Three Big Things: Syracuse

[reedny]

The stopping and going is taught. It is one way to beat the press (there are several) MCW is taller then most people guarding him so he is not going to get lower then most defenders. He is also thin so he can't or couldn't last year put a guy on his hip and move him down the court like Scoop or Dion can. The stop and go is a good move it may not be fun to watch, but if the defending gambles and loses than the offense has numbers. The concern I have from last year was guys were able to steer him towards the corners too much this is a great way to get yourself trapped. As for him not having a handle as good as Scoop or Dion, well Scoop had one of the best handles in school history and Dion is one of the strongest guards in school history so that opinion shouldn't be a slap in the face to MCW.

Every guard who brings the ball up is going to get picked once in a while. Scoop got fleeced by some of the BE's smaller guards -- Boatright, Smith, etc. But this is the price of having guards that are 6'4 - 6'5. I don't see MCW's high dribble as necessarily a flaw (Magic Johnson had a high dribble, and no I'm not comparing), because he uses his body well to shield the ball. I think our perimeter size, overall, will be a huge advantage. We will be very long and difficult to pass against and score over. And we will be able to get our shots off better. No we don't have a millipede like Anthony Collins ... but that's ok. Our backcourt is not deep or experienced. But it has the potential (after a couple of months of trial by fire) to be one of the conference's best.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Every guard who brings the ball up is going to get picked once in a while. Scoop got fleeced by some of the BE's smaller guards -- Boatright, Smith, etc. But this is the price of having guards that are 6'4 - 6'5. I don't see MCW's high dribble as necessarily a flaw (Magic Johnson had a high dribble, and no I'm not comparing), because he uses his body well to shield the ball. I think our perimeter size, overall, will be a huge advantage. We will be very long and difficult to pass against and score over. And we will be able to get our shots off better. No we don't have a millipede like Anthony Collins ... but that's ok. Our backcourt is not deep or experienced. But it has the potential (after a couple of months of trial by fire) to be one of the conference's best.

Very true. I will say that Scoop probably got picked more than most starting guards at big time schools. It was an alarming rate, imo.

 

[Gabjon]

Very true. I will say that Scoop probably got picked more than most starting guards at big time schools. It was an alarming rate, imo.

LOL! No he didn't 90% of his TOs were on What passes if he got picked clean 4 times last year that was a lot. We played two of the best pressing teams in the country last year Florida and Louisville both were scared to press us. Scoop was mauled by that kid from Ohio St. who was suppose to be a great on the ball defender and he handled the kid.

 

[SoBeCuse]

LOL! No he didn't 90% of his TOs were on What passes if he got picked clean 4 times last year that was a lot. We played two of the best pressing teams in the country last year Florida and Louisville both were scared to press us. Scoop was mauled by that kid from Ohio St. who was suppose to be a great on the ball defender and he handled the kid.

LOL. I still thought it was bad strategy not to press us. Are you saying Scoop handled Craft?? Craft absolutely had an impact on that game. His on the ball pressure and hounding of our guys totally dicombobulated much of the offense. You don't have to just pick a guy clean to do damage to one's offense. I don't want to see any more semi-circles and dribbling backwards.

 

[pearl31]

Craft absolutely had an impact on that game. His on the ball pressure and hounding of our guys totally dicombobulated much of the offense..

Not to mention the 7-8 fouls he committed in the 1st half alone.

 

[Gabjon]

LOL. I still thought it was bad strategy not to press us. Are you saying Scoop handled Craft?? Craft absolutely had an impact on that game. His on the ball pressure and hounding of our guys totally dicombobulated much of the offense. You don't have to just pick a guy clean to do damage to one's offense. I don't want to see any more semi-circles and dribbling backwards.

LOL! Scoop had a very good game. The refs slowed down our offense! The were 49 fouls called in the game! That is one every 49sec of game play! That will kill any team that is trying to run!

 

[OttoMets]

I'd say that Craft gave Scoop a lot of difficulty that night. Off-hand, I can't think of another guard who did that to him last season, and Scoop really didn't get his pocket picked with any frequency. He limited turnovers all year. Most, if my memory is correct, came on passes (not, however, on half-court alley-oops, as the board lore might lead one to believe), right up to the final one against OSU.

Some stat person out there must have this breakdown available, right?

 

[br801]

Not to mention the 7-8 fouls he committed in the 1st half alone.

OSU was using the old "keep fouling, they won't/can't call them all" strategy that day.

 

[Upstate]

I'd hope that MCW is working on his lob passes. That was the one thing last years team missed, I thought. Not a who lot of alley oops.

 

[OttoMets]

I'd hope that MCW is working on his lob passes. That was the one thing last years team missed, I thought. Not a who lot of alley oops.

Funny that you say that right after the Craig Forth mention in the other thread - our past couple teams haven't had a big who can set a back screen reliably. We did lob to Fab curling off his own pick a few times (Pittsburgh comes to mind), but that was far from a consistent thing.

South, Fair, and Christmas can all elevate and catch. Can they get free? Can someone get them the ball?

 

[iommi]

In 2013, Ennis will be an excellent trigger man on alley oops. I've seen him throw a beautiful "alley" several times on tv.

