sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Halloween is a holiday that is rooted in, and was influenced by, both pagan and Christian traditions. On one hand there are the influences of Celtic harvest festivals, such as the Gaelic festival Samhain, and on the other hand Halloween stems from All Hallows' Eve, which is the night before the Christian holiday of All Hallows' Day—or All Saints Day. Halloween traditions were culled from these influences, and from varied traditions that different countries celebrated. The amalgamation of these influences helped to create what we now know as Halloween in the United States.
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Get to know Syracuse transfer sophomore guard Chance Westry.
The Juice Online - Previewing Syracuse's 2023-24 Wings (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 look at Syracuse's wings.
Chris Bell
Bell had an up-and-down freshman campaign, starting all 30 games he appeared in, but logging just 20 minutes per game, alluding to how he and Justin Taylor essentially shared the small forward spot.
While he was often removed from games due to his shooting being off, his case for more playing time seemed hampered by some defensive shortcomings, including rebounding. Bell had the lowest rebounding rate on the team outside of the starting backcourt last season.
Bell had a solid, but streaky effort behind the arc, connecting on 34.5 percent of his shots from deep. While he had one game of five 3s and three others of three, Bell also had long stretches struggling from long range, including a late eight-game stretch making just 5-of-31 attempts (16.1 percent).
Bell, however, did perform the best of all the Orange on shots classified as “far 2’s” at T-Rank, connecting on 46 percent of those shots, and shot 80 percent from the foul line, underscoring his shooting ability.
Quadir Copeland
More than anything, Copeland established himself as a glue guy on the roster, filling in at both forward and guard while also being his teammates’ biggest supporter whenever he was not in the game.
Copeland averaged a little over nine minutes a game in 20 appearances as a freshman, but did reach double figures in playing time in four of his final five games.
While it is a near-certainty that his erratic playing time did not help, Copeland struggled with his shooting during the season. The fundamentals appear to be there, as evidenced by his 13-of-15 effort at the foul line, but Copeland shot just over 34 percent overall, including 1-of-9 from long range.
Copeland exhibited high effort on the floor, grabbing at least five rebounds in a game four times, including against Pitt when he scored ten points and grabbed five boards in 12 minutes.
One area of improvement for his sophomore season would be to take the simple play given by the defense, as Copeland had more turnovers than assists on the season, some seeming to come from trying for the phenomenal play instead of the routine one.
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Syracuse Basketball: Two of country’s 10 best sophomores wear Orange (itlh; Adler)
College basketball insider Andy Katz says two of the best sophomores around the country reside at Syracuse basketball.
Katz, via a recent post on X, named his top-10 sophomores ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, which begins for the Orange on Monday, Nov. 6, when the ‘Cuse will host New Hampshire.
Included on this top-10 list are Syracuse basketball point guard Judah Mintz and guard J.J. Starling, a Central New York native who transferred from Notre Dame to the Orange this past spring.
There are two other names on Katz’s list who are likely familiar to Syracuse basketball recruiting enthusiasts. They are Duke center Kyle Filipowski and UConn center Donovan Clingan, both of whom are former ‘Cuse targets. Clingan, as a freshman, helped Connecticut win the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Syracuse basketball has two star sophomores in Judah Mintz and J.J. Starling.
The Orange’s 2023-24 roster of 13 scholarship players, by the way, consists of three juniors, nine sophomores and one freshman.
Without question, in preseason prognostications, the Syracuse basketball backcourt, which is filled with sophomores, is getting a lot of buzz, led by Mintz and Starling. But in all fairness, there are multiple other guards on the ‘Cuse roster who can ball.
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Quadir Copeland improved jumpshot, worked out with former Syracuse basketball guard in offseason (TNIAAM; Szuba)
When the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season came to a definitive close last March, Quadir Copeland already knew he was coming back. It didn’t matter if Jim Boeheim was the head coach or if it was Adrian Autry. He would return either way and he had an inkling that the freshmen class that he came in with would be coming back, too. But there was a particular value that he felt he had to abide by in his particular situation.
“I was locked. I’m big on loyalty. I think I said that in the past. I’m big on loyalty and I knew my guys were staying,” Copeland said of his decision to return to Syracuse.
