SWC75
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The Players
CENTERS
PASCHAL CHUKWU senior 7-2 228
Paschal Chukwu came here as a little-used transfer from Providence. He was born in Enugu, Nigeria and came here to learn basketball. He had two years of high school ball in Connecticut before being recruited by the friars. He had to sit out a year after he transferred here and when he was finally able to play, he played poorly and then got hit in the right eye with a stray ball and suffered a torn retina. He had to have an operation so his season was over after only 6 ineffectual games. His greatest talent seemed to be that he was 7-2, the tallest player in Syracuse history. The image of a 7-2 shot blocker in the middle of his zone kept dancing in Boeheim’s head but most people expected the obviously more talented Sidibe to beat him out as the season progressed.
It didn’t happen, for two reasons. Firstly Sidibe had creaky knees and was unable to play enough to take the position. Secondly, Chuwku developed into a very effective defensive center and a decent rebounder, (the forwards do much of the rebounding in JB’s system). Offensively, he was barely there. he had no shot, no moves and even had trouble catching passes, especially alley-oops. 5.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, (18th in the country), while playing 27 minutes a game. He was a big reason the opposition went from scoring 75 to 64 points per game, which was important because our offensive output dropped from 76 to 67 points per game.
This year we hope for more of the same, with a bit better mastery of catching the ball. The development of Marek Dolezaj could increase his touches and his offensive output incrementally. But big men, especially foreign big men, take time to develop. If he works hard he may surprise us again with Chukwu.3.
A couple of highlights from last season:
Syracuse's Paschal Chukwu Blocks 2 Shots On Same Possession vs. Clemson
Note: Chukwu is a senior but has the possibility of applying for an extra year considering that he missed most of the 2017 season with an eye injury. He has said that he will make that decision after this season. So he could be back next year if he feels he needs another year to prepare for pro ball. It would not be automatic- the conference and the NCAA would have to agree to it.
Syracuse basketball center Paschal Chukwu could apply for 6th season if he wants
BOURAMA SIDIBE sophomore 6-10 205
I think the height and weight info, which I got from the roster on Cuse.com, the SU athletic website, may be out of date. Those could be the numbers the players had for their first practice of their freshmen season or even when they were recruited. I think Sidibe is probably more like 220, which still isn’t all that muscular for a 6-10 guy. Sidibe and Oshae Brissett were the first players recruited for last year’s freshmen class. When it was announced they had committed in fall of 2016, the response from SU fans was one of disappointment. Neither was rated in the Top 100 recruits at the time. But the coaches knew what they were doing. And they knew more about the players they were recruiting than the fans or even the people who put those top 100 lists or issue star ratings. Brissett is the player on our roster the NBA is most interested in. And Sidibe showed considerable skill for a big man. He had a nose for where the ball was and smooth moves in the paint to get him open lay-ups. He didn’t do much facing the basket but I’ve seen tapes of him from high school and AAU play in which he hits short jump shots. He didn’t have the height of Chukwu but showed a similar knack for blocking shots.
He seemed like a good bet to beat out Chukwu, who is older but less advanced in his skills, for the center sport. Sidibe is also from Africa, Bamako in Mali. He played high school at one of the top programs in the country, St. Benedicts prep in new jersey, who went 65-6 his last two years there. That may explain how Sidibe was able to advance his skills. His problem was his knees, which had tendonitis that had a varying impact. Some games Bourama was unable to play at all. Others he was limited to a few minutes or unable to fully utilize his skills. Some games he was fully mobile and put up some interesting numbers: 7 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in 19 minutes vs. Cornell; 11 points in 21 minutes vs. Texas Southern; 9 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 22 minutes vs. Maryland, a big early victory and then he stunned everyone with 18 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in 28 minutes vs. old SU nemesis Pittsburgh. Per 40 minutes of play, Chukwu averaged 8 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, Sidibe 9/10/2.
So they were actually comparable and I think Bourama’s upside is higher than Paschal’s, even if his head isn’t. We will see this year if an operation Sidibe had in the off season will free him to fully develop and display his talents. If he is again limited we will again see Marek Dolezaj playing some center, which would be unfortunate. A combination of Dolezaj and Sidibe on the floor at the same time could be very productive, with Marek using his passing skills to get the ball to Bourama in the paint.
There’s no good highlight film of Bourama’s first season here, (even the highlights of the Pitt game just show one alley-oop), so I’ll repeat a tape from high school:
Bourama Sidibe(Syracuse Commit) St.Benedict's Prep Senior Season
FORWARDS
ROBERT BRASWELL freshman 6-9 184
Braswell was the consolation prize for losing Darius Bazley. He was an unheralded forward recruit with considerable potential. He’s a classic Syracuse forward: long and lean, except that he has a really good outside shot. He can also, from his tape pass the ball well and block shots. He was the South Carolina high jump champion with 6-11. But he’s probably going to have to wait his turn to be a part of the final rotation. We’ll see him play early in the season but when we go from 10 scholarship players to what I think will be an 8 man rotation, he will be one of the odd men out, probably #10 on the roster.
