Orangeyes Daily Articles for Friday for Basketball

[sutomcat]

Welcome to National Macadamia Nut Day!

Did you know that a single macadamia tree produces nuts for over 100 years? The first macadamia nut trees were found in the rainforests of eastern Australia thousands of years ago by the Aborigines.

Today, they are a widely popular nut enjoyed by people across the globe. Though macadamia nuts may be toxic to dogs, they are very nutritious for humans to eat. High in protein and carbohydrates, these nuts also contain calcium, iron, potassium, and dietary fiber. Macadamia nut oil is also found in cosmetics and other skincare products because of its oxidative stability.

Celebrate National Macadamia Nut Day by simply snacking on them or baking a batch of macadamia nut cookies!

SU News

Throwback Thursday: Fabricio Paulino de Melo (TNIAMM; Szuba)

Fabricio Paulino de Melo (known to most as Fab Melo) was born in Brazil, and unless you're reading this through the lens of the 'we take the stairs' twitter profile, you probably wish he stayed there. Melo was recruited by Syracuse out of Brazil and when the 7-footer committed, a great deal of hype surrounded him.

Melo came to Syracuse after its loss to Butler in the 2010 Sweet 16. Syracuse had lostAndy Rautins, Wes Johnson and Arinze Onuaku from the previous season and Melo was expected to take over for Onuaku at the center position. Replacing a five-year veteran in college basketball is almost impossible and when Melo didn't live up to the hype, Syracuse Orange fans weren't afraid to unleash their vitriolic remarks at the Brazilian.

Annoyed of the derision, Melo began to work rigorously at his game, making an unparalleled improvement from freshman to sophomore year. The disparity between the two seasons was as far in measure as Syracuse is to Brazil, and when Melo was on the court in his second season in orange he made his presence felt. The big man averaged 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks on his way to earning the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. Melo even shot 56.6 percent from the field -- with almost all of his shots coming from around the rim -- on a team that had as good of a chance to win a national championship as just about any other Syracuse squad in recent years.

Before Syracuse even had a chance to play in the tournament that year, Melo was suspended during the regular season. It would later be determined that Melo was academically ineligible. In layman's terms, Melo wasn't making enough progress towards his degree, Syracuse University personnel attempted to type a paper for him, with the paper resulting in a failed grade, thus making Melo ineligible for the NCAA Tournament. The Orange would eventually lose in the Elite Eight to Ohio State, failing to make the Final Four as Jared Sullinger couldn't be neutralized in the paint.
...

Southern Tier 'Mudcat' All-Star Golf Tournament Features Jim Boeheim and GMac (wbng.com)

The 14th annual Jim 'Mudcat' Grant All-Star Golf Tournament teed off Thursday in Apalachin.

The event is held at the Links at Hiawatha Landing in Apalachin.

The tournament brings all-stars from various sports into town every year. This year, proceeds will go toward four local charities.

"When you're doing good things for Catholic Charities, for the food pantry, for the food pantry at CHOW, for the Boys and Girl's Club, the Urban League," said Security Mutual CEO Bruce Boyea. "This year, we're going to do some special things for homeless vets. It doesn't get much better than that in terms of giving back."

This year, 45 celebrities attended the tournament. Jim Mudcat told Action News that's the most it's ever seen. Among the 45 celebrities were two Syracuse basketball coaches.

WBNG Sports Director Travis Eldridge emceed Thursday's kickoff.

Scoop's Hopes Hang on Hoops (southphillyreview.com; Myers)

In the poignant poem “Harlem,” Langston Hughes wonders “What happens to a dream deferred?” and offers a series of possibilities for the stunted goal, concluding the piece by stating “Maybe it just sags/like a heavy load./Or does it explode?” When no NBA team selected Antonio “Scoop” Jardine in 2012, the product of the 1800 block of South Taylor Street could have answered the inquiry by saying a hindered hope makes one feel like a failure, but any trace of that stance has dried up like a raisin in the sun, and the more mature man finds himself again pursuing professional achievement and, more importantly, yearning to be a beacon for youths.

