Has anyone seen Benny's lost game?

[MikeSU02]

There is a fundamental disconnect on how Benny thinks he will get to the NBA and how Benny can actually get to the NBA.

His shot will not be fixed here. Forget that. It’s not happening.

Jerami Grant should call him and say “look at what I did at Cuse, look over at Scottie Barnes in college, focus on being the best defender / rebounder you can be, focus on being the guy that can make the second pass off the pick and roll (the best at this is Draymond, maybe if all time), and be the guy they look for when we get in transition.

However it got there, he is totally calibrated the wrong way to help us and he has too much skill to let it go to waste.

This is one where I wish JB would handle it in the background and not on the podium.

 

[Bulldog04]

The expectations from everyone were far too high to begin with. Some were saying 30+ minutes and one and done. That doesn’t happen with JB no matter what your ranking. This is what was expected on my end from what I was told. Yes 5 star I get it, but rankings don’t mean anything. It’s about the fit and the leash. Jimmy don’t like long leashes on freshman. He is going to control the lineup so he wins. He said it last night in presser

 

[JRDCuse]

I think this is exactly how it will go down.

Can't wait to see it.

 

[Nicknack]

Few observations and thoughts regarding Benny...

- I'm still all in on the young man. If the team can rally behind him and support the dude during this time of struggling, I could easily see him being a factor later this year. He needs more confidence badly.

- Yes, his hair is a problem. Come on young man, you can do better.

- Kid looks checked out, Boeheim should be very careful airing stuff to the media about him. It's his prerogative to continue doing so, but he/we shouldn't be surprised if or when he transfers.

- Some guys don't react well to Jim's coaching/approach

 

[GardenOrange]

Few observations and thoughts regarding Benny...

- I'm still all in on the young man. If the team can rally behind him and support the dude during this time of struggling, I could easily see him being a factor later this year. He needs more confidence badly.

- Yes, his hair is a problem. Come on young man, you can do better.

- Kid looks checked out, Boeheim should be very careful airing stuff to the media about him. It's his prerogative to continue doing so, but he/we shouldn't be surprised if or when he transfers.

- Some guys don't react well to Jim's coaching/approach

I agree with this. Comparisons to past players can be thrown out the window because the kids and especially the environment has changed so much. Just like almost everything else in the world today it’s about feelings and the comfort level of the kids. The previous mistakes handling the psyches of underclassmen of all different talent levels needs to be acknowledged and adjustments made to compensate for the fragile, me first mentalities of the kids now. Especially with our talent level (low) Benny should not be yanked immediately upon each mistake. Based on the last few years and open portal, if things don’t start going better, Benny will go elsewhere if he is unhappy with his play or playing time, or treatment. This may be a sign of the college basketball apocalypse but it is becoming the norm.

 

[malpearl31]

The expectations from everyone were far too high to begin with. Some were saying 30+ minutes and one and done. That doesn’t happen with JB no matter what your ranking. This is what was expected on my end from what I was told. Yes 5 star I get it, but rankings don’t mean anything. It’s about the fit and the leash. Jimmy don’t like long leashes on freshman. He is going to control the lineup so he wins. He said it last night in presser

To be fair, Oshae played 38 minutes per game as a freshman in 2017-18 and Joe played 33 mpg in his freshman year - so JB will play a freshman heavy minutes if he feels it gives the team the best chance to win. Benny is in a tougher spot, to be sure, with two experienced upperclassmen battling him for minutes. He’s got to find some way to make an impact when he does get in there, right now he just appears to be lost out there with little confidence.

A couple of games ago (Drexel game, maybe?), Benny was trailing on the break and Buddy didn’t get him the ball… I think if Benny had torn the rim off (which I completely thought he was about to do), that might have boosted his confidence and put him on a slightly different early-season trajectory.

 

[CuseTroop]

I've got this Yorkie who used to like the rough Alaskan look. People always gave me crap about how he couldn't see. I always said "If he couldn't see, he'd be walking into walls and trees, falling down stairs". Felix never walked into any trees, and I've never seen Bennie fall down any stairs.

 

[DoctahLexus]

- Yes, his hair is a problem. Come on young man, you can do better.

No, his hair is not a problem. Come on old man, you can do better.

 

[kingtidge]

To everybody knocking Benny, you don't get to say "I knew it all along" when he is killing it in January. He just needs to break through. It's going to be one those where he gets 2-3 dunks back to back in a game, a lightbulb goes off and he becomes a whole different player.

