More Minutes for Hughes,Carey,Buddy

[Trueblue25]

I'm not convinced that Sidibe can't be a post scorer. Let's see how he recovers with his knees

I agree. But until we hear more about his knees, I dont know what to hope for other than recovery.

 

[newmexicuse]

I'm not convinced that Sidibe can't be a post scorer. Let's see how he recovers with his knees

i was just about to post the same. also chuks big weakness is his hands. he will never be a postup scorer, but if he can strengthen his hands that would be worth another dunk or two per game.

 

[Trueblue25]

We average 66.6 PPG last year.
That was with including nonconference games against crap teams.

Tyus Battle averaged 19.2 PPG.
That is 47.4 PPG returning.

Please tell me how we are close t0 top 20.
Carey and Hughes can probably get us those 19.2 PPG.

Marek and Sidibe can add 5-10 PPG combined at best.

We aren’t close to the top 20 with this production. Unless we win every single close game.

Also, if Marek’s not averaging between 7-10 ppg next year I’ll be astonished.

 

[newmexicuse]

Also, if Marek’s not averaging between 7-10 ppg next year I’ll be astonished.

i expect double digits from marek. wo baz taking his minutes i could easily see 12 to 15 from him.

 

[dasher]

i expect double digits from marek. wo baz taking his minutes i could easily see 12 to 15 from him.

Marek isn't going to average 15 pts a game next year. I love the kid but that is a lot of pts a game.

 

[pearl31]

At this point, we're worse than this year's team. It's basically the same team with a battle being replaced by Hughes/Carey/Buddy. Gonna have to say that's a downgrade until we see otherwise, especially defensively. We also don't have a 3rd forward.

Fun times

dumb take

 

[721Comstock]

Marek isn't going to average 15 pts a game next year. I love the kid but that is a lot of pts a game.

Yeah, people here (and in general) throw out ridiculous #'s, not remotely understanding how unlikely they are.

Remember when folks were saying stuff like "can't wait to see PC average 4+ blocks a game!"

Can Marek average 11 or 12? Sure! Maybe even a bit more.
But 15?
Oshae didn't even manage 15 this year, and he was our 2nd leading scorer, and needed 38 mpg to do that.

Get used to a Syracuse team that only scores about 70 points per game.
Last year's zero D team was the only Cuse team since '12 to average greater than 70/game.
('09-'10 averaged 81. Pours another one out for AO's knee... )

OSB & Frank are likely to be your 2 highest scorers, since they return the most scoring from this past season.
I'd imagine some combo of Hughes, Marek, and Carey are your next 3, most likely in that order.
PC and Dib averaged 8, 10, and 3 a game this year - hoping a healthy combo of them goes for more like 12/12/4.

To put some hypothetical #'s behind the above, let's say OSB & Frank average combined 30,
The 3 of Hughes/Marek/Carey average 30, and PC & Dib give us the 12 I'm hoping for.
That's 72.

IF Marek's scoring goes up, it's likely at the expense of somebody else (Carey, and/or Hughes?) scoring less.
Not really seeing that.

 

[realorange]

No I'm not. I don't even blame this on JB or the staff.

I am just saying that I don't see us getting out of the 8-10 win mark in conference play and we will one against be mediocre. Some people still think we will be good. My idea of good is actually beating the top of the conference. I don't see it.

We won't beat the top of the conference next year except for a possibility in a couple games.
If you are upset because of that, you are being unreasonable.
With the players we will have available, we will be a tough out in almost any game. We are just not top tier next year.

 

[dasher]

Yeah, people here (and in general) throw out ridiculous #'s, not remotely understanding how unlikely they are.

Remember when folks were saying stuff like "can't wait to see PC average 4+ blocks a game!"

Can Marek average 11 or 12? Sure! Maybe even a bit more.
But 15?
Oshae didn't even manage 15 this year, and he was our 2nd leading scorer, and needed 38 mpg to do that.

Get used to a Syracuse team that only scores about 70 points per game.
Last year's zero D team was the only Cuse team since '12 to average greater than 70/game.
('09-'10 averaged 81. Pours another one out for AO's knee... )

OSB & Frank are likely to be your 2 highest scorers, since they return the most scoring from this past season.
I'd imagine some combo of Hughes, Marek, and Carey are your next 3, most likely in that order.
PC and Dib averaged 8, 10, and 3 a game this year - hoping a healthy combo of them goes for more like 12/12/4.

