This close game is on the coach.

[STEVEHOLT]

he's 21 years old and in his 3rd season of D1 basketball. I'm guessing we're seeing his ceiling.

He's also 7'2, has had minimal actual game action his entire career...bigs can take along time to develop...give the freaking guy a chance.

 

[MattOB]

They are North Florida. We are Syracuse. Any combination of players wearing a Syracuse jersey except maybe the walk-on's should be able to go into the game and at the very least maintain the lead, hopefully increase it. Anyone good enough to be recruited to Syracuse should not almost blow a 20+ point lead to the Ospreys. Boeheim no doubt should believe that as well, and I believe the execution was a much bigger issue than the coaching.

 

[Shermthegeneral]

To me, it looks like Gillon is very uncomfortable with his role here. When I spoke to him a few days after he signed, he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder when I asked him about his expectations. He seemed very adamant that he expected to start. I think he's a little down and maybe not exactly thrilled that JB has been barking at him after mistakes. To me, that's impacting his play.

Every year JB finds that one guy he screams at more than others and it looks like John won this years prize! Ever since John drove to the basket, didn't set up a play and turned it over against Monmouth, he has been under a microscope! Some players can seem to work through it and others can't. I'm sure we can start a laundry list of players JB has done it to.

 

[orangenirvana]

Thompson is lost out there. Deer in the headlights. Chukwu needs some time

Chukwu could be the worst scholarship player in an SU uniform since Greg Davis. I've never seen a player have less feel for the game of basketball. He can't play.

 

[two3zone]

Every year JB finds that one guy he screams at more than others and it looks like John won this years prize! Ever since John drove to the basket, didn't set up a play and turned it over against Monmouth, he has been under a microscope! Some players can seem to work through it and others can't. I'm sure we can start a laundry list of players JB has done it to.

I think it would have been Roberson but I think JB gave up on that effort.

 

[two3zone]

Chukwu could be the worst scholarship player in an SU uniform since Greg Davis. I've never seen a player have less feel for the game of basketball. He can't play.

Chinoso was worse but I get your point.

Don't think I've ever seen a 7'2" guy try and block a shot on a much smaller man with two arms in the air.

 

[FrancoPizza]

My ears DEFINITELY perked up in the late preseason before the games started, when he said that he was adjusting to running a structured offense, which he had never done before. Not good.

The scariest part is he thinks we're actually running a structured offense.

 

[upperdeck]

I know you're looking for a positive in this, but that team is downright garbage. You don't don't have a 3-7 record and lose to California Santa Barbara by 23 and have a label of "decent team".

they were down 12 with 16 to go against Florida just 2-3 days ago.. they were down 20 against us with 16 to go.. we messed around and let them make 6-7 deep 3s to claw back into the game but if this was in the NCAA we dont make those changes on the floor and the game never gets close.

 

[Townie72]

Every year it's the same bullsh&%. You all complain that he tries to win all the early games at the expense of developing depth and when he plays people that gets them valuable time, but risks losing an early game, you complain, too. News flash...we picked up a W and guys got meaningful minutes. Sorry you weren't sufficiently entertained by the margin of victory.

It's what they do.

You can set your watch by it and its the same guys singing the same songs.

And if you call them on any of it, they resort to name-calling.

 

[pfister1]

Up by over 22 I don't have a problem with allowing subs in the game but when the lead started dwindling you get your starters back in. NOOOO way Gillon should have been out there as long as he was. Frank was having an awesome game and you don't sit your starting PG that long.

BTW I do not like TT at the 5, he's not strong enough.

Team has a loooong way to go.

Up by over 22; when else would you have us work on developing those bench players. We won, who cares what the margin was.

This team isn't winning shet with a 6.5 player rotation, those 6.5 players aren't strong enough. At a minimum we are going to need TT and/or Chuckwu's fouls to spell DC and Lydon when we get into more physical games later in the season. We are also going to need Gillon to spell Frankie, I haven't seen anything from AW or Battle yet that suggests that they can run the team with FH on the bench. JB needs to keep investing time in these guys if we are going to reach the heights that everyone hopes for come March.

 

[Townie72]

They are North Florida. We are Syracuse. Any combination of players wearing a Syracuse jersey except maybe the walk-on's should be able to go into the game and at the very least maintain the lead, hopefully increase it. Anyone good enough to be recruited to Syracuse should not almost blow a 20+ point lead to the Ospreys. Boeheim no doubt should believe that as well, and I believe the execution was a much bigger issue than the coaching.

Lack of respect for opponents?

There are so many examples of teams with supposedly worse athletes beating teams with superior athletes that one wonders where you got this opinion.

 

[Townie72]

He's also 7'2, has had minimal actual game action his entire career...bigs can take along time to develop...give the freaking guy a chance.

It's not a very close parallel, but I watched Roy Hibbert struggle badly in high school. He was TERRIBLE. In his senior year in the League Championship game he was dominated by a 6'5" kid from St Albans High, which isn't exactly DeMatha).

When he got to Georgetown, he was called a "stiff" by JT Jr.

But when he did learn to play, we all saw what happened.

 

[MattOB]

Lack of respect for opponents?

There are so many examples of teams with supposedly worse athletes beating teams with superior athletes that one wonders where you got this opinion.

I don't find it hard to believe for someone to disagree with me, arguments can be made for almost anything. But I really do find it crazy how someone can find my pretty basic opinion outlandish or far-fetched. I thought it made sense, and Boeheim said it himself, but if that's how you feel.

 

[realorange]

They are North Florida. We are Syracuse. Any combination of players wearing a Syracuse jersey except maybe the walk-on's should be able to go into the game and at the very least maintain the lead, hopefully increase it. Anyone good enough to be recruited to Syracuse should not almost blow a 20+ point lead to the Ospreys. Boeheim no doubt should believe that as well, and I believe the execution was a much bigger issue than the coaching.

Yes they should. Execution was a huge problem.

But it happens. Just ask Indiana what they think of Fort Wayne.

 

[Trueblue25]

It's what they do.

You can set your watch by it and its the same guys singing the same songs.

And if you call them on any of it, they resort to name-calling.

 

[orangecuse]

Chukwu could be the worst scholarship player in an SU uniform since Greg Davis. I've never seen a player have less feel for the game of basketball. He can't play.

Time will certainly tell relative to Chukwu, but it's baffling that a program of our caliber seem to get more than our share of these types.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Time will certainly tell relative to Chukwu, but it's baffling that a program of our caliber seem to get more than our share of these types.

I'm always paying more attention to what our players are doing, but I don't remember too many opposing players who struggle in the ways some of our guys have over the years.

Chukwu being 7'2" and not being highly recruited with limited experience is one thing. Getting such limited time and with such limited effectiveness at providence should have been another clue, though. He needs game time, and it's sad that we couldn't/wouldn't get him some even in a game against such a poor team. He was assessed before we got him, and all last year, and coach predicted he'd at least block a lot of shots. What happpened in between? Feels like a lot of it is mental — feeling like he's disappointing and/or angering JB, then trying to make up for it by doing too much, which leaves him out of position and/or with screwy timing. Hope he can be rehabilitated, as we are fouls or a tweaked knee away from having our forwards playing weakly out of position.