“I grew up in Philadelphia, so I’m well aware of how hard life can be there, but regardless of geography, kids need outlets,” the 27-year-old said from Delray Beach, Fla., his location since the spring. “I want to create a vibe here and spread positivity through the game that I love.”

The Point Breeze native is honoring his hoops hankering by forming Basketball Is Life, a foundation through which troubled youngsters would reside together and receive training from top coaches. Through the Sunshine State’s educational stipulations, they would also improve their academic identity, thus becoming well-rounded individuals unlikely to become acquainted with additional drama. Personal tragedy inspired the concept, with Jardine having lost brother Saafir Richards to gunfire Sept. 24.

“That was my breaking point and my making point,” he said of his sibling’s death following an incident on the 500 block of Watkins Street. “Saafir had so much potential, but circumstances weren’t always favorable for him, so I want to put my brother’s story out there and encourage these kids to believe and achieve.”
...

ACC News

Top Returning Prospects in ACC (realgm.com; Tjarks)

Marcus Paige
Demetrius Jackson
Cat Barber

With the latest wave of realignment in the rear-view mirror, the ACC has emerged as the preeminent power in college basketball. Not only does the conference still have its core of traditional basketball powers on Tobacco Road, they decimated the Big East in successive waves that included Syracuse, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Louisville. The biggest problem now is the huge surplus of teams (15) makes it harder for the smaller schools to pull themselves out of the pack in the same way as in a conference like the Big 12, where everyone gets a home-and-home against Kansas.

The sheer number of power schools, though, means that everyone in the conference is pushed to their limits, ala the SEC in football. If you have a weakness, it will be exposed, which can be great practice for the NCAA Tournament. A good example is what happened to Duke last season, when Coach K was forced to make a line-up switch after a slow start to ACC play and went four-out by sliding Justise Winslow to small-ball PF. Kentucky, in contrast, got away with starting the Harrison Twins all season in the SEC, even though neither shot higher than 40% from the field.

Steel sharpens steel and if you can play in the ACC you can play anywhere in the country. The NCAA is a PG’s game so the big story this season in the ACC should be the trio of upperclassmen PG’s with tons of experience and a legit shot at making the NBA, which is not a combination you see all that often. Marcus Paige (UNC), Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame) and Anthony “Cat” Barber (NC State) are all playing their NBA lives and their teams will go as far as they take them this season.
...

Other

Miranda Lambert Sets the Bar High at Lakeview Amphitheatre (PS; Baker)

Thursday night was just a preview of what's to come in Syracuse.

Next year, the new Lakeview Amphitheater will boom weekly with rock, country and everything in between. We music fans will bicker over which concerts are worth seeing and which are a waste of time. We'll swap stories of shows we saw and lament the ones we missed. We'll trade rumors over who might or might not be coming to the shores of our city.

But, ultimately, the concert that will always resonate most -- the one that will endure in our minds and on an eventual Wikipedia page -- will be the first: Miranda Lambert.

The country-pop diva ushered in a new era of entertainment in Syracuse with an easy-to-like, all-around solid show on a muggy Thursday night at the Lakeview Amphitheater.

Lambert's concert marked the apex of a dynamic summer for Syracuse music. It wasn't the biggest show by the numbers, perhaps, but it was unparalleled in scrutiny, visibility and grandiosity. It attracted music fans, politicos and casual rubberneckers interested to see how the $50 million amphitheater would hold up.

While the show didn't fill the 17,500-person venue, it came pretty close. With just one month to sell tickets and competition everywhere, the turnout was admirable, with a nearly full pavilion and lots of room to spare on the lawn.

As for Lambert, she played the part perfectly, acknowledging the monumental occasion to an electric audience. The packed pavilion boomed like the wide-open grandstand at the NYS Fair never has, as Lambert's lyrics rippled throughout an eager crowd.
...