Here are his highlights from high school:
Senior Year Highlights
OSHAE BRISSETT sophomore 6-8 210
As I note under Bourama Sidibe, he and Oshae Brissett were the first two recruits in last year’s freshman class and fans were disappointed because they didn’t appear on lists of top recruits. Sidibie “showed flashes”, to use a phrase popularized by a former Syracuse football coach (who had little else to brag about). Brissett exploded and immediately became one of the “big three” players who carried the team along with Tyus Battle and Frank Howard. As a freshman, Oshae averaged 14.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while leading the team in blocked shots with 29, (because he averaged 38 minutes a game to Chukwu’s 27). He had 13 double-doubles and needed a single rebound to get 7 more.
He showed good form on his outside shot early on, but that’s all he got out of it in the first 15 games as he missed 43 of his first 58 three pointers, (made 25.9%). I got some mileage out of a joke, suggesting that the national anthem singers were very polite to ask Oshae if he could see because it looked like a good question. But in the last 22 games, he was 40 for 108, (37.0%). He was also our best player at driving to the basket, although he needed further development there, too, as he might have led the nation in charging fouls. He also could have been a better finisher. He was our best dunker but he only shot 36.6% on two point shots. But he showed the stamina to play entire games 18 times. Freshmen usually tend to “hit the wall” about the time the conference season begins but Oshae actually got better. He had 25 points and 14 rebounds against Georgetown, 25/7 against NC State, and 23/12 against Arizona State in the NCAA’s. But his consistency was amazing: he scored in double figures in 22 of those games, including every NCAA game. He had 8 or more rebounds 26 times. It was one of the best freshman years we’ve ever had here. Louis Orr was 9.4/6.5 as a freshman. Derrick Coleman averaged 11.9/8.8. John Wallace was 11.1/7.6. Hakim Warrick was 6.1/4.8. So much for the top 100.
His numbers might go down this year because he won’t have to play entire games or average 38 minutes a game, (assuming we have better luck with player availability). But they also could go up because fatigue would be less of a factor, the defense won’t be able to focus on him as much and, more importantly, for such a productive player, he is still far from his peak. If he shoots well from outside the whole season, learns to avoid charging calls and finish more consistently, he could put up better numbers in less time. He could be an All-American. The NBA already wanted him more than Battle, so his sophomore year could be his last here. We need to enjoy him while he’s here and we should get plenty of opportunities to do so.
Highlights from last year:
Freshman Phenom Oshae Brissett 2017 -2018 Highlights | Next Ones Syracuse Orange Basketball |
MAREK DOLEZAJ sophomore 6-10 180
Marek was last year’s Braswell, an unknown skinny big man, (he was 6-9 175 then), from Slovakia who had never played in this country but who was pressed into immediate service when Taurean Thompson never showed up. He’d played in several European club teams and in “under 18, under 19, etc.” championships and his skill level and court awareness were at a higher level than a typical freshman. He always seemed to be where the ball was. He was an excellent passer. He could rebound and block shots. He had a smooth-looking jump shot but rarely seemed to use it, deferring to his teammates and allowing the defense to focus on the “big three”.
He had 10 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists against Texas Southern, 10/7/0 in a big win over Maryland, 5/8/2 vs. Georgetown, 9/10/0 vs. St. Bonaventure, 12/8/2 vs. Boston College, 20/4/1 vs. Wake Forest, 17/4/0 vs. Texas Christian in the NCAAs and 13/4/2 in the finale vs. Duke. The numbers against Duke don’t tell the whole story. He got in foul trouble in that game for the first time all season, (another sign of his advanced game for a freshman big man), and had to leave the game late in the first half. Duke immediately went on an 0-8 run and wound up winning the game by 4 and advancing to the Elite 8.
Marek’s offensive tentativeness hurt us during the year even as his other skills helped us and he did kind of ‘hit the wall’ when the conference schedule began. But late in the year he did seem to gain more confidence in his shot, (or the appropriateness of his taking it), and it did begin to open things up for his teammates and for his passes to his teammates. This year, we could see more scoring from Marek, fewer defenders on his teammates and more effective passing from Marek. I especially look to see Marek feeding the post more, which could make our centers more productive, particularly a healthy Sidibe, who could shine if we could consistently get the ball to him in good situations. Marek would be a major weapon against zones from the high post.
