Next year’s starting line up ?

[Orangezoo]

Italics = Sarcasm

 

[Alsacs]

We are gonna be freaking Lemoyne soon enough. Gotta enjoy being at least near the bubble with this rag tag crew of overperforming Ivy leaguers while we can!

This year's starting lineup should provide at least a better start to games than last year. Once Griff fell off the wagon it was hit or miss out of the gate. I think no matter what we roll out ( given likely scenarios) the first 10 minutes should be much more promising.

I just don’t know how true this is.
I want to be good.
I just won’t believe it till I see it.

Kadary Richmond was the best point guard on the team last year. He didn’t play the most minutes. We have to hope Torrence can give us what Richmond did or close to it.

College basketball nowadays is guard oriented. The best teams have good point guard play.

I do like we have become offensive oriented but I honestly believe that is because of Buddy and JB adapting to him.

We haven’t guard depth in years.
We just get enough to not bottom out and be medicore.
The negativity from me goes completely to the way the HC has run the program for 7 years now.
We don’t address problems well and just accept the status quo.

I actually want to be better. I know the HC is competitive and wants to win, then get a complete roster and stop with these flawed teams.

The system works in March recently. I give him that. Instead of sweet 16s let’s get high seed and those high seeds can do damage in March.

 

[Orangezoo]

Clearly I'm not sold yet. I'd like to see who provides the relief valve for Joe when we play a team with decent defensive guards who push him full court. Who takes the role of Marek, acting as a point center when Joe couldn't get the ball over half? Do we think Joe was unable to dribble past most guards because of Covid, or because that's who he is? I hope he's much better at that, but until I see it for myself, I'll go with what I've seen so far.

But you know what? All of that is moot, because this is just a stupid starting line up thread, and I've clearly taken it too far.

I think the starters are

Joe
Buddy
Benny
Cole
Jesse

My hope is he pushes the ball and challenges the defender vs survives the defender when playing pressure. The release valve to me is part that and part you bring in Symir from a match up perspective. Thus Symir becomes a situational 6th starter when the matchup is a major issue. I'm not sure that happens but to me it would be the ideal counter. If there was one huge thing we lose with Kadary it is that the moment he comes in the defender is on his heels a bit because he knows his arse can be beat if he overplays. Some improvement by Joe and a proper counter to pressure D to me holds a big card for this year.

 

[City of Cuse]

Italics = Sarcasm

Wait, I'm homer in this conversation?

 

[Orangezoo]

I just don’t know how true this is.
I want to be good.
I just won’t believe it till I see it.

Kadary Richmond was the best point guard on the team last year. He didn’t play the most minutes. We have to hope Torrence can give us what Richmond did or close to it.

College basketball nowadays is guard oriented. The best teams have good point guard play.

I do like we have become offensive oriented but I honestly believe that is because of Buddy and JB adapting to him.

We haven’t guard depth in years.
We just get enough to not bottom out and be medicore.
The negativity from me goes completely to the way the HC has run the program for 7 years now.
We don’t address problems well and just accept the status quo.

I actually want to be better. I know the HC is competitive and wants to win, then get a complete roster and stop with these flawed teams.

The system works in March recently. I give him that. Instead of sweet 16s let’s get high seed and those high seeds can do damage in March.

Richmond was the most talented ball handler last year and the only guy with natural PG skills even if he wasn't a PG till he got to Brewster.

Joe was a shell of himself as a ball handler and filling the lead guard role last year in some part impacted by CoVid. There really isn't any way but up from his play up to the last 5 games for this year.

Where we fell down early in games last year was far from just Joe struggling. Buddy was ice cold many games early on and Griffin was hit or miss. Kadary wasn't fixing that. He also wasn't fixing the fact that our back line was a skinny 6-10, 6-7, 6-5. We got beat on the boards and struggled to defend size. There was really zero resistance if guard play at the top of the zone was poor.

Jesse will help as will having 6-11, 6-9, 6-8 at minimum on the back line. You aren't getting Kadary's D at the top back. Tournament Joe and second half of the year Buddy on D at the top of the zone was nothing like the Swiss cheese it was earlier in the year. It's improvement through having a natural Center and better size overall. You lose some athleticism but also aren't having two guys losing so many battles to bigger frontcourts.

Cole is a better shooter than Griffin on paper and not a one dimensional player. Benny is a 3 level scorer and good weakside defender until we see otherwise. Both are bigger players than Q or AG. So the early holes should be more avoidable given what we bring back and the newcomers paired with a better zone.

