Josh Mballa in the portal from UBuffalo

[cuseincincy]

As I've said I thing Mballa would be a great pickup for this team. But is Mballa really better than Benny as many seem to be proposing? What do you think Benny would have done with 30 mpg playing in the MAC? Its a good conference but its not the ACC.

 

[MikeSU02]

Center: Jesse - as many minutes before he gets in foul trouble
Guards: Joe - as many minutes as he can physically withstand. Judah - same. Sy whatever is left over.
Forwards: if Benny makes the leap, minimum 30 mpg if not 35. The remaining time will be some mish-mash of frosh for whatever one performs that night JB tabs him.

Hopefully at least two of the non-Judah frosh can fundamentally be on the floor and contribute from day one.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Center: Jesse - as many minutes before he gets in foul trouble
Guards: Joe - as many minutes as he can physically withstand. Judah - same. Sy whatever is left over.
Forwards: if Benny makes the leap, minimum 30 mpg if not 35. The remaining time will be some mish-mash of frosh for whatever one performs that night JB tabs him.

Hopefully at least two of the non-Judah frosh can fundamentally be on the floor and contribute from day one.

Yeah, as the only guy that can make a 3, Joe's never coming out.

 

[sutomcat]

If Torrance plays 20 and Joe plays, say, 35.

You think Mintz plays 25?

No Chance.

if JB plays only 2 guards at a time, I agree with you.

Given our forward situation, and the situation at guard, I expect we run with 3 guards at least a few minutes every game. Unless we somehow add an experienced and talented forward.

 

[dasher]

I'll believe it when I see it. Remember, last year there were posts suggesting Sy was gonna play 15-20 mins as well

What are you thinking Mintz plays next year? Because he is going to play a lot. A real lot.

 

[djcon57]

if JB plays only 2 guards at a time, I agree with you.

Given our forward situation, and the situation at guard, I expect we run with 3 guards at least a few minutes every game. Unless we somehow add an experienced and talented forward.

I'm with you. Would be fantastic. But we didn't this year for "reasons" despite the small lineup making a lot of sense...so it's another I'll believe it when I see it

 

[djcon57]

What are you thinking Mintz plays next year? Because he is going to play a lot. A real lot.

30-35, I would assume.

I dont think Sy gets many mins again.

 

[Niastri]

if JB plays only 2 guards at a time, I agree with you.

Given our forward situation, and the situation at guard, I expect we run with 3 guards at least a few minutes every game. Unless we somehow add an experienced and talented forward.

If (and I can't stress "if" enough) Carey comes in as a good shotblocker, a three guard lineup that presses might make sense for the few minutes a half Edwards is out. Williams at the front, Carey guarding the goal, with Torrence, Mintz and Copeland in the middle trying to create havoc.

This lineup could make use of the chaos a press causes, since they are all athletic and can finish at the rim. The only half court offense we would have is trying to penetrate the defense or maybe Mintz on the isolation, but it could work for the couple minutes around TV timeouts to get Girard and Edwards rest. Neither is suited to playing 38 minutes, whether to foul trouble or fatigue. However, I don't know how we score without them.

Mballa coming here would mean Edwards and Girard wouldn't have to be such iron men... They could both rest and we'd still have two scorers on the court.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

if JB plays only 2 guards at a time, I agree with you.

Given our forward situation, and the situation at guard, I expect we run with 3 guards at least a few minutes every game. Unless we somehow add an experienced and talented forward.

The only way the 3 guard lineup is viable is if Copeland is ready to ball as a forward.

No way we're putting one of Sy, Joey G, or Judah on the back line.

 

[Niastri]

The only way the 3 guard lineup is viable is if Copeland is ready to ball as a forward.

No way we're putting one of Sy, Joey G, or Judah on the back line.

No way to play three guards in the zone... There are other ways to play defense, including the press, which JB likes to use from time to time. With our current athletes and presumptive lack of scoring, the press makes more sense than it has in years.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

No way to play three guards in the zone... There are other ways to play defense, including the press, which JB likes to use from time to time. With our current athletes and presumptive lack of scoring, the press makes more sense than it has in years.

I'd love to see the return of the press.

I just don't think it will happen.

JB isn't going to be willing to put Edwards in situations like that where he could pick up fouls.

I really don't mean to be a downer, but the roster is the only thing that's really going to change.

We're going to play 2-3 zone.

We're going to milk the starters for minutes.

 

[sutomcat]

No way to play three guards in the zone... There are other ways to play defense, including the press, which JB likes to use from time to time. With our current athletes and presumptive lack of scoring, the press makes more sense than it has in years.

JB has played 3 guard lineups many times over the years. I am sure Buddy played on the baseline some all four years he was here.

I am not thinking he is going to play 3 guard lineups extended minutes. But I would be really surprised if we do not see 3 guards out there late in games, especially if we have a lead. I would also expect to see 3 guards out there some when we press.

Sy played on the baseline last year as well. Not a lot of minutes but he did surprisingly well. He can jump and is strong and physical.

Personally, I think a defense with Sy on one side of the baseline is going to be a lot better than a defense with Jimmy on that side. He can cover a ton more ground, so much better switching, etc. You probably lose something rebounding, but Sy is surprisingly good at this and Jimmy...well let's just say rebounding was not his forte.

