sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Mischief Night!
Mischief Night is an evening filled with mischief and pranks done to neighbors, mainly carried out by children and teenagers. Steeped in folk tradition, the holiday usually takes place the night before Halloween. In practice, the holiday separates the trick from the treat of trick-or-treating, which is an activity often done on Halloween. Although, in some circumstances, Mischief Night is observed on Halloween night and is combined with trick-or-treating.
SU News
TideIllustrated - Previewing Syracuse's 2023-24 Guards (r1vals.com; Stechschulte)
Syracuse basketball's season kicks off on Nov. 6 against New Hampshire at the JMA Wireless Dome.
We are doing a position-by-position preview to get ready for the season, and today, we begin with the Orange's guards, headlined by two potential NBA guards.
Cuffe is one of the more mysterious transfers into the Orange program, having spent two seasons at Kansas. The first was as a traditional redshirt, then he played all of six minutes last season before adding an injury redshirt to his resume.
Cuffe finished his high school career at Blair Academy as a fringe top-100 recruit, earning four-star rankings. His recruiting profile favors his athleticism as his top trait, feeding into his ability to succeed in an uptempo offense and highlighting his defensive upside.
Cuffe profiles as more of an undersized two-guard than a point who needs to continue developing his playmaking abilities and shooting, even though he did display an accurate 3-point stroke in the exhibition against Daemen.
Mintz’s freshman season realistically could not have gone much better, at least from a personal standpoint.
He showed early that he was a source of offense for the Orange, rattling off five straight games of at least 16 points to start the season, and finished second on the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game.
Despite his youth and slight build, Mintz was unafraid to get inside opposing defenses, scoring often at will in the paint with an assortment of finishes and floaters.
Of note is his listed height and weight this season jumping one inch and 13 pounds over last year’s numbers. The latter is the more noteworthy one, as is suggests Mintz is better prepared to withstand the consequences of those forays into the paint.
Mintz also established that he could operate as a set-up man as the season progressed, averaging 5.3 assists in the last 15 games after posting 4.1 per game the first 17 games.
The point guard led the team in free throws and steals, as well, leaving his three-point shooting as the biggest question in his game.
Being named to the preseason All-ACC Second Team means Mintz will be the top line on every opponent’s scouting report this season.
Starling returns home to continue his basketball career after spending his freshman season at Notre Dame.
The former McDonald’s All-American started 24 of 28 games for the Irish as a freshman, tallying double-digit points in 17 contests and averaging 11.2 points per outing.
Starling’s offense tailed off in ACC play before his season was eventually cut short after suffering shoulder and meniscus injuries.
His three-point shooting took the brunt of those injuries, as Starling closed the season shooting 4-for-24 from behind the arc.
That cold snap dropped him to under 30 percent on the season from three after shooting just under 35 percent from long range before then.
A dynamic driver and creative finisher, Starling will likely be tasked with becoming a better distributor and decision-maker, as his assist-to-turnover ratio last season with Notre Dame was 32-to-41, to help Mintz run the offense.
Observations from SU’s exhibition over Daemen: New man-to-man look, J.J. Starling shines (DO; Schiff)
Adrian Autry smiled when a reporter asked about the “one biggest thing” he changed entering the 2023-24 season on SU basketball’s media day. He likely knew the inquiry was coming.
“That’s a good question,” Autry said.
Appointed as the program’s head coach after Jim Boeheim’s 47 years at the helm, Autry worked quickly. He brought back Judah Mintz after the point guard tested NBA Draft waters. He added four new players from the transfer portal, including former McDonald’s All-American JJ Starling and 7-foot-4 Naheem McLeod. He returned all six players from Syracuse’s 2022 recruiting class which ranked 14th best in the country, according to Sports Illustrated.
But on media day, Autry answered the same way everyone huddled around the lone podium at the Carmelo K. Anthony Center thought he would.
“We’re going to play man-to-man,” Autry said. “I’ve been not shy about that. That’s what we need to do.”
On Friday, Autry’s tenure as head coach started and Syracuse cruised to a 81-68 win over Daemen. Though Mintz did not play due to a minor lower body injury suffered in practice, according to SU Athletics, the Orange looked comfortable from the jump.
Here are some observations from Syracuse’s first exhibition contest against Daemen:
Naheem’s Length
Syracuse’s first basket came off of a McLeod dunk. The first block was also McLeod’s. Equipped with a 7-foot-4 frame, McLeod is the tallest-ever player in SU men’s basketball history and his dominance down low was evident early.Finding an open lane from the free throw line, Daemen’s Joey Atkins drove left and put up a running hook. McLeod swatted the attempt off the backboard. When Atkins looked to his left, searching for a goaltending call from the nearest official, McLeod stared at Atkins and smiled. A couple of possessions later, Nick MacDonald drove into the paint, missing badly on a floater. Though McLeod didn’t block the shot, his intimidating close-out did enough to force a miss.