Highlights:
Syracuse's Marek Dolezaj Posts Career High vs. Wake Forest
ELIJAH HUGHES junior 6-6 215
Elijah is a mystery man, having transferred here from the non-basketball power East Carolina, where he averaged a non-earth shaking 7.8 ppg and 2.3 rpg. But reports from practice last year were that he was typically matched up against the similar-size Tyus Battle in practice and gave our star player all he wanted in those contests. He was supposed to be an excellent outside shooter but a fine all-around player as well. People couldn’t wait for him to be eligible to play, (oddly, grad transfers can play immediately but not undergrad transfers). He might have been the perfect antidote to our depth and scoring problems last year.
In the one exhibition game I’ve seen, he looked like an electric player. He scored 19 points on 8 for 14 shooting, including 3 of 6 three pointers. (In the second one he scored 21 more point s on 7 for 9 shooting, 2 of 3 from the arc, but also had a shakey handle at times). He made two steals and ran the court well, opening his scoring with a big-time dunk. It was interesting that he played 32 minutes and Dolezaj only 17. It’s speculated that he could take a forward positon from Marek. It was also speculated that JB knew what he had in Marek and wanted to give Elijah some serious time to see what he could do. Hughes would increase our firepower but we’d lose size and some of the things Marek does well, such as shot-blocking, rebounding and passing, especially to the post. But Hughes is hardly one-dimensional himself.
I think what will happen is that there will be two rotations: one for forward and one for guard and that Hughes will be part of both of them. Battle, Howard, Hughes, Carey and Boeheim can all play the backcourt, (so can Washington, who may not be ready). Brissett, Dolezaj and Hughes can all play forward, (so can Braswell but we may not need him yet). I expect to see a lot of Elijah at both positions but also a lot of Marek at forward. None of the top 8 guys are going to disappear as long as they are healthy.
Highlights of Hughes from his East Carolina days:
Freshman Elijah Hughes @ ECU 2016 2017
Note: The roster lists Hughes as a junior because that’s what he is academically. But he actually has three years of eligibility left. He’d have to be in graduate school to play in the 2021 season. But if he proves to be as good and people think, he may be in the pros by then.
GUARDS
TYUS BATTLE junior 6-6 205
People sweated out Tyus Battle’s big decision in the spring. He made a serious run at impressing the NBA but felt, in the end, he could benefit from another year at SU, (something that rarely happens: when Kids decide they want to go, they go even if their draft prospects aren’t that great). That gives us a returning All-America candidate. Last year he averaged 19.7ppg, the highest scoring average for a Syracuse player since Hakim Warrick averaged 21.4 in 2005. He scored in double figures 35 times and 20 or more points 15 times, including 37 points against Florida State and 34 against Wake Forest.
His average was that high in part because he had to average 39 minutes a game. The other part is that he’s a natural scorer. He’s not a great shot. He has a hitch in his motion and his range is barely to the three point line. He hit 32% of his three point shots and 45% of his two point shots. He’s got a good pull-up jumper and can go to the basket to score. He’s not a stand-still shooter: he keeps moving to get open. He can back his man down to create his shot or dribble past them. Everybody in the place knew he was our primary offensive option and he got the defensive attention appropriate to that.
This year he will be far from our only offensive option so the defense will have to play him straight up. He won’t get 39 minutes a game but won’t have to play that many either. It should result in increased efficiency, even if he doesn’t score as high as 19.7. The interesting question is: how much better can battle get than he already is? Can he fix his jump shot to make it more effective, or at least ‘prettier’ so the NBA scouts will like it? Maybe the answer is in his all-around game. He’s 6-6 but averaged only 3.0 rebounds per game. Attempts to use him as a small forward failed because of the loss of rebounding. He was a guard but averaged only 2.1 assists per game. He was a good defender and averaged 1.5 steals and even blocked 7 shots. But a player whose value is almost entirely in his scoring who has, (by NBA standards) mediocre range and a hitch in his shot is far from an ideal prospect. He’ll probably join the army of former SU players who have become globetrotters, playing all over the world. That can be an interesting life but not really what basketball players dream of. In the meantime, we’ve got him for another year and he should be a key part of a team that could do great things.
Highlights:
Tyus Battle Official Highlights | Syracuse
BUDDY BOEHEIM freshman 6-5 188
When people see a coach’s son playing for him, they assume some sort of favoritism. But sometimes the coach’s son is there on merit and then some. Pete Maravich played for his father and became college basketball’s all-time leading scorer. Bryce Drew became Valparaiso’s all-time leading scorer for his father. Doug McDermott led the nation in scoring for his father at Creighton in 2014:
Father Knows Best: Dad-Son, Coach-Player Tandems Test Family Bond | College Hoopedia
Jim Boeheim’s older son Jimmy played for Cornell last year, where he averaged 3.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg as a freshman. Reports are that initially, his father would have preferred Buddy to go elsewhere as well. But his staff convinced him that Buddy was too good to pass up so Jim agreed to allow him to matriculate at Syracuse. Speculation is that Jim will continue as coach as long as Buddy is here and then finally retire, (he will be 74 next month but is in good health).
