Flacusian
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JB was very deliberate during the presser with respect to diminishing the expectations for this team. At the center of his argument was that it was "crazy" to think this team could be better with the departure of MCW, Southerland, and Triche. He was quick to point out that 2 of the players are currently in the NBA.
Granted,(no pun intended) those were key players in our run to the final 4 at the close of last years season. But when you do a direct comparison of this years team with last years team, player by player, position by position, one could make a compelling argument that this team is, in the least, as good as last years team and perhaps could be better.
I think that aside from MCW clearly getting the edge over Ennis we are every bit as good this year.
First, consider the bigs. Essentially there has been no change in the 3 primary players who comprise our multi headed center. Baye, Christmas, and and DC2. In the vernacular of JB, "Anyone would have to be an idiot to think that these 3 players won't be better this year than last year".
Score: This year / Last year = This year + and perhaps a ++
Forwards: Last year we had CJ, Dirty, a freshman Jeremi Grant. We lost Dirty, who missed quite a few games and who's play was erratic throughout the season. Certainly he and his shot had to be respected but as much as he could have contributed his Senior year was certainly muted by the controversy regarding eligibility but still, a formidable component of the team which went on to the final 4. If Cooney can continue to shoot well from the 3 it would greatly diminish the effect of Southerland's departure.
This year we have CJ who it would be difficult to argue will not be better than last year. He is more chiseled physically and clearly has worked on other facets of his game and is poised and considered by many to perhaps be the best all around player in the ACC this season. Grant has matured both physically and emotionally and will no doubt be able to contribute considerably more than last year and brings athleticism to this years team. We also have the promising youth of Tyler Roberson and BJ Johnson which adds to our depth and the potential for either one or both of those young players to blossom during the year to add to this years team arsenal, although not a certainty, a plus nonetheless.
Score this year/ Last year = This year + or at worst a push (personally, I feel this year a definite +)
And finally we have the Guards:
In no other area has there been as much hand wringing and concern also mixed with guarded optimism.
No one can dispute the talent of Michael Carter Williams. Simply an outstanding talent. But one has to also remember some of the negatives which were part and parcel mixed into the package that was MCW. The jump up passes directly to the opposing team which raced down for an uncontested layup. The temperamental attitude which resulted is some spotty play at times. But, for the most part he was the central figure, the heartbeat of the team that went to the final 4 and played a brand of 2/3 zone that was among the best ever at Syracuse. Brandon Triche could on any night/game be simply outstanding and carry the team or could disappear and become completely ineffective. But, like all the seasons before he was an enigma wrapped in a puzzle. Tough as nails, durable, and quiet tempered almost to a fault... he was nonetheless a great 2 guard and his loss would be significant to any team... Except, perhaps, this one.
Ennis is no MCW but he does bring a calming demeanor to the point and doesn't enter into this season with that much less experience than MCW had at the start of last years season. He is an entirely different type of point guard than MCW but he is very good at doing the things that he does. In spite of what most here have considered a poor showing in the home opener against Cornell he was not far from a double double and that was on a night that his shot had completely been bye-bye. He will settle down and do a great job for us.
Trevor Cooney has already shown us that he has the potential to equal or exceed the benefit last years team received from Brandon. Defensively Cooney can certainly be equated as being comparable to Brandon. What ever he lacks physically he more than compensates with respect to bringing vocal leadership to this years team. Of course one could argue that last years team had the services of Cooney on it too. But I think it's already clear that this years TC far exceeds last years TC. The size difference is in some respects also compensated by the height of Silent G. Gbinije does not have the 4 years of experience and a billion or so starts to show for himself, but he demonstrated in the opener against Cornell that he can and will be a major contributor that will lessen the loss of Brandon at the 2.
We also have Buss Patterson who although young provides depth and length at the guard position.
Score this years team/ Last years team = Last years team + but only by an angstrom coupled by the fact that it is too early to tell this year with any amount of certainty.
So all told, I think that you can make a pretty good argument that this years team could be as good as last years team and perhaps even possesses the potential to exceed last years team. But we all know that James Arthur Boeheim will have none of that talk going on. I mean, you'd have to be crazy to think that this years team could possibly be better than last years team... right?