Later in the first half, McLeod ripped down an offensive rebound and immediately held the ball high above his head, signaling a clear out. Taking two pound dribbles into the chest of Atkins, McLeod spun to his right and cashed in on a lefty hook.
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Syracuse Basketball: Sharpshooter Kyle Cuffe wants SU ‘back to the top’ (itlh; Adler)
National analysts and scouts have spoken to the explosive athleticism that Syracuse basketball redshirt sophomore guard Kyle Cuffe Jr. possesses, and in recent weeks, he’s also displayed a stellar shooting stroke from long range.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Cuffe, who is from Harlem, N.Y., transferred to the Orange this past off-season after spending two campaigns with Big 12 Conference powerhouse Kansas.
In the 2021-22 term, when the Jayhawks captured the national title, Cuffe took a redshirt. This past stanza, in 2022-23, he only appeared in two games before suffering an unfortunate knee injury, tearing his MCL and PCL, according to media reports.
Additionally, reports in late June said that Kyle Cuffe Jr. had suffered a broken bone in his right hand. But more recently, first-year head coach Adrian Autry said that his 2023-24 roster is in good health, and that includes Cuffe, although word did come out about a week ago that Auburn transfer Chance Westry, a sophomore guard/wing, is out indefinitely due to a lower-body injury.
With Westry unfortunately injured, other Orange backcourt players, including Cuffe, could see their minutes increase as Syracuse basketball kicks off its 2023-24 season when the ‘Cuse hosts New Hampshire on Monday, Nov. 6.
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Syracuse men’s basketball: Three takeaways from preseason opener against Daemen (TNIAAM; Ostrowski)
Friday’s preseason men’s basketball game was a fun one. It’s been a long time since there was this level of energy and excitement surrounding the Syracuse Orange and they did not disappoint during their first real game action. Of all the variables on display, these are what stood out the most to me:
Centers of Attention
The center position is the one which still had the most uncertainty entering the new year, if for no other reason than Naheem McLeod isn’t going to play the 30+ minutes per night that Jesse Edwards did. McLeod displayed a great two-way game during his 15 minutes on the floor, and we saw how useful his massive frame will be.Naheem only has to stand to play defense and can basically park himself under the basket until someone is ready to drive. On the offensive side, he vacuumed up three rebounds, all while only committing one foul.
Then there was Maliq “The Freak” Brown (he/SU need to trademark that asap). He didn’t play long but in very limited action, Brown threw down a pair of booming dunks, had a pair of blocks and a steal, and drew a foul to go to the line. Maliq ought to be the first man off the bench most nights and Red has the flexibility to move him around based on matchups.
Mounir Hima and William Patterson both didn’t play, though Autry stressed that for the latter it is just a case of him still adjusting to the college level and being behind others on the depth chart. Regardless, it now seems like a very deep group with more than one genuine option. Speaking of which...
The Defense Rests
The Orange mixed up their defensive look, mainly running man-to-man but also pulling the 2-3 zone off the shelf during the time Brown was in at center. For the most part, it was a refreshing sight. Yes, Daemen shot very well from distance (11/24), but you could tell that by halftime, everyone had entered ‘practice’ mode and they were content with letting them have space on the perimeter.It took the early part of the first 20 to settle in, but once they did, the Orange were grooving, with eight first-half blocks, 17 defensive boards, and 23 points off of turnovers. Good signs all around.
A Calm and Collected Coach
Of course, this wouldn’t be complete without an assessment of the new Orange head coach. Truthfully, not much stood out with Autry pacing the bench area - and that’s a good thing.
The players were the ones showing a lot of emotion Friday night, while Red kept his composure and outside of directing plays several times, he just let his guys work together, brush off mistakes, and find their own rhythm.
Compare that to the past couple years, where you’d often see Jim Boeheim ripping into whoever didn’t go after a rebound hard enough or missed a chance at an open pass. Back during media day, it really seemed like all the returning players were much more relaxed than they ever were last season, and it’s carried over onto the Dome court.
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Syracuse Basketball: 7-foot-2 William Patterson tons of long-term upside (itlh; Adler)
William Patterson, a center from Brooklyn, N.Y., was the only high-school commit for Syracuse basketball in the team’s 2023 class, and he seemed to fly a bit under the radar, despite possessing a lot of long-term potential and upside.
The 7-foot-2, 220-pound Patterson committed to the Orange over other suitors such as TCU, Oklahoma State and Rutgers. He picked up a ‘Cuse scholarship offer in late August of 2022, around the time that he competed in the team’s annual Elite Camp.