If we use Symir effectively then I am optimistic given what I noted above.

Depth worries me but honestly it's going to worry a lot of teams this year who didn't fill out their rosters with 12 guys ready to play given the portal.

 

[OrangeDW]

It's hard to judge anymore a year in the future on rosters because of how easy it is to transfer now.

Agreed. I’m just working off the assumption that our PGs and C’s will be more experienced and better in 2 years, and we’re bringing in some studs. And if Benny ends up being a 2 year guy, we could really be looking strong.

 

[Alsacs]

Agreed. I’m just working off the assumption that our PGs and C’s will be more experienced and better in 2 years, and we’re bringing in some studs. And if Benny ends up being a 2 year guy, we could really be looking strong.

I think we are getting better talent in 2022.
So I am optimistic about the future.
Recruiting is clearly getting better talent.

Watch the top teams in college hoops. They don’t rely on mediocre point guard play.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think we are getting better talent in 2022.
So I am optimistic about the future.
Recruiting is clearly getting better talent.

Watch the top teams in college hoops. They don’t rely on mediocre point guard play.

They don't. Most P6 teams also aren't running with an upper classman laden lineup. The senior factor along with 3 guys who are in that year to really bring it home to me could help give us the extra boost to have an overperforming year that bridges the influx of talent it looks like we are getting in 22.

 

[Niastri]

Who are the 4 players who could shoot 40% from 3?

Buddy, Swider, Girard, and Williams... Nowhere did I say it was likely, just that each of them could put up that kind of season. If they all did, it would be an incredible offensive team that is very hard to outscore.

Everybody tends to look at the downside. I just wanted to point out the upside.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think we are getting better talent in 2022.
So I am optimistic about the future.
Recruiting is clearly getting better talent.

Watch the top teams in college hoops. They don’t rely on mediocre point guard play.

Benny Williams is the highest rated recruit we have had since Dion I believe and Swider is a former top 50 guy. Not sure why everyone keeps saying 2022. Benny might be the least talked about elite recruit ever here. Both of those guys are comparable to Lands/Taylor.

 

[Alsacs]

Benny Williams is the highest rated recruit we have had since Dion I believe and Swider is a former top 50 guy. Not sure why everyone keeps saying 2022. Benny might be the least talked about elite recruit ever here. Both of those guys are comparable to Lands/Taylor.

I haven’t seen Benny outside of one HS game. So everything is highlights.
Swider is a nice player but he is basically just replacing Guerrier.

We did lose Guerrier.
I am not high on this team( high meaning being a high seed in the tournament)and you know my reasons. I expect to be decent as usual. Grind games playing ugly. Win enough to be on the bubble and hope to go on a March run.


I just hope Jesse plays close to 30 MPG barring foul trouble.

Guerrier and Griffin are being replaced Benny and Swider.
The replacements may make us 1 or 2 games better hopefully.

Losing Richmond is beyond huge. People can be optimistic all they want Joe Girard is not a PG.
He plays PG here because that is his way on the court. Good teams won’t play him at PG for over half the game.
Any coach who actually reads scouting reports should know to ball pressure the hell out of us when he is on the court.
We don’t use the 5 on offense.
Hedge every ball screen and make our shooters take a lot of tough ’s.
Just watch the games we struggle.
We don’t change much how we play.
Buddy is a good player
I like him at SG when he is off we won’t games against P5/P6 competition because we are too reliant on him.
Against Northeasterns or bad teams we can win on talent but against good teams we won’t.

Watch the top teams in college hoops they are playing a different game.
Baylor had waves.
Gonzaga had a complete team.

We aren’t close to that level.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I haven’t seen Benny outside of one HS game. So everything is highlights.
Swider is a nice player but he is basically just replacing Guerrier.

We did lose Guerrier.
I am not high on this team( high meaning being a high seed in the tournament)and you know my reasons. I expect to be decent as usual. Grind games playing ugly. Win enough to be on the bubble and hope to go on a March run.


I just hope Jesse plays close to 30 MPG barring foul trouble.

Guerrier and Griffin are being replaced Benny and Swider.
The replacements may make us 1 or 2 games better hopefully.

