The Upside

[SWC75]

- Another game where we defended well enough to win. Louisville was held to 58 points. Three starters, Peyton Siva, Chane Bohanan and Wayne Blacksheare were a combined 2 for 21. They shot 36% from the field, (same as us), 35% from three point range, (worse) and, for what it’s worth, 58% from the foul line, (also worse).

- We also out-rebounded the Cardinals 41-36. Turnovers were 14-16. It’s a winning box score.

- It’s not that we aren’t a good team. We are very competitive with good teams and have beaten a number of them. At most of the schools in the country and even most of them in this conference, this would have been the best team they had had in years. It’s just not one of the better Syracuse teams.

- The 2009 team lost 7 of 10 games, then pulled themselves together for 7 straight wins, including the famous 6OT game. And they begot the 2010 team. The 2011 team lost 6 of 8 game, then won 6 in a row. And they begot the 2012 team. We’ve now lost 6 of 10. What’s next?

22-7 with 2 and more to be done.

LET’S GO ORANGE!

 

[bballbeadle]

Interesting idea. Off year, great year, off year, great year. But I sure hate looking to next year when we're in the middle of this year! These players can't give up on themselves. They are skating around being a very good team, but now it's mental. They must have the Will to Win. That was the hardest part of the game yesterday. Everyone in the Dome saw we had the upper hand in those last two minutes. We had them! And then we didn't.

 

[SWC75]

Interesting idea. Off year, great year, off year, great year. But I sure hate looking to next year when we're in the middle of this year! These players can't give up on themselves. They are skating around being a very good team, but now it's mental. They must have the Will to Win. That was the hardest part of the game yesterday. Everyone in the Dome saw we had the upper hand in those last two minutes. We had them! And then we didn't.

If everyone came back next year who could we'd have:

CENTERS - Christmas, Keita, Coleman, Obokoh

Keita is Keita- a career back-up and not bad int that role. Don;'t know much about Obokoh- U-Tube has an interview with him but no game film. Until i see otherwise I see Keita, Jr., probably a red-shirt. Christmas and Coleman are McDonald's All-Americans who should make this a position of strength. Both have issues. With Christmas is his offensive skills and motor. With Coleman it's his defense and adjusting to playing against bigger defenders. Hopefully with another year in the Melo Center, at least one of them can become the hole in the donut next year.

FORWARDS - Fair, Grant, Gbinije, Roberson, Johnson

We could have the bets pair of forwards in the count next year with Grant and Fair. Gbinije will be a jack-of-all-trades and Johnson instant offense off the bench. I'm not sure of Roberson's role. If JB doesn't want 12 scholarship guys, (he usually has around 10), he may also redshirt.

GUARDS - Carter-Williams, Cooney, Ennis and Patterson.

Michael will get stronger, develop a better handle, jump shot and judgement. The question is: will he do it here? Cooney needs to find his stroke or Patterson will pass him like he's standing still. Ennis would benefit from a year to acclimate himself to the college level before he takes over. If MCW goes pro, as seems likely, (even though he's hardly an NBA player at this point), we will have a real problem. Not only are we turning the keys over to a true freshman point guard, (we've done that before with Washington, Hart and Flynn), but he's the only guy on this roster who is a point guard. I don't even see a Brandon Triche-like combo guard. If MCW leaves I think JB should use his scholie to find a JUCO point guard, not necessarily to start but to allow Ennis to play 30-35 minutes a game instead of 40 and give us an insurance policy in case he gets hurt or in foul trouble.

I look and that and see a team that could be much better than this year's team, possibly on the level of the 2010 and 2012 teams. But it depends on who comes back and who's ready to make a contribution from the new class. I just worry that we are top heavy: plenty of front-court guys but not enough back-court guys.