In February of 2023, Patterson took an official visit to Syracuse basketball, and he verbally committed to the Orange only a few days after that.
As a senior, William Patterson attended The Patrick School in Hillside, N.J., and before that, Patterson played for the Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, Md., which was a member of the loaded National Interscholastic Basketball Conference when he suited up for the Spartans.
Several recruiting services rated him as a three-star prospect in the 2023 class. The industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking placed Patterson at No. 319 nationwide, No. 46 at center and No. 12 in New Jersey, while ranked him as the No. 30 center in this cycle.
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DT Covers the ACC - Judah Mintz of Syracuse Basketball 2023-24 (youtube; video; WakeUpCallDT)
Dan Tortora (DT) welcomes Judah Mintz of Syracuse Orange Men's Basketball to speak on what he gathered from NBA Scouts, how the leadership of Jim Boeheim & Adrian Autry are similar as well as different, in DT's coverage of the 2023-24 season on "WakeUpCall"!
DT Covers the ACC - JJ Starling of Syracuse Basketball 2023-24 (youtube; video; WakeUpCallDT)
Dan Tortora (DT) welcomes JJ Starling of Syracuse Orange Men's Basketball to speak on the importance of the opportunity to come back home, followed by what the message was from Head Coach Adrian Autry in the transfer portal & why it worked, in DT's coverage of the 2023-24 season on "WakeUpCall"!
DT Covers the ACC - Head Coach Adrian Autry of Syracuse Basketball 2023-24 (youtube; video; WakeUpCallDT)
Dan Tortora (DT) welcomes Head Coach Adrian Autry of Syracuse Orange Men's Basketball to speak on what's been the most exciting part of the ramp up to "Adrian Autry's Orange", followed by how this team is evolving offensively & defensively under your leadership, in DT's coverage of the 2023-24 season on "WakeUpCall"!
Syracuse Basketball: Chris Bell adds strength, eyes more consistent term (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball sophomore forward Chris Bell has added weight and gotten stronger this off-season, as he looks to build upon a freshman year on the Hill that included some positive things but also contained inconsistency.
Per a recent post on X from Mike Waters of Syracuse.com, Bell has gained 14 pounds since the end of the 2022-23 season, when the Orange went 17-15 overall and missed the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.
He is listed on cuse.com as 6-foot-7 and 188 pounds. Chris Bell started a lot of games for the ‘Cuse in 2022-23 under then-head coach Jim Boeheim. He scored in double-figures on nine occasions as a freshman, but his production was up and down, and Bell struggled on the boards.
By working hard both in the gym and in the weight room, Bell is stronger these days, and that should help him in the rebounding arena as he goes up against physical opponents during the non-conference docket and in Atlantic Coast Conference competition.
Syracuse basketball forward Chris Bell is poised for a strong sophomore season.
First-year head coach Adrian Autry and his versatile roster officially begin their 2023-24 term on Monday, Nov. 6, when the ‘Cuse will host New Hampshire. I anticipate that Bell will be in Autry’s starting rotation at the onset of 2023-24.
A campaign ago, Chris Bell appeared in 30 games. He averaged 20.1 minutes, 6.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per contest, while connecting on 40.2 percent from the field, 34.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line.
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Other
Route 370 in Liverpool. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)
Clay hits brakes on Liverpool’s efforts to ban big trucks in village (PS; Moriarty)
In September, Liverpool passed a local law banning tractor-trailers and other large trucks from traveling through the village. Officials legalized steep fines ranging up to $4,700, depending on the size of the truck.
Before cracking down on the drivers of these heavy trucks, village officials want to give plenty of notice.
The village paid about $23,000 for about two dozen signs for key locations throughout the village warning drivers of the ban. Most of those locations are in Salina; a few are in Clay. They also sent out certified letters to local businesses and trucking companies to advise them of the new law and likely penalties.
Liverpool Mayor Stacy Finney said she’s been told by Onondaga County Department of Transportation officials that state law indicates both Salina and Clay supervisors needed to give the OK to erect the signs in their respective towns. Liverpool is inside of Salina but traffic coming to and from the village also uses routes that pass through Clay. It makes sense to warn drivers on those routes as well, she said.
Salina Supervisor Nicholas Paro emailed his agreement; Clay Supervisor Damian Ulatowksi did not.
Instead, Clay responded with a letter from its engineer, C&S Engineers, claiming there are deficiencies in the village’s original traffic study.
The village study, done by Barton & Loguidice, documented a surge of truck traffic at one of the village’s busiest intersections, which in part led the village to pursue the ban. The study showed truck traffic increased significantly last year after Amazon opened a $350 million distribution center off Morgan Road, just outside of Liverpool. Over three days in January, 331 tractor-trailers drove through the heart of the village, that study found.
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