Geno Thorpe - COMMITTED TO SYRACUSE

[orangefog]

What you say may be true but it's not a team that can compete with the top ACC teams as currently constructed.

We have competed in 1 of 4 ACC seasons. We need a top 4 season.

I understand what you are saying, but I am not prepared to put a ceiling on this team, particularly the players that I have seen so little of. I think we have a star in Tyus Battle. We have a special offensive talent in Taurean Thompson. Hopefully he will improve his defense, I trust he is working on it. Chukwu is a wildcard, as are all of the freshman. I am optimistic about all of them, including Moyer. Moyer has improved. Brissett looks like a much more skilled player than the early videos suggested. He is working hard and improving fast. Marek is a bit of a mystery, but based on reports that the coaches were really impressed by this kid, I am going to think he can be a contributor. I think Sidibe can contribute early and improve rapidly. Maybe I am just optimistic, but with so many young players, we will be watching the foundation being built for hopefully big runs in 2018 and beyond.

 

[Sherman20]

JB will take heat if he goes .500 or worse next year. I for one won't be happy.

Exactly. A lot of knowledgeable posters on here don't seem to think much of this roster for next year. I'm a little more optimistic and not sure why many people are so pessimistic--"we'll be lucky to be .500 in the ACC," "definite NIT team," etc. JB's JOB is to field a team that can contend in the ACC year in and year out, which I take to be at least a top 5 finish. That is the Syracuse standard. The last few years can be forgiven because of the sanctions and the uncertainty with the coaching transition to Hop--and the fact that we made a brilliant Final Four run a year ago. But .500 in conference finishes aren't going to cut it, and JB knows it. So he best be constructing a roster that can contend next year--at least the possibility of a top 5 finish. There are no throwaway years for a program like Syracuse. To quote his own words (well McCallum's) in Bleeding Orange, you can go to the NIT once every 10 years or so, but don't make a habit of it. If you include last season (yes, we were the first team out of the field, so not terrible) and 2015 (when we would've been in the NIT if not for taking our punishment), that's veering into slightly dangerous territory. We have to make the tourney next year--or JB will start to feel the heat from more than message board regulars. At the very least, fans better be able to clearly see big recruiting wins, JB's active presence on the trail, and that he's setting the program up for an extended run of success. Over a 42 year career, he's weathered countless program crossroads, all sorts of adversity, and changing times, and I for one believe he can do it again.

 

[Sherman20]

Good breakdown. A couple of quick observations, because I think this is very close / probably the right group to start the season, if we land a couple of guys:

• It isn't outside of the realm of possibility that Howard gets his head screwed on straight and turns things around. If he does, pencil him in at the 1. If not, then Thorpe plays there in a two-combo guard lineup.
• Wouldn't surprise me to see Howard / Thorpe / Battle all start, especially if Dolezaj is too physically skinny to play heavy minutes in the ACC
• I think that Moyer will get first crack to start at the 4, having a year in the system under his belt, but wouldn't be surprised to see Brissett start there instead
• Sidibe is strictly a 5
• I guess I wouldn't be surprised to see Chukwu start at center. If that happens, could see it being Howard / Thorpe / Battle / TT / Chukwu -- potentially a offensively potent group
• If Chukwu doesn't play a solid dose of minutes, I envision a three forward lineup consisting primarily of Dolezaj, Moyer, Brissett with TT playing primarily in the pivot
• TT playing primarily in the pivot isn't a good thing for us defensively, but it could very easily work out that way
• I'd expect Washington to be the odd man out this year if we land Thorpe
• We REALLY need to land Thorpe / Dolezaj, or we're going to be a poor shooting / scoring team on paper...

This is an excellent breakdown. I pretty much agree with every point. If players like Brissett, Moyer and Howard really step up and Sidibe can give us some solid minutes in the middle (or if Marek is ready to go), this team could surprise people.

 

[Jake]

TT at the 5 scares me. The entire season may be predicated on him becoming just an average defender wherever he plays.

He plays defense like a hockey goalie with his hands at his sides. Should give him a glove and a stick.

I think he'd be better on the wings. But our interior defense and rebounding looks a lot like the Damone Browne Billy Celuck years.

 

[two3zone]

500 record in the ACC would okay. We would have a young team and hopefully a solid recruiting year coming after them.

I was talking overall.

 

[two3zone]

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Boeheim often does his best with teams that aren't predicted to perform that well.

Battle and TT would have to be pretty freaking good to turn this into a top 1/4 team in conference [which isn't outside of the realm of possibility for either player]. But on paper, not very exciting.

I think the "does well with less" is kinda mythical. Our best regular seasons were with some of the best teams assembled. He's been consistent for years and years but he's also done poor with teams thought to do well.

He does well with good teams and I think it's fair to just leave it at that. If we come out with a record like last season I think you could fairly say that he did a pretty good coaching job but I wouldn't say it's his best.

 

[pearl31]

Can I ask what would make you think this? I couldn't disagree more.

huh? take a look around the league at which players are gone what each team has coming back, and compare it to the last few years - i.e., relatively down

 

[dasher]

I think the "does well with less" is kinda mythical. Our best regular seasons were with some of the best teams assembled. He's been consistent for years and years but he's also done poor with teams thought to do well.