Losing Richmond is beyond huge. People can be optimistic all they want Joe Girard is not a PG.
He plays PG here because that is his way on the court. Good teams won’t play him at PG for over half the game.
Any coach who actually reads scouting reports should know to ball pressure the hell out of us when he is on the court.
We don’t use the 5 on offense.
Hedge every ball screen and make our shooters take a lot of tough ’s.
Just watch the games we struggle.
We don’t change much how we play.
Buddy is a good player
I like him at SG when he is off we won’t games against P5/P6 competition because we are too reliant on him.
Against Northeasterns or bad teams we can win on talent but against good teams we won’t.

Watch the top teams in college hoops they are playing a different game.
Baylor had waves.
Gonzaga had a complete team.

We aren’t close to that level.

That wasn’t what I said. I said the level of talent we are bringing in this year is higher than what we have brought in the previous 5 seasons. It had nothing to do the PG position.

Everyone knows the season depends on how Girard and Torrence play

 

[NineOneSeven]

Very important that Edwards returned. Looking forward to seeing him play. Difference maker on defense and I really hope he keeps getting better and stronger. Surprised we only have 3 guards. Only playing 3 guards is different than only having 3 guards. Don't know enough about Cole or Jimmy to make any predictions but their ability to step into the roles available and be productive is also critical to any successes we see.

 

[Alsacs]

Very important that Edwards returned. Looking forward to seeing him play. Difference maker on defense and I really hope he keeps getting better and stronger. Surprised we only have 3 guards. Only playing 3 guards is different than only having 3 guards. Don't know enough about Cole or Jimmy to make any predictions but their ability to step into the roles available and be productive is also critical to any successes we see.

What type of guard is going to waste away on the bench and come here.
We haven’t recruited a SG in 3 years and magically have one next year.
Why?
Because their is playing time available.
We don’t get depth because the depth doesn’t want to be patient.
We don’t get 4 solid guards in one season anymore.
It’s marathon men now.
It’s part of the frustration our guys are just decent enough to not bottom out.
But it’s not top of the conference talent which is when you should play a small rotation.

 

[two3zone]

Buddy, Swider, Girard, and Williams... Nowhere did I say it was likely, just that each of them could put up that kind of season. If they all did, it would be an incredible offensive team that is very hard to outscore.

Everybody tends to look at the downside. I just wanted to point out the upside.

What have Girard and Williams done to make you think they can shoot 40%?

We could add Edwards and Frank to the 40% list if we’re just naming names.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

What have Girard and Williams done to make you think they can shoot 40%?

We could add Edwards and Frank to the 40% list if we’re just naming names.

Joe could also average 7 dunks a game.

 

[two3zone]

Joe could also average 7 dunks a game.

6 players have had a 40% or higher 3pt for Syracuse in a season in the past 30 years.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

6 players have had a 40% or higher 3pt for Syracuse in a season in the past 30 years.

So you’re saying there’s a chance….

 

[Alsacs]

I think Kadary would have a better chance to shoot 40% from 3 for a season than Joe. Not because Kadary is a better shooter but he would take less 3's and basically only shoot open good shots. Whereas I think Joe will jack up a lot of bad shots which will reduce his shooting percentage.

 

[tptcuse]

I think Kadary would have a better chance to shoot 40% from 3 for a season than Joe. Not because Kadary is a better shooter but he would take less 3's and basically only shoot open good shots. Whereas I think Joe will jack up a lot of bad shots which will reduce his shooting percentage.

I liked under control Joe at the end of the season. Hopefully, he can keep that going.

 

[Niastri]

So you’re saying there’s a chance….

Are you two the same person?

 

[two3zone]

Joe could also average 7 dunks a game.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Are you two the same person?

yes

 

[two3zone]

Are you two the same person?

yes

 

[Niastri]

I think Kadary would have a better chance to shoot 40% from 3 for a season than Joe. Not because Kadary is a better shooter but he would take less 3's and basically only shoot open good shots. Whereas I think Joe will jack up a lot of bad shots which will reduce his shooting percentage.

Girard overcoming his poor shot selection is one of the reasons I think he'll improve... More importantly, with three other threats from 3pt, he will be open a little more often. I think defenses will try to blanket BB and Swider first, then matchups determine who they worry about more between Williams and Girard. I'm basing my 40% comments concerning Williams on the glowing scouting report from General20 a few weeks ago.

This would be a situation where having more threats creates synergy among the shooters. At least for this season, gone are the days where we only had one guy we could trust to shoot.