To put some hypothetical #'s behind the above, let's say OSB & Frank average combined 30,
The 3 of Hughes/Marek/Carey average 30, and PC & Dib give us the 12 I'm hoping for.
That's 72.

IF Marek's scoring goes up, it's likely at the expense of somebody else (Carey, and/or Hughes?) scoring less.
Not really seeing that.

I believe that Howard, OB, Marek and Hughes will give us 4 scorers while for the most part, we had 3 this year. When Marek started scoring a bit more, we started winning close games where we were losing them before that. Now, if I am right, and Sidibe can give us some low post scoring, that would change everything. We will still be a better scoring team next year than this IMHO. Plus, I think our bench will score a few more pts this year with Carey leading the way on that.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We won't beat the top of the conference next year except for a possibility in a couple games.
If you are upset because of that, you are being unreasonable.
With the players we will have available, we will be a tough out in almost any game. We are just not top tier next year.

I'm not being unreasonable. I'm being factual. And I'm disappointed. We aren't the same program anymore.

 

[newmexicuse]

ag

Marek isn't going to average 15 pts a game next year. I love the kid but that is a lot of pts a game.

agree that 12 is more likely than the 15, but if he can extend his shot to trey range than 15 is possible. he came on so strong in the post season that i think a big jump is possible for him.

 

[dasher]

ag

agree that 12 is more likely than the 15, but if he can extend his shot to trey range than 15 is possible. he came on so strong in the post season that i think a big jump is possible for him.

I think a big jump is coming for him. I hope it is here because I suspect that the jump will take place in another year or so. 12 or 13 is one thing. 15 is another.

 

[721Comstock]

I believe that Howard, OB, Marek and Hughes will give us 4 scorers while for the most part, we had 3 this year. When Marek started scoring a bit more, we started winning close games where we were losing them before that. Now, if I am right, and Sidibe can give us some low post scoring, that would change everything. We will still be a better scoring team next year than this IMHO. Plus, I think our bench will score a few more pts this year with Carey leading the way on that.

OK, but - there's still a somewhat finite amount of points we can score, given the way our D slows down our opponents and reduces overall # of possessions - for BOTH teams.

Here are the scoring averages for the past 8 seasons, in order from most recent to oldest:
67, 76, 70, 68, 68, 70, 74, 73.

With the exception of last year's anomolous chuckers, we've averaged about 70 +/- 3-4 points or so pretty much every other year.
And MANY of those teams had better/more proven scorers than what we're returning.
Like in 10-11 & 11-12, for instance. And they still only averaged 73 & 74 respectively.
FWIW - Both of our Final Four teams averaged 70.

It's a zero-sum game. And that total isn't likely to be much higher than 70.

 

[shu 49]

I agree. With just normal improvement, we will be a better team next year. Both of our centers are back. It's sometimes hard to notice while it is happening but PC was better at the end of the season than he was at the start. If Sid can get healthy, I think he can really help us. Both of our forwards, assuming they are here, Marek and Ob, will be better next year and in some cases, much better players. We will have better depth at the guard position, lol, how could we not? Losing Bazley is a blow. It knocks us off the pre season elite status that I thought we should have. But we can still be a very good team.

I do think if Sadibe is ok he could help at the 4 if we need it. Not perfect depth but just in case.

 

[rrlbees]

No I'm not. I don't even blame this on JB or the staff.

I am just saying that I don't see us getting out of the 8-10 win mark in conference play and we will one against be mediocre. Some people still think we will be good. My idea of good is actually beating the top of the conference. I don't see it.

You replied to my post. All I said was we’d be better. Nothing more, nothing less. I didn’t attach wins to it.

 

[Cusefan0307]

You replied to my post. All I said was we’d be better. Nothing more, nothing less. I didn’t attach wins to it.

So if we are a bubble team next year we have underachieved. Got it.

 

[rrlbees]

So if we are a bubble team next year we have underachieved. Got it.

Why are you and a couple others struggling with the word better?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Why are you and a couple others struggling with the word better?