Still, people speculated that Buddy would have a hard time cracking the guard rotation, (he’s 6-5 while his brother is 6-8). Then came the exhibition game against St. Rose. Buddy scored 19 points in 28 minutes, hitting 3 of 7 three pointers and 4 of 6 two pointers. (In the second exhibition against LeMoyne he scored 13 on 5/9 and 3 for 5 treys), He made both his free throws. He did have three turnovers but also had an assist and a steal. As a freshman in his first game, he committed just 1 foul in those 28 minutes. He made a beautiful move to dribble around a defender and hit a two point jumper, which he got off very quickly. His jumper was smooth as silk and he had range out to 25 feet. He looked just too good to keep on the bench. But with Battle, Howard, Carey, Hughes and Washington, where does he fit in? Daddy will have to figure that out.
Highlights:
Buddy Boeheim scores 19 points in Carrier Dome Debut! | Next Ones | Syracuse Orange | 10/25/18 |
JALEN CAREY freshman 6-3 198
Carey was our highest rated recruit for this year’s freshman class, (top 40, which made the fans happy). Observers have said they see a future NBA player in him. With the log jam at guard he probably won’t get enough playing time to be a one-and-done but he’s not likely to be a four year guy, either. He’s supposed to be a whiz at breaking down a defense and getting to the basket. He also has quick hands and could be effective at the top of the zone with the 7-2 Chukwu behind him. He’s looked at primarily as a point guard. There’s talk that Carey will bring back the legendary Syracuse running game, which has been absent in recent years. There’s talk that JB will want him to as he’s been experimenting with a press to speed things up in practice, something he hasn’t used in years.
And Carey may get some early play in that role as Frank Howard has been nursing an injury and Howard Washington is coming back from an operation. Carey himself was dinged up for the St. Rose game. Battle brought the ball up and did well, with 6 assists and just 2 turnovers, although the extra responsibilities seemed to hurt his shooting, as he was 1 for 10. I think he will be glad to turn the ball over to Carey. (Battle was better in the second exhibition with 5 assists and no turnovers while shooting 4 for 7.)
Highlights:
2018 guard Jalen Carey Nike EYBL highlights
He just seems to glide across the court and has a nice fade-away jumper.
FRANK HOWARD senior 6-5 205
Frank Howard totally turned his career at Syracuse around last season. He’d played sparingly his first two years, held back by injuries and the lack of a jump shot. He showed some creative passing ability but sometimes too creative. There were reports that he’d become something of a clubhouse lawyer and even that he’d warned recruits away from Syracuse. Many felt he wouldn’t bother coming back for his junior year. Instead he came back strong, acting and talking like a team leader and displaying a surprising jump shot with good range. His scoring went from 4.5 ppg to 14.4. He wasn’t all that aggressive in breaking down a defense so his assist to turnover ratio was mediocre at 4.7/3.4. But he became part of our “big three” of players averaging 38-39 minutes per game who were indispensable to the team. He hit double figures 32 times, including 25 against Toledo, 15 points and 10 assists in the Maryland win, 19 points and 9 assists against Georgetown, 23 points against Wake Forest, 22 vs. Louisville, 23 vs. North Carolina.
I don’t know how much better he can get. Carey may push him into being more aggressive off the dribble. He was 33% for three point range last year. That may improve some. But right now his biggest problem is his health. He injured his “lower leg” in pre-season practice and has been wearing a “boot” to try to accelerate his recover but “there is no timetable for his return. It sounds like Carey and Washington may be back before he is and Howard may have to fight them for playing time.
He has no highlight film devoted to him but he had some good plays when he led us in scoring with 18 points against Virginia:
Syracuse vs. Virginia Basketball Highlights (2017-18)
HOWARD WASHINGTON sophomore 6-3 180
Howard Washington was the player we recruited when Quade Green jilted us for Kentucky. He seemed to have solid but unspectacular playing skills but I was impressed with his post-game interview in one clip:
Howard Washington Post Game
He sounded like a future coach with his concise but detailed analysis of the game. If he’s a future coach, he might also be our future point guard. But it will probably be after Frank Howard and then Jalen Carey leave, as sort of “when the dust settles, I’ll still be here guy"- unless he gets recruited over again.
Last year he was a tentative back-up until he started feeling more confident in mid-season and began having some decent games, including 9 points, 3 rebounds and an assist against Florida State Then he ripped up his knee in practice, had an operation and has been rehabbing ever since. He and Carey are supposed to be ready to go this week but to some it seems a little too quick, (10 months), from a torn ACL. How much Washington can contribute this year is uncertain at best. He and Braswell have the greatest likelihood to be out of the loop when JB choses his rotation(s) for the conference season.
