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SU's next three games are against Wagner, Princeton, and Colgate. None of the three are likely to be nail biters, but unlike most blowouts these games should tell us a lot about Syracuse going forward.
Probably the best thing about this year's schedule is the ability to gauge the freshman's (and other players) progress. We saw in the first game that our freshmen were not ready to play big minutes against a top twenty-five team. Most aren't. I suspect that will change as the year goes on due to the quality of our freshmen and the availability of playing time.
In the next three games Syracuse's freshmen are going to get a lot of playing time, and more importantly, a lot of practice time. As for how much improvement occurs, I believe we will get a very clear indication when Syracuse plays Arkansas. Those freshmen who play more against Arkansas than they did against San Diego are likely to have improved. Anybody who remains on the end of the bench is likely struggling to adjust to the college game.
This schedule should give as clear an indication of player progress as you can get without actually being at the practices. So I figure this is a good time to make a few guesses as to how things will turn out.
The way I see it, there are going to be two major battle for minutes.
The first is Coleman vs. Kieta. I cant imagine Christmas not getting his fair share of playing time. He simply provides a presence and level of athleticism that Syracuse isn't going to get anywhere else. Because Christmas is going to demand a lot of minutes, only one of Coleman and Kieta will get significant playing time. Not both. There just isn't room in the rotation for both. My guess here is that Kieta gets most of the significant playing time early with Coleman catching up to him and eventually surpassing him as the season goes on. Coleman is better suited to Big East play than Kieta is, and in the end will be just too talented to sit. Kieta will be valuable when the other two are battling freshman and sophomore inconsistency, but by March I dont think we see him in the second half of close games.
The second is Cooney vs. Grant. Southerland seems to be able to play shooting guard, but I dont see that as ideal in any respect. First of all we are going to need Southerland to log a lot of minutes at the forward position. Second, even though Southerland is long, he not quick enough laterally to play at the top of the zone. Length is important but not everything, if it was Sean Williams would have started over Onuaku. Still, I can see Syracuse making it work, if the trade off is good enough. To me, that trade off will have to be Grant shaping up as a far better player than Cooney. If Cooney is not ready to contribute but Grant can give twenty or so good minutes a game that may necessitate giving Southerland Cooney's guard minutes and giving Grant the forward minutes that were slated to go to Southerland. My guess here is that Cooney wins the playing time battle and Grant is relegated to the deep bench.
When its all said and done and Syracuse is battling in a close game in March, my guess is the rotation will be Carter-Williams and Triche logging the vast majority of minutes at the guard positions with Cooney spelling them. Southerland and Fair logging the majority of minutes at the forward positions with Christmas spelling them. Then Christmas playing a good chunk of time at Center along with Coleman. Kieta and Grant, although athletic, talented and able to help in certain situations will be mostly watching from the bench.
Of course at this stage its very hard to be sure of anything. Which is why the next three games should be so much fun.
Probably the best thing about this year's schedule is the ability to gauge the freshman's (and other players) progress. We saw in the first game that our freshmen were not ready to play big minutes against a top twenty-five team. Most aren't. I suspect that will change as the year goes on due to the quality of our freshmen and the availability of playing time.
In the next three games Syracuse's freshmen are going to get a lot of playing time, and more importantly, a lot of practice time. As for how much improvement occurs, I believe we will get a very clear indication when Syracuse plays Arkansas. Those freshmen who play more against Arkansas than they did against San Diego are likely to have improved. Anybody who remains on the end of the bench is likely struggling to adjust to the college game.
This schedule should give as clear an indication of player progress as you can get without actually being at the practices. So I figure this is a good time to make a few guesses as to how things will turn out.
The way I see it, there are going to be two major battle for minutes.
The first is Coleman vs. Kieta. I cant imagine Christmas not getting his fair share of playing time. He simply provides a presence and level of athleticism that Syracuse isn't going to get anywhere else. Because Christmas is going to demand a lot of minutes, only one of Coleman and Kieta will get significant playing time. Not both. There just isn't room in the rotation for both. My guess here is that Kieta gets most of the significant playing time early with Coleman catching up to him and eventually surpassing him as the season goes on. Coleman is better suited to Big East play than Kieta is, and in the end will be just too talented to sit. Kieta will be valuable when the other two are battling freshman and sophomore inconsistency, but by March I dont think we see him in the second half of close games.
The second is Cooney vs. Grant. Southerland seems to be able to play shooting guard, but I dont see that as ideal in any respect. First of all we are going to need Southerland to log a lot of minutes at the forward position. Second, even though Southerland is long, he not quick enough laterally to play at the top of the zone. Length is important but not everything, if it was Sean Williams would have started over Onuaku. Still, I can see Syracuse making it work, if the trade off is good enough. To me, that trade off will have to be Grant shaping up as a far better player than Cooney. If Cooney is not ready to contribute but Grant can give twenty or so good minutes a game that may necessitate giving Southerland Cooney's guard minutes and giving Grant the forward minutes that were slated to go to Southerland. My guess here is that Cooney wins the playing time battle and Grant is relegated to the deep bench.
When its all said and done and Syracuse is battling in a close game in March, my guess is the rotation will be Carter-Williams and Triche logging the vast majority of minutes at the guard positions with Cooney spelling them. Southerland and Fair logging the majority of minutes at the forward positions with Christmas spelling them. Then Christmas playing a good chunk of time at Center along with Coleman. Kieta and Grant, although athletic, talented and able to help in certain situations will be mostly watching from the bench.
Of course at this stage its very hard to be sure of anything. Which is why the next three games should be so much fun.
