff berth, not the disappointment of a five-game loss in the first round. It’s hard to blame them for either considering the last time the Knicks won a championship was 1973 and prior to this season, it had been eight years since their last playoff appearance. At this point, the Knicks are trying to build on what they’ve started with Head Coach Tom Thibodeau winning Coach of the Year and Julius Randle taking Most Improved Player of the Year honors. Everything Los Angeles does, including bringing Alan Griffin in for a workout, is a band-aid on a wounded foundation. The name of the game for the Lakers is keep LeBron James and Anthony Davis going for one more championship push. Their bubble-title seams like a long time ago at this point after this year’s 7-seed flop in the first round.
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MBB: Preseason Team Ranking (CBS) (RX; HM)

MBB: Preseason Team Ranking (CBS)​

Remember when ACC basketball was really good? To be fair, it wasn't all that long ago - although 2020 made it seem like forever! CBS Sports' has their preseason top 26, and it includes five ACC teams - just barely.

Preseason 2021 College basketball rankings: CBS' Top 25 And 1

RK	TEAM	2020 W-L
1	GONZAGA	31-1
2	UCLA	22-10
3	KANSAS	21-9
4	VILLANOVA	18-7
5	MICHIGAN	23-5
6	DUKE	13-11
Duke is the only program expected to add three five-star prospects from the Class of 2021 - among them Paolo Banchero and AJ Griffin, both of whom project as one-and-done top-10 NBA Draft picks. So even with Matthew Hurt and DJ Steward both leaving school early, Mike Krzyzewski should have enough talent to take the Blue Devils back to the top of the sport.
7	BAYLOR	28-2
8	ARKANSAS	25-7
9	PURDUE	18-10
10	HOUSTON	28-4
11	TEXAS	19-8
12	KENTUCKY	9-16
13	N. CAROLINA	18-11
The return of Armando Bacot and Caleb Love will give Hubert Davis a chance to keep the Tar Heels nationally relevant in his first season after replacing Roy Williams. They'll be joined by a couple of proven transfers - namely forwards Brady Manek (Oklahoma) and Dawson Garcia (Marquette) - who will make UNC's frontcourt one of the sport's best.
14	OREGON	21-7
15	OHIO ST.	21-10
16	ALABAMA	26-7
17	FLORIDA ST.	18-7
The Seminoles should be good again despite losing four of their top five scorers - among them projected lottery pick Scottie Barnes. A veteran core of Anthony Polite and Malik Osborne will be joined by a top-five recruiting class highlighted by former Houston standout Caleb Mills and five-star wing Matthew Cleveland.
18	TENNESSEE	18-9
19	MARYLAND	17-14
20	AUBURN	13-14
21	CONNECTICUT	15-8
22	MICHIGAN ST.	15-13
23	ST. BONA.	16-5
24	VIRGINIA	18-7
Trey Murphy left school early for the NBA Draft, which means Virginia is losing its top three scorers. But Kihei Clark will provide Tony Bennett with an experienced point guard capable of keeping the Cavaliers near the top of the ACC, and the addition of East Carolina transfer Jayden Gardner could be a big boost.

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Swagger and Precious Achiuwa: How Nigeria beat Team USA (ESPN; Udoh)

Nigeria became the first African country to beat Team USA when it shocked the No. 1 side 90-87 in a pre-Olympics exhibition game in Las Vegas on Saturday, and D'Tigers coach Mike Brown told ESPN that it was no fluke.

The rare loss was only Team USA's third in 57 exhibition games since 1992, and the last time the Americans lost was against Australia in 2019. The two previous meetings between the U.S. and Nigeria ended in 83-point and 43-point blowout wins for Team USA.

Brown, who is an assistant coach with the NBA's Golden State Warriors, told ESPN that his team fully expected to win the clash, and that come game time in Tokyo in less than three weeks, it will expect to beat Italy, Germany and Australia.

"The main thing is, we expect to win every time we step on that floor," Brown said. "So if we truly believe that, then when we win even a big game like that, although it was just an exhibition, we are going to take it in stride, because we know that the next one -- touch wood -- we could lose.

"So winning a game [against the U.S.], yeah, it could impact or affect a lot of people. But I don't think it will affect this group.

"But come Olympic time, when the lights are on, we will be ready. Believe that."
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Other

City Hall Commons for sale? Walsh readies to relocate staff, redevelop flatiron building (PS; $; Baker)

Officials in Mayor Ben Walsh’s administration are moving ahead with a plan to sell the city’s 152-year-old flatiron style office building and find a new home for up to 130 employees.

The sale could be a step toward a consolidated city-county workspace at the historic Carnegie Library building -- a long-vacant county-owned building that County Executive Ryan McMahon has been eager to put to better use.

The Common Council will vote Monday on a procedural step toward marketing City Hall Commons at 201 E. Washington St. It’s the latest step in a process that’s been in the works for several years.

There are somewhere between 120 and 130 city employees who work in the 48,879 sq. ft. building, spread out across multiple floors. It includes offices for city employees who handle permitting, zoning, code enforcement, neighborhood planning, business development and the Citizen Review Board.
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How 7 acres of grass grown in Syracuse area ended up covering NYC’s Javits Center’s roof (PS; $; Moriarty)

A small Syracuse-area company is helping to green up America’s roofs.

Chatfield Green Roofing, of Skaneateles Falls, has provided nearly 1 million square feet of green roofs for buildings throughout the Northeast. It grows the vegetation for the roofs at its 34-acre farm in Elbridge.

Its biggest and best-known job was the nearly 300,000 square feet of green roof on the Jacob Javits Convention Center, the largest green roof in New York City and second largest in the nation.

Green roofs, also known as living roofs, are vegetation planted over a waterproof membrane. Chatfield owner Bob Parker said they have many benefits for building owners and the environment. Among them, a green roof:

• Helps increase the life span of a roof membrane because the vegetation protects it from the sun’s UV rays. The membranes of green roofs last two to three times those of conventional roofs.

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