Granted,(no pun intended) those were key players in our run to the final 4 at the close of last years season. But when you do a direct comparison of this years team with last years team, player by player, position by position, one could make a compelling argument that this team is, in the least, as good as last years team and perhaps could be better.
I think that aside from MCW clearly getting the edge over Ennis we are every bit as good this year.
First, consider the bigs. Essentially there has been no change in the 3 primary players who comprise our multi headed center. Baye, Christmas, and and DC2. In the vernacular of JB, "Anyone would have to be an idiot to think that these 3 players won't be better this year than last year".
Score: This year / Last year = This year + and perhaps a ++
Forwards: Last year we had CJ, Dirty, a freshman Jeremi Grant. We lost Dirty, who missed quite a few games and who's play was erratic throughout the season. Certainly he and his shot had to be respected but as much as he could have contributed his Senior year was certainly muted by the controversy regarding eligibility but still, a formidable component of the team which went on to the final 4. If Cooney can continue to shoot well from the 3 it would greatly diminish the effect of Southerland's departure.
This year we have CJ who it would be difficult to argue will not be better than last year. He is more chiseled physically and clearly has worked on other facets of his game and is poised and considered by many to perhaps be the best all around player in the ACC this season. Grant has matured both physically and emotionally and will no doubt be able to contribute considerably more than last year and brings athleticism to this years team. We also have the promising youth of Tyler Roberson and BJ Johnson which adds to our depth and the potential for either one or both of those young players to blossom during the year to add to this years team arsenal, although not a certainty, a plus nonetheless.
Score this year/ Last year = This year + or at worst a push (personally, I feel this year a definite +)
And finally we have the Guards:
In no other area has there been as much hand wringing and concern also mixed with guarded optimism.
No one can dispute the talent of Michael Carter Williams. Simply an outstanding talent. But one has to also remember some of the negatives which were part and parcel mixed into the package that was MCW. The jump up passes directly to the opposing team which raced down for an uncontested layup. The temperamental attitude which resulted is some spotty play at times. But, for the most part he was the central figure, the heartbeat of the team that went to the final 4 and played a brand of 2/3 zone that was among the best ever at Syracuse. Brandon Triche could on any night/game be simply outstanding and carry the team or could disappear and become completely ineffective. But, like all the seasons before he was an enigma wrapped in a puzzle. Tough as nails, durable, and quiet tempered almost to a fault... he was nonetheless a great 2 guard and his loss would be significant to any team... Except, perhaps, this one.
Ennis is no MCW but he does bring a calming demeanor to the point and doesn't enter into this season with that much less experience than MCW had at the start of last years season. He is an entirely different type of point guard than MCW but he is very good at doing the things that he does. In spite of what most here have considered a poor showing in the home opener against Cornell he was not far from a double double and that was on a night that his shot had completely been bye-bye. He will settle down and do a great job for us.
Trevor Cooney has already shown us that he has the potential to equal or exceed the benefit last years team received from Brandon. Defensively Cooney can certainly be equated as being comparable to Brandon. What ever he lacks physically he more than compensates with respect to bringing vocal leadership to this years team. Of course one could argue that last years team had the services of Cooney on it too. But I think it's already clear that this years TC far exceeds last years TC. The size difference is in some respects also compensated by the height of Silent G. Gbinije does not have the 4 years of experience and a billion or so starts to show for himself, but he demonstrated in the opener against Cornell that he can and will be a major contributor that will lessen the loss of Brandon at the 2.
We also have Buss Patterson who although young provides depth and length at the guard position.
Score this years team/ Last years team = Last years team + but only by an angstrom coupled by the fact that it is too early to tell this year with any amount of certainty.
So all told, I think that you can make a pretty good argument that this years team could be as good as last years team and perhaps even possesses the potential to exceed last years team. But we all know that James Arthur Boeheim will have none of that talk going on. I mean, you'd have to be crazy to think that this years team could possibly be better than last years team... right?
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