There are no highlights from his play last year so here is a brief clip of him playing in high school:
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS: 2017 PG Howard Washington
CENTERS
PASCHAL CHUKWU senior 7-2 228
Paschal Chukwu came here as a little-used transfer from Providence. He was born in Enugu, Nigeria and came here to learn basketball. He had two years of high school ball in Connecticut before being recruited by the friars. He had to sit out a year after he transferred here and when he was finally able to play, he played poorly and then got hit in the right eye with a stray ball and suffered a torn retina. He had to have an operation so his season was over after only 6 ineffectual games. His greatest talent seemed to be that he was 7-2, the tallest player in Syracuse history. The image of a 7-2 shot blocker in the middle of his zone kept dancing in Boeheim’s head but most people expected the obviously more talented Sidibe to beat him out as the season progressed.
It didn’t happen, for two reasons. Firstly Sidibe had creaky knees and was unable to play enough to take the position. Secondly, Chuwku developed into a very effective defensive center and a decent rebounder, (the forwards do much of the rebounding in JB’s system). Offensively, he was barely there. he had no shot, no moves and even had trouble catching passes, especially alley-oops. 5.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, (18th in the country), while playing 27 minutes a game. He was a big reason the opposition went from scoring 75 to 64 points per game, which was important because our offensive output dropped from 76 to 67 points per game.
This year we hope for more of the same, with a bit better mastery of catching the ball. The development of Marek Dolezaj could increase his touches and his offensive output incrementally. But big men, especially foreign big men, take time to develop. If he works hard he may surprise us again with Chukwu.3.
A couple of highlights from last season:
Syracuse's Paschal Chukwu Blocks 2 Shots On Same Possession vs. Clemson
Note: Chukwu is a senior but has the possibility of applying for an extra year considering that he missed most of the 2017 season with an eye injury. He has said that he will make that decision after this season. So he could be back next year if he feels he needs another year to prepare for pro ball. It would not be automatic- the conference and the NCAA would have to agree to it.
Syracuse basketball center Paschal Chukwu could apply for 6th season if he wants
BOURAMA SIDIBE sophomore 6-10 205
I think the height and weight info, which I got from the roster on Cuse.com, the SU athletic website, may be out of date. Those could be the numbers the players had for their first practice of their freshmen season or even when they were recruited. I think Sidibe is probably more like 220, which still isn’t all that muscular for a 6-10 guy. Sidibe and Oshae Brissett were the first players recruited for last year’s freshmen class. When it was announced they had committed in fall of 2016, the response from SU fans was one of disappointment. Neither was rated in the Top 100 recruits at the time. But the coaches knew what they were doing. And they knew more about the players they were recruiting than the fans or even the people who put those top 100 lists or issue star ratings. Brissett is the player on our roster the NBA is most interested in. And Sidibe showed considerable skill for a big man. He had a nose for where the ball was and smooth moves in the paint to get him open lay-ups. He didn’t do much facing the basket but I’ve seen tapes of him from high school and AAU play in which he hits short jump shots. He didn’t have the height of Chukwu but showed a similar knack for blocking shots.
He seemed like a good bet to beat out Chukwu, who is older but less advanced in his skills, for the center sport. Sidibe is also from Africa, Bamako in Mali. He played high school at one of the top programs in the country, St. Benedicts prep in new jersey, who went 65-6 his last two years there. That may explain how Sidibe was able to advance his skills. His problem was his knees, which had tendonitis that had a varying impact. Some games Bourama was unable to play at all. Others he was limited to a few minutes or unable to fully utilize his skills. Some games he was fully mobile and put up some interesting numbers: 7 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in 19 minutes vs. Cornell; 11 points in 21 minutes vs. Texas Southern; 9 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 22 minutes vs. Maryland, a big early victory and then he stunned everyone with 18 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in 28 minutes vs. old SU nemesis Pittsburgh. Per 40 minutes of play, Chukwu averaged 8 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, Sidibe 9/10/2.
So they were actually comparable and I think Bourama’s upside is higher than Paschal’s, even if his head isn’t. We will see this year if an operation Sidibe had in the off season will free him to fully develop and display his talents. If he is again limited we will again see Marek Dolezaj playing some center, which would be unfortunate. A combination of Dolezaj and Sidibe on the floor at the same time could be very productive, with Marek using his passing skills to get the ball to Bourama in the paint.
There’s no good highlight film of Bourama’s first season here, (even the highlights of the Pitt game just show one alley-oop), so I’ll repeat a tape from high school:
Bourama Sidibe(Syracuse Commit) St.Benedict's Prep Senior Season
FORWARDS
ROBERT BRASWELL freshman 6-9 184
Braswell was the consolation prize for losing Darius Bazley. He was an unheralded forward recruit with considerable potential. He’s a classic Syracuse forward: long and lean, except that he has a really good outside shot. He can also, from his tape pass the ball well and block shots. He was the South Carolina high jump champion with 6-11. But he’s probably going to have to wait his turn to be a part of the final rotation. We’ll see him play early in the season but when we go from 10 scholarship players to what I think will be an 8 man rotation, he will be one of the odd men out, probably #10 on the roster.