We were a bubble team this year. If we are better we aren’t a bubble team. If we are, we aren’t better. This isn’t hard.

 

[rrlbees]

We were a bubble team this year. If we are better we aren’t a bubble team. If we are, we aren’t better. This isn’t hard.

All you did was generate an argument. Not even sure why you replied negatively to my post saying we’d be better. You created something that wasn’t there. It’s my opinion we’ll be better. That’s it. If you don’t think so, that’s fine. Just say it.

 

[bpo57]

SU's offense was historically bad this past season. So to say SU will be better next season largely depends on whether you believe the offense will be improved. In my mind there were two obvious reasons why the offense was lousy last year - 1) terrible 3 point shooting and 2) very poor ball movement. It's not clear to me how either one of these will be materially improved next season, particularly if we lose the one guy (Battle) who was the best at creating his own shot.

Some times stats can be misleading but SU finishing 326th in 3 point shooting is not one of them. SU's three main 3 point shooters shot 32-33% last year. Compare those #s to any D-1 team, they're horrific. How is that going to improve? Neither Hughes nor Carey have a rep for being solid shooters from beyond the arc. I'm sure Buddy can help in this area but is he really ready to play major minutes as a frosh?

In terms of ball movement you need balance. For most of the season the ball was shared by three guys and then at the end the other guys got more involved. Hopefully that can continue because for most of the season the offense was constipated. Many of Frank Howard's biggest defenders here admit he's not a natural PG. Can Carey play that role? A lot to ask of a freshman. Just look at the four teams left playing today. Three of the best PGs in the country and Zavier Simpson is pretty solid as well. You need a good PG to orchestrate and get everybody involved.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

No, the point is that we currently have more depth next year than we did for most of this year.

I feel sad thinking that this past season set a benchmark for how we think about depth.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I believe that Howard, OB, Marek and Hughes will give us 4 scorers while for the most part, we had 3 this year. When Marek started scoring a bit more, we started winning close games where we were losing them before that. Now, if I am right, and Sidibe can give us some low post scoring, that would change everything. We will still be a better scoring team next year than this IMHO. Plus, I think our bench will score a few more pts this year with Carey leading the way on that.

Marek will score around 8, imo. Similar to Hughes and Carey.

Howard 14
OB 16
Buddy 2
Sidibe/PC combine for 12

 

[Arangeman]

SU's offense was historically bad this past season. So to say SU will be better next season largely depends on whether you believe the offense will be improved. In my mind there were two obvious reasons why the offense was lousy last year - 1) terrible 3 point shooting and 2) very poor ball movement. It's not clear to me how either one of these will be materially improved next season, particularly if we lose the one guy (Battle) who was the best at creating his own shot.

Some times stats can be misleading but SU finishing 326th in 3 point shooting is not one of them. SU's three main 3 point shooters shot 32-33% last year. Compare those #s to any D-1 team, they're horrific. How is that going to improve? Neither Hughes nor Carey have a rep for being solid shooters from beyond the arc. I'm sure Buddy can help in this area but is he really ready to play major minutes as a frosh?

In terms of ball movement you need balance. For most of the season the ball was shared by three guys and then at the end the other guys got more involved. Hopefully that can continue because for most of the season the offense was constipated. Many of Frank Howard's biggest defenders here admit he's not a natural PG. Can Carey play that role? A lot to ask of a freshman. Just look at the four teams left playing today. Three of the best PGs in the country and Zavier Simpson is pretty solid as well. You need a good PG to orchestrate and get everybody involved.

Easy baskets would help too. There was a chart going around a month a ago that had us dead last in college basketball in post usage. Not sure that changes.

 

[Cusefan0307]

All you did was generate an argument. Not even sure why you replied negatively to my post saying we’d be better. You created something that wasn’t there. It’s my opinion we’ll be better. That’s it. If you don’t think so, that’s fine. Just say it.

You’re backpedaling. Your idea of better still may be a bubble team. My idea of better is 23-25 wins and a top 4-5 seed in March.

 

[rrlbees]

I feel sad thinking that this past season set a benchmark for how we think about depth.

It is what it is. It’s not optimal depth but it’s better. Some people, not you, just enjoy being in the glass half empty group. They enjoy the negative things.