It wasn’t long ago when it was assumed players would return the following year to the same program if they had eligibility remaining — unless they stated otherwise. But as part of a new normal in college sports, those with the ability to use their one-time free transfer sometimes execute that option. Players transfer for myriad reasons. No longer rigidly tied to a university or coach with punitive transfer penalties, there are more player freedoms now. It’s not unusual for players to transfer when they haven’t been given playing time.
But if Copeland’s unwavering commitment to come back to Syracuse for a sophomore season wasn’t enough, he took it a step further by seeing it his duty to get his teammates to do the same.
“My job was really convincing everybody to come back,” Copeland said of his fellow freshman class.
Autry also made a compelling case for the freshmen to come back with plans of playing man-to-man defense, picking up the pace on offense and deploying a deeper bench. They were all convinced. How much say Copeland had is up for debate, but with Judah Mintz delaying the NBA for at least one more season, the entire freshman class that played in Boeheim’s final season returned to Syracuse.
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Syracuse Basketball: This Season’s Ideal Rotation (orangefizz.net; Aitken)
With one exhibition in the books, we got our first look at Syracuse basketball ahead of the 2023-24 season. It was the first time seeing many players in an Orange uniform, like JJ Starling and Naheem McLeod. So how should SU’s rotation shape up based on what we saw and what we already knew from last year?
Starters: Judah Mintz, JJ Starling, Justin Taylor, Benny Williams, Naheem McLeod
This is probably what most Syracuse fans would predict, with one exception.
Mintz and Starling, who were each on the ACC All-Freshman team last year, are a lock to make up the starting backcourt duo.
Benny Williams has had an up-and-down career with the Orange, but as a returning starter at the forward position, he’s a popular pick to keep that job.
While transfer Naheem McLeod wasn’t a consistent starter last year at Florida State, the job is all but his at SU. The 7’4” center has the physical tools to succeed, and with Jesse Edwards at West Virginia, the spot is vacant. While Maliq Brown could get significant minutes at the five, McLeod should start, even if just for the opening tip-off.
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Other
Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will make seven stops in Upstate NY during their 25th annual festive journey.Neil Zeller Photography | Provided photo
Canadian Pacific Holiday Train spreads Christmas cheer with 7 stops in Upstate NY this year (PS'; Hernandez)
Strap on those jingle bells and get ready to rock around the rails as the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train makes their way to Upstate New York for their 25th annual jolly journey across the U.S. and Canada.
Each year, this beautifully illuminated train travels across two historic railways (Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern) spreading holiday cheer and raising donations to help people struggling with food insecurity. Since its inaugural journey back in 1999, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train has raised over five million pounds of food and more than $22.5 million for community food banks.
Between Nov. 24-25, seven Upstate New York towns will get a special visit from this Christmas train filled with festive light displays and live outdoor music shows. Performers for the New York dates this year include Virginia to Vegas and Trudy, two Canadian artists.
While attending these events are free, CPKC is encouraging every attendee to make a monetary or heart-healthy food donation to ease hunger needs in their community. Local food banks will be accepting donations at each stop to help ensure those in need can access adequate food this holiday season and year-round.
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Former Syracuse teacher plans to open marijuana shop in prominent DeWitt spot (PS; $; Doran)
When Jonathan Maxim’s mom became sick with multiple sclerosis, the seed of an idea began to grow.
Maxim’s mom suffered incredible pain, and the only thing that eased it was marijuana, her son said. At the time, it was illegal and difficult to find. But Maxim took the risk and got his mother some weed, he says.
Now, the 53-year-old Liverpool resident is poised to open a legal recreational marijuana dispensary in DeWitt. His weed store would be among the first to open in Onondaga County. Currently, Flynnstoned in Syracuse’s Armory Square, is the only weed purveyor in the county.
It will be named Loud Pack, Maxim said. Why? Because “loud means the strongest possible,” he said. “You want to get the loud pack. The strongest, the best.”
His store will be in the former Helping Hounds building off Kinne Road in DeWitt, in the outer parking area of the former ShoppingTown Mall. Developers have proposed transforming the old mall into District East, a $400 million residential, entertainment, retail and commercial mega-complex.
Maxim already has a conditional license to open the dispensary from the state. DeWitt planning board officials said this week they had no issues with Maxim’s application; he just needs a special use permit from the town of DeWitt as is procedural.
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