Here are his highlights from high school:
Senior Year Highlights
OSHAE BRISSETT sophomore 6-8 210
As I note under Bourama Sidibe, he and Oshae Brissett were the first two recruits in last year’s freshman class and fans were disappointed because they didn’t appear on lists of top recruits. Sidibie “showed flashes”, to use a phrase popularized by a former Syracuse football coach (who had little else to brag about). Brissett exploded and immediately became one of the “big three” players who carried the team along with Tyus Battle and Frank Howard. As a freshman, Oshae averaged 14.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while leading the team in blocked shots with 29, (because he averaged 38 minutes a game to Chukwu’s 27). He had 13 double-doubles and needed a single rebound to get 7 more.
He showed good form on his outside shot early on, but that’s all he got out of it in the first 15 games as he missed 43 of his first 58 three pointers, (made 25.9%). I got some mileage out of a joke, suggesting that the national anthem singers were very polite to ask Oshae if he could see because it looked like a good question. But in the last 22 games, he was 40 for 108, (37.0%). He was also our best player at driving to the basket, although he needed further development there, too, as he might have led the nation in charging fouls. He also could have been a better finisher. He was our best dunker but he only shot 36.6% on two point shots. But he showed the stamina to play entire games 18 times. Freshmen usually tend to “hit the wall” about the time the conference season begins but Oshae actually got better. He had 25 points and 14 rebounds against Georgetown, 25/7 against NC State, and 23/12 against Arizona State in the NCAA’s. But his consistency was amazing: he scored in double figures in 22 of those games, including every NCAA game. He had 8 or more rebounds 26 times. It was one of the best freshman years we’ve ever had here. Louis Orr was 9.4/6.5 as a freshman. Derrick Coleman averaged 11.9/8.8. John Wallace was 11.1/7.6. Hakim Warrick was 6.1/4.8. So much for the top 100.
His numbers might go down this year because he won’t have to play entire games or average 38 minutes a game, (assuming we have better luck with player availability). But they also could go up because fatigue would be less of a factor, the defense won’t be able to focus on him as much and, more importantly, for such a productive player, he is still far from his peak. If he shoots well from outside the whole season, learns to avoid charging calls and finish more consistently, he could put up better numbers in less time. He could be an All-American. The NBA already wanted him more than Battle, so his sophomore year could be his last here. We need to enjoy him while he’s here and we should get plenty of opportunities to do so.
Highlights from last year:
Freshman Phenom Oshae Brissett 2017 -2018 Highlights | Next Ones Syracuse Orange Basketball |
MAREK DOLEZAJ sophomore 6-10 180
Marek was last year’s Braswell, an unknown skinny big man, (he was 6-9 175 then), from Slovakia who had never played in this country but who was pressed into immediate service when Taurean Thompson never showed up. He’d played in several European club teams and in “under 18, under 19, etc.” championships and his skill level and court awareness were at a higher level than a typical freshman. He always seemed to be where the ball was. He was an excellent passer. He could rebound and block shots. He had a smooth-looking jump shot but rarely seemed to use it, deferring to his teammates and allowing the defense to focus on the “big three”.
He had 10 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists against Texas Southern, 10/7/0 in a big win over Maryland, 5/8/2 vs. Georgetown, 9/10/0 vs. St. Bonaventure, 12/8/2 vs. Boston College, 20/4/1 vs. Wake Forest, 17/4/0 vs. Texas Christian in the NCAAs and 13/4/2 in the finale vs. Duke. The numbers against Duke don’t tell the whole story. He got in foul trouble in that game for the first time all season, (another sign of his advanced game for a freshman big man), and had to leave the game late in the first half. Duke immediately went on an 0-8 run and wound up winning the game by 4 and advancing to the Elite 8.
Marek’s offensive tentativeness hurt us during the year even as his other skills helped us and he did kind of ‘hit the wall’ when the conference schedule began. But late in the year he did seem to gain more confidence in his shot, (or the appropriateness of his taking it), and it did begin to open things up for his teammates and for his passes to his teammates. This year, we could see more scoring from Marek, fewer defenders on his teammates and more effective passing from Marek. I especially look to see Marek feeding the post more, which could make our centers more productive, particularly a healthy Sidibe, who could shine if we could consistently get the ball to him in good situations. Marek would be a major weapon against zones from the high post.