I am thinking Sy) will average at least 5 minutes a game at the forward position.

When I say plays the forward position, I mean that he plays on the baseline on defense but runs the point on offense.

From what I see on the roster right now, if you have Sy run the point, split Mintz and JGIII out on the wings to look for 3 point shots, put Jesse down low, and fill in the PF position with one of the frosh, that is going to be our best offensive lineup in some situations. And maybe our best defensive lineup too.

 

[Grbac]

Mballa is just not ready guys. The Boeheim boys set a new standard for readiness and nobody will ever be as ready as them.
Frank got shipped out of Syracuse because he wasn’t ready enough.
We need guys that are ready!

 

[heresjohnny88]

I love JB, but it's just absolutely outrageous he finds a spot for his son as a transfer, but we ignore talented players in the portal 1 year later. Insane. This has been the final straw for me personally. This isn't some family business. I hope JW sees what's happening (hint: he does, but also loves JB, so...)

 

[CardiacCuse]

Agreed. And if said 4 can also contribute some minutes at 5, it's a 2-for-1.

i dont see that happening. doubt theres a player good enough at both postions to make it worhtwhile.

lydon, marek and jimmy etc were forwards that were not good enough at the 5.

a trend I dont want to see continue...

 

[rrlbees]

I love JB, but it's just absolutely outrageous he finds a spot for his son as a transfer, but we ignore talented players in the portal 1 year later. Insane. This has been the final straw for me personally. This isn't some family business. I hope JW sees what's happening (hint: he does, but also loves JB, so...)

Big difference in the number of roster spots last year and this year. We didn’t bring in a 6 player class last year nor did we lose 6 players this year. The numbers are much different.

 

[Goin' Deep]

Lydon wasn't good enough at the "5"?

We went pretty far in the Big Dance with him at the 5.
Guy was so good he could stroke a3 ball without 1 sneaker...what more do ya want?


On the other topic,I could see Copeland or Taylor at the "3", playing the back of the zone
IF one of them can shoot better than 30% from the 3.

 

[kcsu]

(to be more precise - a backup center that takes little to no work recruiting)

2 slices and a pepsi.

 

[Goin' Deep]

let's see 2 Boeheims, Sid, Swider, Anselem Casey...

 

[SUFan44]

Big difference in the number of roster spots last year and this year. We didn’t bring in a 6 player class last year nor did we lose 6 players this year. The numbers are much different.

This is where having a vision of roster construction during the transfer portal era makes a huge difference.

We lost 3 starters - and the coaching staff knew we were losing at least 2 of them last fall. Their father is the coach, for crying out loud.

Instead of doing what a lot of high-major schools are doing and filling in using the portal, we brought in 6 freshmen with varying degrees of readiness.

We have two positions that have a ton of experience, plus Symir as a backup PG. Literally every other position, including the backup positions, there's nothing outside of Benny's limited minutes last year.

When is the last time Syracuse basketball has been in this position? Look at 2015-16. We lost Cooney, Gbinije, and Richardson.

We had Frank Howard & Tyus Battle on the roster, yet they brought in John Gillon to stabilize the unit. They had Roberson & Lydon plus Coleman and Thompson on the front line, yet they brought in White.

It didn't work out overall due to a number of things, but they went out and tried to put together a unit that was competitive and experienced enough to succeed. Now they're not even trying, and simply hoping.

Can you honestly blame anyone for being skeptical of this?

 

[SUFan44]

Has SU offered any kid in the portal that they didn't originally recruit?

John Gillon, Andrew White, Geno Thorpe.

Since then... no.

 

[RF2044]

i dont see that happening. doubt theres a player good enough at both postions to make it worhtwhile.

lydon, marek and jimmy etc were forwards that were not good enough at the 5.

a trend I dont want to see continue...

The "trend" I don't want to see continue is not having a good enough backup to the team's most important player.

Mballa is plenty big enough and good enough to play the 5 in a reserve capacity. Over the years, we've had plenty of 4's shift over.

 

[MikeSU02]

I'd love to see the return of the press.

I just don't think it will happen.

JB isn't going to be willing to put Edwards in situations like that where he could pick up fouls.

I really don't mean to be a downer, but the roster is the only thing that's really going to change.

We're going to play 2-3 zone.

We're going to milk the starters for minutes.

I'm sure we'll press when we're getting hammered in a game to change things up, but there is no way, to your point, that we can put Jesse in that position.

He was already unfairly leaned on for defense last year and with Joe likely playing big minutes and at least one of the non-Judah frosh playing big minutes, it will likely be that Jesse is being relied on too much, again. And that's best case if Benny figures it out and Judah is serviceable on D.

And we also have to balance it with the pace we want to play on offense, because we prob have some pieces that would do better if we run more rather than settle in the half court.

 

[MikeSU02]

The "trend" I don't want to see continue is not having a good enough backup to the team's most important player.

Mballa is plenty big enough and good enough to play the 5 in a reserve capacity. Over the years, we've had plenty of 4's shift over.

And if our coaches are smart, they can configure the offense when 4 is at the 5, to take advantage of spacing so we can offset some defensive liability on the offensive end.

 

[Domedog84]

John Gillon, Andrew White, Geno Thorpe.

Since then... no.

It says offered though, not committed. We offered some, just didn't get them. Tape is just one example.