Yeah, the Edwards comparison is a good one.

Benny needs time.

Between learning the zone and adjusting to the the game at the D1 level, he will get there.

I think he's really srtruggling with the speed of the game. Most freshmen do.

How fast Autry can get him up to speed and confident is the question... Might not be until some point next year, but would be great to see him "getting it" and contributing by end of the season.

He looks the type talent that when it "clicks" for him, the leap in performance will be immediate and measurable.

 

[Nicknack]

No, his hair is not a problem. Come on old man, you can do better.

Cool, glad you have confidence in me, young buck! Still doesn't take away from his hair being a problem though.

 

[Sherman20]

he isnt really included in the offense. well, there isnt really an offense.

so when he gets the ball...its like a special occasion for him. and he either needs to dribble through the entire opposing 5 or just pass it to a teammate. there are rarely any possessions where he touches the ball more than once...so if he passes it, means he wont shoot at all that possession...and since he rarely gets passed the ball...its a catch 22.

he is a very good passer...but dosnt really get to show it much. the team could really use his passing imo.

ways he can be used better in the offense -

1- offensive boards and put backs...needs to find a way to hit the boards harder and get some offensive rebounds

2 - alley oops...this team used to kill teams with alley oops and he can finish them! run some backdoor lobs for benny!

3 - as a post up passer - they tried this one game in atlantis actually and it didnt work that well...but I think he is a very good passer...just needs to get more touches, imo

4 - design some plays for him.

I think it really comes down to too many mouth to feed and he is low on the pecking order. its hard for him to know how to fit in to the team and he is deferring and likely in his own head about everything..wanting to do more. good play will come when he isnt self conscious out there and just knows what to do without thinking...needs minutes and coaching. the team needs him ...so gotta just keep putting him out there and hope it clicks.

he is very talented and it will click at some point. 100%

I agree with all of this. He/the coaches definitely needs to focus on #1 and #2, along with getting out and running the floor and filling lanes on the break when we get turnovers.

 

[kmart128]

He is trying to hard to get his shot insteadbof just letting the offense come to him. He is forcing things when he gets ball and doesnt look to pass to open players and shooters

 

[UpstateSM]

Wait people are being serious about his hair?

 

[djcon57]

Wait people are being serious about his hair?

yes.
they are.

 

[Windyfly]

Few observations and thoughts regarding Benny...

- I'm still all in on the young man. If the team can rally behind him and support the dude during this time of struggling, I could easily see him being a factor later this year. He needs more confidence badly.

- Yes, his hair is a problem. Come on young man, you can do better.

- Kid looks checked out, Boeheim should be very careful airing stuff to the media about him. It's his prerogative to continue doing so, but he/we shouldn't be surprised if or when he transfers.

- Some guys don't react well to Jim's coaching/approach

Everyone responds differently of course, but the great ones are able to take the tough criticism and have it fuel them. Keep in mind this is still the coach that Benny trusted and put faith in to get him to the next level. Like with any coach/student-player relationship, sometimes a methodical approach is needed to get somebody performing to their true potential. So for me, I actually like that Jim is taking this to the media and I think he knows exactly what he’s doing by doing this. Benny clearly needs a fire to light him up and get him going and we’d be silly to think that coach already hasn’t been trying to do this in practice or behind the scenes. I think this is coach just starting to test him a little bit more and see how he will respond to the (public) criticism. Some guys are far more soft and feel like they should just be handed a role, instead of working for it and so they run away when adversity hits, for something they deem “easier” or “better” (ie: Kadary, Woody, etc.) and it’s not really working out well for those guys, so far. But I think coach knows his guys best and is obviously not the type to be soft on his guys when they’re not playing well and I think this is playing out exactly how it’s supposed to.

For me personally, I know I’m at my best when I have a chip on my shoulder and my backs against the wall a little bit or a lot and I think this is going to be the best thing for Benny and the team too. We’ll see what he’s made of forsure, but he seems like a guy who feeds off the intensity and at the moment has evidently lost his confident edge that makes him a player...but when he starts to make a few plays and get that confidence back and get his feet under him, especially as the season goes on, he’ll become a huge difference maker for us. Simply from his ability to make a big highlight level play and get the rest of the team or fans fired up. Those types of playmakers can really swing the momentum in a game and I think it’s a matter of time before he breaks through and becomes that guy for us.