He does well with good teams and I think it's fair to just leave it at that. If we come out with a record like last season I think you could fairly say that he did a pretty good coaching job but I wouldn't say it's his best.

That isn't right. we won 25 games the year after Hart, Blackwell and Brown left. That was an incredible job. I could site others. I won't waste my time.

 

[dasher]

I was talking overall.

Were you the guy that said after the 2003 championship, yeah, but what about next year?

 

[two3zone]

Were you the guy that said after the 2003 championship, yeah, but what about next year?

No, I predicted a championship that year, 2010 and 2012.

 

[two3zone]

That isn't right. we won 25 games the year after Hart, Blackwell and Brown left. That was an incredible job. I could site others. I won't waste my time.

Hart, Blackwell and Thomas you mean?

 

[two3zone]

That isn't right. we won 25 games the year after Hart, Blackwell and Brown left. That was an incredible job. I could site others. I won't waste my time.

We went 3-5 against the top 25, returned Brown, senior point guard and Preston Shumpert and dynamic scorer MeSean.

That team had talent.

 

[jordoo]

That 96 team was pretty thin on talent. They really had no business getting to the NC let alone hanging with UK until John got into foul trouble.

Then we have had teams like 09 where it seemed like we might not have a lot of talent but everything came to fruition. Looking back on each guys career. We had 6 really good 4 or 5 year college players and 1 NBA guy.

This year we are missing a PG right now but we have Battle, an NBA talent, Thompson, Brissett, Dolezaj, Moyer, Sidibe in the front court they all look to be at least very good college players. Hughes and Washington look to be good players long term for our system. Chukwu is tall. Frank is on the team. Get a PG and have some things fall into place and we could be looking back saying "That team had a lot of good players on it."

 

[dasher]

Hart, Blackwell and Thomas you mean?

yes. sr moment

 

[Funk Doc]

huh? take a look around the league at which players are gone what each team has coming back, and compare it to the last few years - i.e., relatively down

Yeah I get that, but I don't think there's gonna be as much of a dip as you may think. The usual top level talent is being more or less replaced by more top level talent, and then you get returning players like Berry, Pinson, Allen, Colson, etc., who are a year older and probably on par or better than last year. I see some big names gone, so I can see your side, but all of these schools have pretty solid classes coming in. I hope for our young teams sake it is a down year. That would be very beneficial to us.

 

[Jrock6986]

Great video on Thorpe. I hope Cuse locks him up, even over Ayala. Averaged 15ppg last year and shot 38% from 3. He definitely would be a welcome addition and could be a very important piece after Battle and TT. Kid seems to have his head on straight and sounds like a leader. Might even rub off on Frank and help him become a better player.

 

[RF2044]

I think the "does well with less" is kinda mythical. Our best regular seasons were with some of the best teams assembled. He's been consistent for years and years but he's also done poor with teams thought to do well.

He does well with good teams and I think it's fair to just leave it at that. If we come out with a record like last season I think you could fairly say that he did a pretty good coaching job but I wouldn't say it's his best.

Everything's relative. He's taken teams that don't look good on paper, and had good years. I didn't necessarily state that they were our BEST teams, but it is no myth.

 

[cuseguy]

We're a 17-14 kind of team as it stands now. Add a guy like Thorpe and we're looking at something like 19-12.

But that could all change depending on a number of variables.

 

[HoustonCuse]

We're a 17-14 kind of team as it stands now. Add a guy like Thorpe and we're looking at something like 19-12.

But that could all change depending on a number of variables.

What's our record going to be in 2019-2020, I am about to make a bet with a guy and maaaaan I'm gonna burn him!!!

 

[AZOrange]

We're a 17-14 kind of team as it stands now. Add a guy like Thorpe and we're looking at something like 19-12.

But that could all change depending on a number of variables.

Yeah, like guessing...

 

[SUFan44]

He plays defense like a hockey goalie with his hands at his sides. Should give him a glove and a stick.

I think he'd be better on the wings. But our interior defense and rebounding looks a lot like the Damone Browne Billy Celuck years.

This is exactly the reason why I'm not very high on next year's team. Thompson is a sieve and Chukwu did not show well in his time on the court last year.

Can they improve? Of course. Can Sidibe add a little value in the middle? Maybe. But interior defense and rebounding is an underrated and necessary part of playing a great zone and being a good team. This is probably where we will miss Lydon the most, IMO.

 

[dasher]

This is exactly the reason why I'm not very high on next year's team. Thompson is a sieve and Chukwu did not show well in his time on the court last year.

Can they improve? Of course. Can Sidibe add a little value in the middle? Maybe. But interior defense and rebounding is an underrated and necessary part of playing a great zone and being a good team. This is probably where we will miss Lydon the most, IMO.

We will have better rebounding at the 3 and the 4 this year than we did last year.

 

[ebucklewis]

We will have better rebounding at the 3 and the 4 this year than we did last year.

Are you counting Lydon as the 5 ?

 

[dasher]

Are you counting Lydon as the 5 ?

Of course

 

[FrancoPizza]

The last few years can be forgiven because of the sanctions and the uncertainty with the coaching transition to Hop

Sanctions have nothing to do with the recruiting failures. The coaching transition chaos was orchestrated by JB for his short-term benefit. The only grounds for forgiveness are because god says we must do it.