Say what you will about the opponent

[orangefog]

You can't coach athleticism. Boeheim knows if this team is going to be really good they are going to need what Benny can potentially bring to the table.

Benny needs to slow his mind down while not letting it slow his body down. The kid is giving tons of effort, but you can tell his mind is racing.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I was watching him after that play, I was worried that was going to effect him all night. I don't think it did.

Yeah, he was very frustrated with himself in the next play, but I think he shook it off quickly.

 

[br801]

You can't coach athleticism. Boeheim knows if this team is going to be really good they are going to need what Benny can potentially bring to the table.

He can't be a stat sheet black hole every other game.

 

[rrlbees]

He’s usually good for 1 effort play a game, otherwise he’s lazy.

He busted butt for that shot cause he knew it was a 22 foot air ball when it left his hand.

The next time he hustles back on D after turning it over will be his first.

He lost me last night when he got his pocket picked and jogged back on D. Meanwhile Mintz busted it back on D and rejects the layup at the glass. We lost the ball though cause Joe was still jogging back on D and not in the play. He should’ve been right there. He does this regularly through the course of games, jogs back after turnovers. Wait until he does it tonight.

Did he steal your puppy? Did you see 3 other players also jogging back in the fast break? All except Judah. Guess who was the 2nd player back? Joe.

 

[OrangeDW]

You can't coach athleticism. Boeheim knows if this team is going to be really good they are going to need what Benny can potentially bring to the table.

Meh. Brown is the one stealing passes and taking them the length of the floor for dunks.

He might not jump as high, but he looks more athletic to me. He’s smooth.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Did he steal your puppy? Did you see 3 other players also jogging back in the fast break? All except Judah. Guess who was the 2nd player back? Joe.

If Joe had gotten back sooner, he would have corralled that block. He didn’t. And Joe was the closest guy. And he’s the one who screwed up and got the ball stolen.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah, he was very frustrated with himself in the next play, but I think he shook it off quickly.

He’s playing like a guy who is frustrated. That doesn’t help.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

He’s playing like a guy who is frustrated. That doesn’t help.

I was thinking about Benny, his effort and rebounding. Think I figured it out. Guys who are natural rebounders are really good because they position themselves well before the shot hits the rim. It’s almost instinctive. They know which way the ball is coming off the rim. Benny is reactive after the fact. He tries hard, but he’s already so far out of position, it doesn’t often matter. It’s too late.

 

[br801]

He’s playing like a guy who is frustrated. That doesn’t help.

Last year he rarely looked like he belonged on the court. At least he's been better more often this season. But he still has a ways to go if this team is to be successful, especially with the other forward spot being a question mark.

 

[PhatOrange]

Did he steal your puppy? Did you see 3 other players also jogging back in the fast break? All except Judah. Guess who was the 2nd player back? Joe.

I'm going to go find and watch the sequence again but from memory Joe wasn't the next Syracuse guy down the court.

Most kids sprint back on D after they turn the ball over. Not Joe.

 

[longtimefan]

I'm going to go find and watch the sequence again but from memory Joe wasn't the next Syracuse guy down the court.

Most kids sprint back on D after they turn the ball over. Not Joe.

He also was second on the team in rebounds. Which is a negative on the forwards, but also an indication of hustle on Joe's part.

 

[OrangeDW]

I can’t believe we’re talking about who runs back on defense the least hard.

Soft and lazy program.

 

[orangefog]

I'm going to go find and watch the sequence again but from memory Joe wasn't the next Syracuse guy down the court.

Most kids sprint back on D after they turn the ball over. Not Joe.

That is definitely something he has to work on. He did that last game, too. He turned the ball over and literally stopped where he was, gave a kind of "oh well" look and then slowly jogged down the court while the other team was racing toward the basket. I don't hate the kid, but that is infuriating.

 

[PhatOrange]

Did he steal your puppy? Did you see 3 other players also jogging back in the fast break? All except Judah. Guess who was the 2nd player back? Joe.

Hima, Joe and Bell all get to the opposite lane at the same time. Except Hima started just outside the low block, Bell started between the foul line and 3pt line on the opposite side of the play and Joe started a good yard beyond the 3 pt line center court, where he turned the ball over, he's the closest to the play as it unfolds.

When the shot is blocked Joe is not even in the frame yet and the kid who gets the rebound is the Richmond kid who ran by Joe at half court. Joe tries to defend this layup but Hima who was running the court blocks the rebound layup in a great effort.

Defend the lack of effort all you want Bees but kids get benched for less. Had Joe hustled back he would've easily gotten the blocked rebound.

