Syracuse Centers

[moqui]

I got to thinking about this because of a typical Cali post on the recruiting board, in which he stated "Its been a very long time since we have had a big time center to anchor the low post."

but the reality is that we are in the Golden Age of Syracuse centers:

• 2009 Arinze Onuaku - leads NCAA with .667 field goal percentage
  
• 2010 Arinze Onuaku - leads NCAA with .668 field goal percentage, anchors the best defense in SU history
  
• 2011 Rick Jackson - averages 13 and 10 on 59% shooting, leads Big East in rebounding, BE DPOY
  
• 2012 Fab Melo - Big East Defensive POY
  
• 2013 Rakeem Christmas - anchors 8th ranked defense nationally with 11.0 block % (21st nationally)
  
• 2014 Rakeem Christmas - anchors 13 ranked defense nationally with 11.3 block % (21st nationally)
  
• 2015 Rakeem Christmas - leads ACC in points, 2nd in blocks, 4th in rebounds

 

[OttoMets]

I agree with Cali. Christmas is looking like that guy this season. Before that, we've rarely had excellent post play for consecutive years.

While Onuaku was one of the most efficient scorers in school history, he rarely seemed a dominating presence; the team was so good in 2010 because it finally surrounded a guy who couldn't do it on his own with diverse talent.

Jackson had an amazing year as a rebounder as a senior.

Fab could have been an all-time SU great, but instead we got three-quarters of a season of good defense, average rebounding, and brief glimpses of offensive potential.

I would love to see a Golden Age of Syracuse Centers (after games like last night, I remember how fun it is to watch excellent post play - probably one of the greatest aspects of basketball), but I'm not sure it's happened yet.

 

[dollarbill44]

There aren't a whole lot of good centers in college basketball these days. They take a lot of time to develop their games and the good ones go pro after one season so their games develop there and not in college.

 

[Cheriehoop]

I agree with Cali. Christmas is looking like that guy this season. Before that, we've rarely had excellent post play for consecutive years.

While Onuaku was one of the most efficient scorers in school history, he rarely seemed a dominating presence; the team was so good in 2010 because it finally surrounded a guy who couldn't do it on his own with diverse talent.

Jackson had an amazing year as a rebounder as a senior.

Fab could have been an all-time SU great, but instead we got three-quarters of a season of good defense, average rebounding, and brief glimpses of offensive potential.

I would love to see a Golden Age of Syracuse Centers (after games like last night, I remember how fun it is to watch excellent post play - probably one of the greatest aspects of basketball), but I'm not sure it's happened yet.

The reason the 2010 team was great was because they had so many options. It seemed every game a different player would lead the team. The balance was extraordinary. Who could defenses concentrate on? Who did they have to stop to stop the team? Didn't work because someone else would take up the slack. well close to impossible till AO went down.

 

[moqui]

I agree with Cali. Christmas is looking like that guy this season. Before that, we've rarely had excellent post play for consecutive years.

While Onuaku was one of the most efficient scorers in school history, he rarely seemed a dominating presence; the team was so good in 2010 because it finally surrounded a guy who couldn't do it on his own with diverse talent.

Jackson had an amazing year as a rebounder as a senior.

Fab could have been an all-time SU great, but instead we got three-quarters of a season of good defense, average rebounding, and brief glimpses of offensive potential.

I would love to see a Golden Age of Syracuse Centers (after games like last night, I remember how fun it is to watch excellent post play - probably one of the greatest aspects of basketball), but I'm not sure it's happened yet.

but that's an argument about how JB uses them, not about whether we have had them or not.

 

[OttoMets]

but that's an argument about how JB uses them, not about whether we have had them or not.

Oh, good point. In that case, yes. We've had a lot of good ones in a row. And Mookie Watkins could probably be tacked onto the front end. No awards or tremendous statistics for him, but he did become a good and well-rounded center by his senior year.