Highlights:
Syracuse's Marek Dolezaj Posts Career High vs. Wake Forest
ELIJAH HUGHES junior 6-6 215
Elijah is a mystery man, having transferred here from the non-basketball power East Carolina, where he averaged a non-earth shaking 7.8 ppg and 2.3 rpg. But reports from practice last year were that he was typically matched up against the similar-size Tyus Battle in practice and gave our star player all he wanted in those contests. He was supposed to be an excellent outside shooter but a fine all-around player as well. People couldn’t wait for him to be eligible to play, (oddly, grad transfers can play immediately but not undergrad transfers). He might have been the perfect antidote to our depth and scoring problems last year.
In the one exhibition game I’ve seen, he looked like an electric player. He scored 19 points on 8 for 14 shooting, including 3 of 6 three pointers. (In the second one he scored 21 more point s on 7 for 9 shooting, 2 of 3 from the arc, but also had a shakey handle at times). He made two steals and ran the court well, opening his scoring with a big-time dunk. It was interesting that he played 32 minutes and Dolezaj only 17. It’s speculated that he could take a forward positon from Marek. It was also speculated that JB knew what he had in Marek and wanted to give Elijah some serious time to see what he could do. Hughes would increase our firepower but we’d lose size and some of the things Marek does well, such as shot-blocking, rebounding and passing, especially to the post. But Hughes is hardly one-dimensional himself.
I think what will happen is that there will be two rotations: one for forward and one for guard and that Hughes will be part of both of them. Battle, Howard, Hughes, Carey and Boeheim can all play the backcourt, (so can Washington, who may not be ready). Brissett, Dolezaj and Hughes can all play forward, (so can Braswell but we may not need him yet). I expect to see a lot of Elijah at both positions but also a lot of Marek at forward. None of the top 8 guys are going to disappear as long as they are healthy.
Highlights of Hughes from his East Carolina days:
Freshman Elijah Hughes @ ECU 2016 2017
Note: The roster lists Hughes as a junior because that’s what he is academically. But he actually has three years of eligibility left. He’d have to be in graduate school to play in the 2021 season. But if he proves to be as good and people think, he may be in the pros by then.
GUARDS
TYUS BATTLE junior 6-6 205
People sweated out Tyus Battle’s big decision in the spring. He made a serious run at impressing the NBA but felt, in the end, he could benefit from another year at SU, (something that rarely happens: when Kids decide they want to go, they go even if their draft prospects aren’t that great). That gives us a returning All-America candidate. Last year he averaged 19.7ppg, the highest scoring average for a Syracuse player since Hakim Warrick averaged 21.4 in 2005. He scored in double figures 35 times and 20 or more points 15 times, including 37 points against Florida State and 34 against Wake Forest.
His average was that high in part because he had to average 39 minutes a game. The other part is that he’s a natural scorer. He’s not a great shot. He has a hitch in his motion and his range is barely to the three point line. He hit 32% of his three point shots and 45% of his two point shots. He’s got a good pull-up jumper and can go to the basket to score. He’s not a stand-still shooter: he keeps moving to get open. He can back his man down to create his shot or dribble past them. Everybody in the place knew he was our primary offensive option and he got the defensive attention appropriate to that.
This year he will be far from our only offensive option so the defense will have to play him straight up. He won’t get 39 minutes a game but won’t have to play that many either. It should result in increased efficiency, even if he doesn’t score as high as 19.7. The interesting question is: how much better can battle get than he already is? Can he fix his jump shot to make it more effective, or at least ‘prettier’ so the NBA scouts will like it? Maybe the answer is in his all-around game. He’s 6-6 but averaged only 3.0 rebounds per game. Attempts to use him as a small forward failed because of the loss of rebounding. He was a guard but averaged only 2.1 assists per game. He was a good defender and averaged 1.5 steals and even blocked 7 shots. But a player whose value is almost entirely in his scoring who has, (by NBA standards) mediocre range and a hitch in his shot is far from an ideal prospect. He’ll probably join the army of former SU players who have become globetrotters, playing all over the world. That can be an interesting life but not really what basketball players dream of. In the meantime, we’ve got him for another year and he should be a key part of a team that could do great things.
Highlights:
Tyus Battle Official Highlights | Syracuse
BUDDY BOEHEIM freshman 6-5 188
When people see a coach’s son playing for him, they assume some sort of favoritism. But sometimes the coach’s son is there on merit and then some. Pete Maravich played for his father and became college basketball’s all-time leading scorer. Bryce Drew became Valparaiso’s all-time leading scorer for his father. Doug McDermott led the nation in scoring for his father at Creighton in 2014:
Father Knows Best: Dad-Son, Coach-Player Tandems Test Family Bond | College Hoopedia
Jim Boeheim’s older son Jimmy played for Cornell last year, where he averaged 3.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg as a freshman. Reports are that initially, his father would have preferred Buddy to go elsewhere as well. But his staff convinced him that Buddy was too good to pass up so Jim agreed to allow him to matriculate at Syracuse. Speculation is that Jim will continue as coach as long as Buddy is here and then finally retire, (he will be 74 next month but is in good health).
