JUDAH'S BACK | Page 13 | Syracusefan.com

JUDAH'S BACK

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I’m just so excited to know this brings a totally different dynamic. The penetration and then kick and shoot. This only helps bell and Taylor a ton bc of Judah. I truly feel like there’s so many different lineups now. Almost feels like there’s 32 players on the team now instead of 6 lol. And if someone is having an off night, they won’t play 37 minutes bc there’s no one else. So happy
 
I’m just so excited to know this brings a totally different dynamic. The penetration and then kick and shoot. This only helps bell and Taylor a ton bc of Judah. I truly feel like there’s so many different lineups now. Almost feels like there’s 32 players on the team now instead of 6 lol. And if someone is having an off night, they won’t play 37 minutes bc there’s no one else. So happy

Wish Jesse had stuck around, but oh well.

Otherwise, the roster turnover has been impressive. Completely different level of athleticism compared to two years ago [and even last year].
 
Judah's back and also his arms and his legs! But I love his head the most. He realized he'd be better off maximizing his skills before asking to be judged by the NBA, or he could get lost in the waves of talent that enter pro ball every year.

As for SU, the dream of starting four guys who, as recruits were rated in the top 50 means that the raw talent level of this team is the best it's been since we were a Top 5 program a decade ago.

The thing is, that might not even be our best line-up. Judah had started to hit from outside last year but was 30% for the year. So was JJ Starling. Chance Westry has the size to play the '3' but was 0 for 14 from three. Benny Williams was a laudable 39.6% on just 48 attempts in 30 games. In this line-up he'd be the power forward and Red will want him playing closer to the basket. A team's power forward is rarely their #1 outside shooter. And he did this as a fourth option. We're looking for someone who warranted special defensive attention and could pull the defense away from the basket so that all these guys who can score off the dribble can have room to maneuver. For that reason, Chris Bell and Justin Taylor have to be our 3's and we have to go with the hot hand there, unless Judah, JJ or Chance develop into credible outside threats.

I think the real loser is Quadir Copeland, whose combination of amazing passing skills but a poor outside shot is poorly served at the '3'. He was brought here to be a point guard and he might have been one - maybe our best one - without Mintz. He can help us if we are playing pressure defense but he's not going to get a chance to do much else.
 
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Judah's back and also his arms and his legs! But I love his head the most. He realized he'd be better off maximizing his skills before asking to be judged by the NBA, or he could get lost in the waves of talent that enter pro ball every year.

As for SU, the dream of starting four guys who, as recruits were rated in the top 50 means that the raw talent level of this team is the best it's been since we were a Top 5 program a decade ago.

The thing is, that might not even be our best line-up. Judah had started to hit from outside last year but was 30% for the year. So was JJ Starling. Chance Westry has the size to play the '3' but was 0 for 14 from three. Benny Williams was a laudable 39.6% on just 48 attempts in 30 games. IN this line-up he'd be the power forward and Red will want him playing closer to the basket. A team's power forward is rarely their #1 outside shooter. And he did this as a fourth option. We're looking for someone who warranted special defensive attention and could pull the defense away from the basket so that all these guys who can score off the dribble can have room to maneuver. For that reason, Chris Bell and Justin Taylor have to be our 3's and we have to go with the hot hand there, unless Judah, JJ or Chance develop into credible outside threats.

I think the real loser is Quadir Copeland, whose combination of amazing passing skills but a poor outside shot is poorly served at the '3'. He was brought here to be a point guard and he might have been one - maybe our best one - without Mintz. He can help us if we are playing pressure defense but he's not going to get a chance to do much else.
That's what she said.
 
The days of unathleticism at key positions is gone. What the hell were we watching on the court the last 10 years lol.
I still think we might be missing athleticism at the position, but with Freeman in the fold I think that's going to change soon enough.
 
I think Benny is a bit of an X-factor
If we get Benny Williams shooting 40% from three on about 8 attempts per game, he will be a huge asset even if he's the same guy in every other way.

I'm hopeful we also get the guy who can rebound with Duke, block shots, get steals, and even drive if they put a slow guy on him.

He's done all of these things, but without consistency. This year, he puts it together.
 
If we get Benny Williams shooting 40% from three on about 8 attempts per game, he will be a huge asset even if he's the same guy in every other way.

I'm hopeful we also get the guy who can rebound with Duke, block shots, get steals, and even drive if they put a slow guy on him.

He's done all of these things, but without consistency. This year, he puts it together.