 

[721Comstock]

I've got this Yorkie who used to like the rough Alaskan look. People always gave me crap about how he couldn't see. I always said "If he couldn't see, he'd be walking into walls and trees, falling down stairs". Felix never walked into any trees, and I've never seen Bennie fall down any stairs.
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Yeah, but - how was his 3-ball?

 

[bozophobe]

If his vision is at all obscured or affected by those3 or 4 braids, then it certainly is an issue - especially when shooting the ball. Or if they wick sweat into his eyes. There are tons of players with much longer hair or braids, but they all pin it back or down somehow. Benny's at odds with them. Scissors aren't even necessary.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

There is a fundamental disconnect on how Benny thinks he will get to the NBA and how Benny can actually get to the NBA.

His shot will not be fixed here. Forget that. It’s not happening.

Jerami Grant should call him and say “look at what I did at Cuse, look over at Scottie Barnes in college, focus on being the best defender / rebounder you can be, focus on being the guy that can make the second pass off the pick and roll (the best at this is Draymond, maybe if all time), and be the guy they look for when we get in transition.

However it got there, he is totally calibrated the wrong way to help us and he has too much skill to let it go to waste.

This is one where I wish JB would handle it in the background and not on the podium.

So normally you’re ok with him trashing individual players by name

 

[CardiacCuse]

If his vision is at all obscured or affected by those3 or 4 braids, then it certainly is an issue - especially when shooting the ball. Or if they wick sweat into his eyes. There are tons of players with much longer hair or braids, but they all pin it back or down somehow. Benny's at odds with them. Scissors aren't even necessary.

maybe he should wear a cj fair headband...will be just enough to keep the hair out of his eyes.

his season is far from over...the team needs him! I have faith.

 

[jgeorge322]

The expectations from everyone were far too high to begin with. Some were saying 30+ minutes and one and done. That doesn’t happen with JB no matter what your ranking. This is what was expected on my end from what I was told. Yes 5 star I get it, but rankings don’t mean anything. It’s about the fit and the leash. Jimmy don’t like long leashes on freshman. He is going to control the lineup so he wins. He said it last night in presser

This is wrong on so many levels. See Carmelo. See Ennis. Benny is just not ready. It has nothing to do with a leash. Benny needs to rebound and find a way to get to the basket. Shooting 3s and 15 footers aren’t going to earn him time.

 

[stlorange]

Jim knows. I remember one of his first public comments this year on the team in general (and Benny vs. Jimmy at the 4 in particular) was that Benny is going to be good but he's not yet ready. I think he was trying to temper expectations.

 

[Bulldog04]

This is wrong on so many levels. See Carmelo. See Ennis. Benny is just not ready. It has nothing to do with a leash. Benny needs to rebound and find a way to get to the basket. Shooting 3s and 15 footers aren’t going to earn him time.

See guys from almost 2 decades ago? Cmon now. You’re talking maybe 5 freshman who have made an impact over the last 20 years and were allowed to just go play. And all those times, there was no other player at that position so he had no choice but to play them...

If there was no leash why isn’t he playing 25-30 a game to get acclimated?

 

[jgeorge322]

See guys from almost 2 decades ago? Cmon now. You’re talking maybe 5 freshman who have made an impact over the last 20 years and were allowed to just go play. And all those times, there was no other player at that position so he had no choice but to play them...

If there was no leash why isn’t he playing 25-30 a game to get acclimated?

If you want to criticize JB, theres plenty there. I have been a huge critic as of late and want him to retire. I blame him for Kadary leaving. I think Kadary is a special player, and time will bear that out at Seton Hall. But Benny hasn’t shown anything to indicate he should be playing more. Benny isn’t playing because of his own skill set right now. Blaming JB is a bad take. Now, I’d prefer JB not pointing it out in the press but there’s no justification right now for Benny to get more time. Zero. There’s not a credible counterpoint.

And Ennis was not 20 years ago. Neither was Chris M. Neither was Donte Green. It doesn’t exactly rain 5 stars in Syracuse and Benny was a borderline 5 star.

 

[GooseMutt]

As NickNack said he does look checked out. He’s young. He’s raw talent. He’s use to being idolized and coddled

Now he’s in the real NCAA world

Being introduced and groomed into Boeheims system and scheme of things is a painful learning journey.

I just hope his skin is thick enough to handle it!

 

[MikeSU02]

So normally you’re ok with him trashing individual players by name

What? No. But this thread is about Benny. I’ll tackle JB’s public media strategy elsewhere.