Still, people speculated that Buddy would have a hard time cracking the guard rotation, (he’s 6-5 while his brother is 6-8). Then came the exhibition game against St. Rose. Buddy scored 19 points in 28 minutes, hitting 3 of 7 three pointers and 4 of 6 two pointers. (In the second exhibition against LeMoyne he scored 13 on 5/9 and 3 for 5 treys), He made both his free throws. He did have three turnovers but also had an assist and a steal. As a freshman in his first game, he committed just 1 foul in those 28 minutes. He made a beautiful move to dribble around a defender and hit a two point jumper, which he got off very quickly. His jumper was smooth as silk and he had range out to 25 feet. He looked just too good to keep on the bench. But with Battle, Howard, Carey, Hughes and Washington, where does he fit in? Daddy will have to figure that out.
Highlights:
Buddy Boeheim scores 19 points in Carrier Dome Debut! | Next Ones | Syracuse Orange | 10/25/18 |
JALEN CAREY freshman 6-3 198
Carey was our highest rated recruit for this year’s freshman class, (top 40, which made the fans happy). Observers have said they see a future NBA player in him. With the log jam at guard he probably won’t get enough playing time to be a one-and-done but he’s not likely to be a four year guy, either. He’s supposed to be a whiz at breaking down a defense and getting to the basket. He also has quick hands and could be effective at the top of the zone with the 7-2 Chukwu behind him. He’s looked at primarily as a point guard. There’s talk that Carey will bring back the legendary Syracuse running game, which has been absent in recent years. There’s talk that JB will want him to as he’s been experimenting with a press to speed things up in practice, something he hasn’t used in years.
And Carey may get some early play in that role as Frank Howard has been nursing an injury and Howard Washington is coming back from an operation. Carey himself was dinged up for the St. Rose game. Battle brought the ball up and did well, with 6 assists and just 2 turnovers, although the extra responsibilities seemed to hurt his shooting, as he was 1 for 10. I think he will be glad to turn the ball over to Carey. (Battle was better in the second exhibition with 5 assists and no turnovers while shooting 4 for 7.)
Highlights:
2018 guard Jalen Carey Nike EYBL highlights
He just seems to glide across the court and has a nice fade-away jumper.
FRANK HOWARD senior 6-5 205
Frank Howard totally turned his career at Syracuse around last season. He’d played sparingly his first two years, held back by injuries and the lack of a jump shot. He showed some creative passing ability but sometimes too creative. There were reports that he’d become something of a clubhouse lawyer and even that he’d warned recruits away from Syracuse. Many felt he wouldn’t bother coming back for his junior year. Instead he came back strong, acting and talking like a team leader and displaying a surprising jump shot with good range. His scoring went from 4.5 ppg to 14.4. He wasn’t all that aggressive in breaking down a defense so his assist to turnover ratio was mediocre at 4.7/3.4. But he became part of our “big three” of players averaging 38-39 minutes per game who were indispensable to the team. He hit double figures 32 times, including 25 against Toledo, 15 points and 10 assists in the Maryland win, 19 points and 9 assists against Georgetown, 23 points against Wake Forest, 22 vs. Louisville, 23 vs. North Carolina.
I don’t know how much better he can get. Carey may push him into being more aggressive off the dribble. He was 33% for three point range last year. That may improve some. But right now his biggest problem is his health. He injured his “lower leg” in pre-season practice and has been wearing a “boot” to try to accelerate his recover but “there is no timetable for his return. It sounds like Carey and Washington may be back before he is and Howard may have to fight them for playing time.
He has no highlight film devoted to him but he had some good plays when he led us in scoring with 18 points against Virginia:
Syracuse vs. Virginia Basketball Highlights (2017-18)
HOWARD WASHINGTON sophomore 6-3 180
Howard Washington was the player we recruited when Quade Green jilted us for Kentucky. He seemed to have solid but unspectacular playing skills but I was impressed with his post-game interview in one clip:
Howard Washington Post Game
He sounded like a future coach with his concise but detailed analysis of the game. If he’s a future coach, he might also be our future point guard. But it will probably be after Frank Howard and then Jalen Carey leave, as sort of “when the dust settles, I’ll still be here guy"- unless he gets recruited over again.
Last year he was a tentative back-up until he started feeling more confident in mid-season and began having some decent games, including 9 points, 3 rebounds and an assist against Florida State Then he ripped up his knee in practice, had an operation and has been rehabbing ever since. He and Carey are supposed to be ready to go this week but to some it seems a little too quick, (10 months), from a torn ACL. How much Washington can contribute this year is uncertain at best. He and Braswell have the greatest likelihood to be out of the loop when JB choses his rotation(s) for the conference season.
There are no highlights from his play last year so here is a brief clip of him playing in high school:
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS: 2017 PG Howard Washington
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