If we played

[jdubs30]

So, I guess my follow up is...are we worried that Benny might not come back? By what he has said I wouldnt think so.

Benny wants to make sure Jimmy leaves first

 

[dasher]

So, I guess my follow up is...are we worried that Benny might not come back? By what he has said I wouldnt think so.

I wasn't at all. But my concern went up when he wasn't at the Dome or at the ACC tournament. Throw in the stuff about Mintz going to DePaul. I think Benny has a starting spot here but this had to be a trying year for him.

 

[SUFan44]

You might have missed by begging for a real quality forward in the portal. I now believe the reason that JB says we won't do that is that we want to make sure we have Benny because Mintz only comes here if Benny is here. i've come to understand that position. maybe one fo the frosh will emerge. But, if we don't get Mintz, all speed ahead on a portal forward.

Problem is, we need both. Desperately.

I'd argue the forward is more important than the PG, due to the uncertainty of Benny's development. Symir's play down the stretch makes me feel a little better about him and Girard as the combo at guard, with Taylor & Copeland options off the bench. Although the ceiling is limited with that group, they won't kill you.

If we don't have another to go along with Swider*, and if Benny doesn't develop, we're relying on two freshmen who are not going to be ready.

* - And if Swider doesn't come back, we need two transfer forwards, IMO.

 

[dasher]

Problem is, we need both. Desperately.

I'd argue the forward is more important than the PG, due to the uncertainty of Benny's development.

If we don't have another to go along with Swider*, and if Benny doesn't develop, we're relying on two freshmen who are not going to be ready.

* - And if Swider doesn't come back, we need two transfer forwards, IMO.

I don't disagree at all. And was yelling for just that until this Mintz thing. I guess I am willing to roll the dice on Benny if it means getting Mintz. I've toyed with maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing if we lost on Mintz and pivoted to another portal guard and forward.

 

[SBU72]

The portal has proven that there are a lot of great players at smaller schools. Guys who are smart, that can shoot the ball and play well. When you have portal guys making All-American and Conference POY, it just means we need to dig through the dirt t

There were 1700 kids in the portal last year, so digging through that to find gems is nor as easy as saying "get a fotward who can shoot, dribble and rebound". JB got the kids he was familiar with. Lazy, maybe. But I bet he was counting on Benny for more than he got. Hopefully he has learned.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

There were 1700 kids in the portal last year, so digging through that to find gems is nor as easy as saying "get a fotward who can shoot, dribble and rebound". JB got the kids he was familiar with. Lazy, maybe. But I bet he was counting on Benny for more than he got. Hopefully he has learned.

True, you never know what you are getting. But our coaches should be able to watch a lot of tape with some extra time on their hands.

 

[albanycuse]

Problem is, we need both. Desperately.

I'd argue the forward is more important than the PG, due to the uncertainty of Benny's development. Symir's play down the stretch makes me feel a little better about him and Girard as the combo at guard, with Taylor & Copeland options off the bench. Although the ceiling is limited with that group, they won't kill you.

If we don't have another to go along with Swider*, and if Benny doesn't develop, we're relying on two freshmen who are not going to be ready.

* - And if Swider doesn't come back, we need two transfer forwards, IMO.

With the guards we have now we are in for another double digit loss season. We need a pg desperately. We need players who play their natural positions not spot filled in like JB loves to do. Sure a player can fill in at another spot but that makes the team weaker and means you don’t have good enough players at the spot unless injured. We have to use the players strength in their natural positions. The last ten years he’s been doing this to a fault.

 

[jdubs30]

I don't disagree at all. And was yelling for just that until this Mintz thing. I guess I am willing to roll the dice on Benny if it means getting Mintz. I've toyed with maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing if we lost on Mintz and pivoted to another portal guard and forward.

You could make an argument that a veteran, ACC caliber guy who is a true PG could do this team wonders - moreso than a high potential guy like Mintz.

 

[Manleymen]

It was obvious from that day in April when Symir committed. I literally said it at the time. I hoped I would be wrong all year. It's been absolutely infuriating watching Buddy and Joe at the guard spots the last 3 years...even more so because IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. They simply can't play together. Like, and I know this isn't the best example, but if you watch the Lakers with Westbrook and Lebron enough (granted Westbrook is basically toast now) you watch and go, well this isnt going to work. That was Joe and Buddy. Certain games would they both go off and counter the complete lack of defense, sure. But it was NEVER going to work long term and it didn't. I'm sad Buddy is gone, but I'm happy his partnership with Joe is over.

That's a really great point. Bad mix of Joe and Buddy. Sadly it took this game to realize it in totality. Next year with Symir and Joe, Jesse et al very dynamic team.

 

[AlaskaSU]

That's a really great point. Bad mix of Joe and Buddy. Sadly it took this game to realize it in totality. Next year with Symir and Joe, Jesse et al very dynamic team.

A very dynamic team for 3 on 3 games.

 

[SUFan44]

With the guards we have now we are in for another double digit loss season. We need a pg desperately. We need players who play their natural positions not spot filled in like JB loves to do. Sure a player can fill in at another spot but that makes the team weaker and means you don’t have good enough players at the spot unless injured. We have to use the players strength in their natural positions. The last ten years he’s been doing this to a fault.

I think we are on the same page. Girard isn’t a PG, but he can be a scoring guard at the college level. We have seen that, most recently today.

That being said, there are limitations with him and Symir being our backcourt. No question. Need an upgrade at every position except C. And even he is coming off a season-ending injury and who knows how a broken wrist impacts his development.

 

[All4SU]

True, you never know what you are getting. But our coaches should be able to watch a lot of tape with some extra time on their hands.

You have a better chance of knowing what a player can do from the portal than from HS.

 

[PauliePeppas]

Mintz would do wonders for next years team. We need a closer like him. We lost these 10 games and this was the score around the 5:00 minute of each game.

5:22 left Su 67 Gatown 66
5:31 left Va 61 Su 57
4:50 left Mia 69 Su 67
5:15 left Wake 62 Su 61
5:20 left Su 64 Fsu 64
6:56 left Va tech 54 Su 54
4:05 left Nd 65 Su 63
5:50 left Su 65 UNC 63
6:28 left Su 62 Mia 52
4:51 left Duke 76 Su 74

What could have been...brutal

 

[djorange1989]

What could have been...brutal

It’s like the last football season

 

[Zelda Zonk]

and we could have used the kind of point guard play all season that we got from Symir the last two days, that was a huge flaw with this team.

I hope Symir does whatever the hell he has to do to develop and gain confidence in his shot over the summer. If he’s just an average jumpshooter, he’s a significant weapon next year. Sip the same sauce Laz Sims sipped between his junior and senior years. Shoot with the Boheems and Swiders every day. Get our halfcourt celeb sponsor to pay for a shot coach— whatever. Symir has the quickness, strumph, and vision to be a really good point guard.

 

[TinyManInside]

With just half the effort and grit as we did today we would of won 20 games. But im looking forward to a different look Syracuse team next year without the Boeheim’s. Not because they weren’t good enough but its like working for a family business, sometimes you get benefits you shouldn’t compared to the other players. And it ruins chemistry and the effort of the others imo.

I think this is true, but 20 wins in this year's ACC gets you a 2 or 3 seed in the NIT. I think that was probably the ceiling for this team if the coaching was better.