The sequence is at the 13:00 mark of the first half it you want to take a look.

 

[PhatOrange]

That is definitely something he has to work on. He did that last game, too. He turned the ball over and literally stopped where he was, gave a kind of "oh well" look and then slowly jogged down the court while the other team was racing toward the basket. I don't hate the kid, but that is infuriating.

He does it all the time. It's my biggest issue with him and it's such a glaring issue. No coaches like a lack of effort. Control the controllables right? YOU control how hard you work. You would never have seen this lack of effort from a Gerry or a Devandorf or any number of great guards who've rolled through here. It's what separates those teams from being good and what we're regulated to now.

 

[PhatOrange]

He also was second on the team in rebounds. Which is a negative on the forwards, but also an indication of hustle on Joe's part.

No it's not. Guards get the benefit of long rebounds in the zone. Joe had one hustle rebound on his air ball. That's how Joe should play all the time.

 

[rrlbees]

Hima, Joe and Bell all get to the opposite lane at the same time. Except Hima started just outside the low block, Bell started between the foul line and 3pt line on the opposite side of the play and Joe started a good yard beyond the 3 pt line center court, where he turned the ball over, he's the closest to the play as it unfolds.

When the shot is blocked Joe is not even in the frame yet and the kid who gets the rebound is the Richmond kid who ran by Joe at half court. Joe tries to defend this layup but Hima who was running the court blocks the rebound layup in a great effort.

Defend the lack of effort all you want Bees but kids get benched for less. Had Joe hustled back he would've easily gotten the blocked rebound.

The sequence is at the 13:00 mark of the first half it you want to take a look.

I did watch it. That’s why I know I’m right.

 

[MDCuse]

Pulling out a close win in NYC early in the year will pay dividends with a young team like this. Lot of lessons learned.

This is a game we lose the last few years

Honestly, the most fun I've had watching a Cuse TEAM in a LOOOONG time. I loved Buddy and some of the other kids the last few years but that effort and fight last night was AWESOME. Kids were on the floor, diving, battling. I can live with the growing pains of the young kids if we get that kind of effort.

 

[AlaskaSU]

My take away is that we are in big trouble. As I feared, fowards are not up to what we need to dominate like the old days. NCAA bubble is our ceiling. I'd go 3 guard with Brown at the 4.

 

[FrancoPizza]

I can’t believe we’re talking about who runs back on defense the least hard.

Soft and lazy program.

We're also debating whether being within 12 inches of the shooter is considered contested.

 

[goofnoff]

Honestly, the most fun I've had watching a Cuse TEAM in a LOOOONG time. I loved Buddy and some of the other kids the last few years but that effort and fight last night was AWESOME. Kids were on the floor, diving, battling. I can live with the growing pains of the young kids if we get that kind of effort.

My sentiments exactly. What I really liked was the way the young players stepped up and took over in crunch time. I also like the fact this team has some excellent shooters/scorers. JB said it last night. "We can score."

 

[MDCuse]

My sentiments exactly. What I really liked was the way the young players stepped up and took over in crunch time. I also like the fact this team has some excellent shooters/scorers. JB said it last night. "We can score."

I was pumped to see Chris Bell be more aggressive on the offensive end. If he can be a viable threat, it opens up so much more for Joe/Judah/Jesse. They all have some work to do on the defensive end, but this group seems to be willing to put in the work to get better. I'm more bullish on this team than I was before the season started.

 

[OrangeDW]

My take away is that we are in big trouble. As I feared, fowards are not up to what we need to dominate like the old days. NCAA bubble is our ceiling. I'd go 3 guard with Brown at the 4.

What I wouldn’t do is play the same 2 forwards 35-40 minutes when they’re not doing much.

Different games might call for different combinations alongside Judah, Joe, and Jesse.

 

[Cusefan0307]

What I wouldn’t do is play the same 2 forwards 35-40 minutes when they’re not doing much.

Different games might call for different combinations alongside Judah, Joe, and Jesse.

Since we are in the ACC it really prevented JB from going after a forward in the portal and playing the bench guys more minutes.

If we were in the Big East this would not have been a problem.

 

[OrangeDW]

My sentiments exactly. What I really liked was the way the young players stepped up and took over in crunch time. I also like the fact this team has some excellent shooters/scorers. JB said it last night. "We can score."

Having a guy who can make something happen when there’s nothing there is so important in this offense. Judah is that guy, and when Joe is red hot he is too.

Hopefully they will get better at playing off each other more seamlessly as they gain experience playing together, and hopefully a 4th and 5th guy can play well each game, even if it’s different people in those roles in some games.