No offense, but I do not want Benny averaging 8 three point attempts per game under any circumstances. And there's no chance he shoots 40% at that volume. Girard never even averaged 8 three point attempts. I think the only guys in recent memory that have were Buddy and Andrew White.
 
He will probably grad transfer to Michigan, and take Caleb Love’s spot.

Big get for the Wolverines…

Oh yeah. Super excited to see Judah back. Props to everyone for making it happen.

That was a fantastic video.
No worry there. He doesn't have the grades to get in to Mich. I'm not sure he has the grades to get in to Western Mich.
 
No offense, but I do not want Benny averaging 8 three point attempts per game under any circumstances. And there's no chance he shoots 40% at that volume. Girard never even averaged 8 three point attempts. I think the only guys in recent memory that have were Buddy and Andrew White.

Yeah, Benny going an average of 2/5 from 3 in a typical game is more what we’d like to see from him.

Last year he was kinda like CJ Fair that one season, where he didn’t shoot a ton of 3’s, but made nearly half of them.
That was his Jr year, btw
30/64 = ~47%.



We don’t want him just camping out at the 3pt line looking for catch & shoot opportunities -
That’s not maximizing his size or skillset.
(See: Candyman @ Oregon as an example of a PF wanting to be a stretch 4, and failing, miserably)
 
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I still think we might be missing athleticism at the position, but with Freeman in the fold I think that's going to change soon enough.

Williams is a plus athlete. Bell is a plus athlete. Brown might not be quite on their level, but he's an ACC caliber athlete. Taylor / Copeland are athletic, too. If Carey ultimately projects at PF, he's athletic as well.

Not sure that I see athleticism as a problem the way you do.

Now, scoring consistency? Certainly question marks throughout the forward unit on that basis.
 
Judah's back and also his arms and his legs! But I love his head the most. He realized he'd be better off maximizing his skills before asking to be judged by the NBA, or he could get lost in the waves of talent that enter pro ball every year.

As for SU, the dream of starting four guys who, as recruits were rated in the top 50 means that the raw talent level of this team is the best it's been since we were a Top 5 program a decade ago.

The thing is, that might not even be our best line-up. Judah had started to hit from outside last year but was 30% for the year. So was JJ Starling. Chance Westry has the size to play the '3' but was 0 for 14 from three. Benny Williams was a laudable 39.6% on just 48 attempts in 30 games. IN this line-up he'd be the power forward and Red will want him playing closer to the basket. A team's power forward is rarely their #1 outside shooter. And he did this as a fourth option. We're looking for someone who warranted special defensive attention and could pull the defense away from the basket so that all these guys who can score off the dribble can have room to maneuver. For that reason, Chris Bell and Justin Taylor have to be our 3's and we have to go with the hot hand there, unless Judah, JJ or Chance develop into credible outside threats.

I think the real loser is Quadir Copeland, whose combination of amazing passing skills but a poor outside shot is poorly served at the '3'. He was brought here to be a point guard and he might have been one - maybe our best one - without Mintz. He can help us if we are playing pressure defense but he's not going to get a chance to do much else.
I think the game is evolving away from concepts like "power forward, needing to play "closer to the basket," and skill sets associated with positions. It seems like Red is looking at a system with an emphasis on versatility and playmakers over traditional "positions."
 
I think the game is evolving away from concepts like "power forward, needing to play "closer to the basket," and skill sets associated with positions. It seems like Red is looking at a system with an emphasis on versatility and playmakers over traditional "positions."

Right. Look at how Villanova plays [which I think will prove to be a similar template on offense to what we see from Red -- time will tell, but that's my expectation].

A lead guard. Two bigger wings [guard, forward -- whatever]. A versatile forward who plays inside / outside, and can shoot. A big to rebound / defend / score inside a little.

We have the right components to play this style.

Lead guard - Mintz.
Two bigger wings - JJ / Westry.
Versatile inside / outside forward - Williams.
Dunker / defender - Brown / McLeod / Hima [depending upon matchups, lots of fouls to use].

But I agree that positions are being rendered obsolete in modern basketball, outside of PG. And even that distiniction, JJ and Westry will both be relied upon to handle against pressure, distribute the rock, and make plays off of the bounce, so...
 
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So happy we’re not a high ankle sprain or broken finger away from total disaster - so glad we have more than 6 guys who will play. Every game we held our breath when someone took a hard fall - obviously don’t want it to happen but less worried if it does now.
 

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