 

[sandman525]

I thought the most interesting thing in the article was him saying BT is going to be the point guard and MCW is going to be a shooting guard this season. Could that be true? Will JB make BT the primary point guard?

Based on what I saw last year, that would be a mistake. I think BT would be a fine PG and MCW would be a good SG, but surely the team would be more effective overall if MCW played PG and BT played SG most of the time.

Put another way, I think BT will definitely be more effective as a SG than MCW would. Not sure who would be more effective at PG (though I strongly suspect it would be MCW). Put me in the camp that has MCW at PG every minute he is on the court, with BT switching there only when MCW is out.

This is all about the potential greatness of MCW at the PG position, and how out of position/uncomfortable he would be trying to play SG.

I think the more likely scenario is that Brennan doesn't really know what he's opining on, and honestly believes that MCW is a SG.

 

[billsin01]

I suppose we have to have the annual discussion of BT's merits as a point guard.

He should get more chances at the point (with Cooney), but MCW will be our primary point guard. It is a matter of skills -- BT is a good spot-up shooter; good at scoring inside when he gets the opportunity; good on the break. MCW is the better passer and MCW should have the better handle. It will be interesting to see who has the ball late in the shot clock in a close game. Last season, it was Scoop or Dion because they could make a move with the dribble.

And yes, Cooney has a pull up jumper off the dribble. Great form & accuracy, in practice.

I'd add to this that MCW, like Scoop and Rautins, naturally looks to run and take advantage of unsettled situations. BT looks a little spooked when improvising. That up-tempo is important in getting this team easy buckets and I'd be pretty surprised if they choosing to run at a slower pace with BT at PG.

 

[SoBristol]

I'd add to this that MCW, like Scoop and Rautins, naturally looks to run and take advantage of unsettled situations. BT looks a little spooked when improvising. That up-tempo is important in getting this team easy buckets and I'd be pretty surprised if they choosing to run at a slower pace with BT at PG.

Not sure what you are saying here. In a run-out situation, on a break, BT is an asset. He can run and finish strong. He hasn't shown all the spin moves of Dion (who has?) but he is good.
BT does tend to play at a slower pace in half court -- deliberate in bringing the ball up; conservative in his passing, sometimes telegraphing his intentions. It is something he can improve this season, and I expect he will.

 

[billsin01]

Not sure what you are saying here. In a run-out situation, on a break, BT is an asset. He can run and finish strong. He hasn't shown all the spin moves of Dion (who has?) but he is good.
BT does tend to play at a slower pace in half court -- deliberate in bringing the ball up; conservative in his passing, sometimes telegraphing his intentions. It is something he can improve this season, and I expect he will.

You summed up what I was at least intending to say. BT does not play fast -- more like a Jason Hart. Loved Hart but the kid loved covering up that ball and waiting for everyone to retreat past half court. Rautins and Jardine had this team running and I assume MCW will do the same. I'm not sure that means he technically has to be labeled the PG, but I would assume MCW's comfort in pushing the tempo makes him all the more likely to be the primary ball handler.

As for Triche, I disagree to a large extent. i think we've seen what he is and I'm mildly puzzled that people seem to think he's going to be significantly better this season. I'm not suggesting he can't improve but or that he is a bad player by any means. But simply that he is a nice complimentary piece and that's about it. I'd be pretty surprised if he somehow suddenly excelled at breaking his man down off the dribble, or attacking in unsettled situations or becoming a deadly option off the screen, or suddenly developed a much quicker release ... Just think he is what he was last year, a nice player who will contribute but is unlikely to reach the level of Waiters and/or even a guy like Jardine.

And no, he doesn't have Waiters spin moves. I agree. Not sure I've seen many better than Waiters at that.

 

[SoBristol]

. . . .

As for Triche, I disagree to a large extent. i think we've seen what he is and I'm mildly puzzled that people seem to think he's going to be significantly better this season. I'm not suggesting he can't improve but or that he is a bad player by any means. But simply that he is a nice complimentary piece and that's about it. I'd be pretty surprised if he somehow suddenly excelled at breaking his man down off the dribble, or attacking in unsettled situations or becoming a deadly option off the screen, or suddenly developed a much quicker release ... Just think he is what he was last year, a nice player who will contribute but is unlikely to reach the level of Waiters and/or even a guy like Jardine.

...

We don't disagree that much. I have posted many times that BT isn't someone like Andy Rautins who came in skinny then improved when he added needed muscle, or came in flabby and shaped up (Melo), or like some others who significantly improved year over year (KJ's shooting, or D Nichols), or who didn't get a lot of opportunities earlier in his career because he was stuck behind an upperclassman.
But yes, I expect to see some improvement in BT. He will get more minutes and more shots. MCW will look for him -- MCW has a different set of skills than Scoop & Dion (more of a passer; less inclined to dribble drive). BT will feel like he is a main cog, will know he will be on the floor to close out games, and all that should help.

 

[orangefan13]

I think we could see James or CJ looking to play some point forward with Rak and Dajuan in. They are to strong in the post and will get position. But then again MCW will play that same role at 6'5 1/2

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

You summed up what I was at least intending to say. BT does not play fast -- more like a Jason Hart. Loved Hart but the kid loved covering up that ball and waiting for everyone to retreat past half court. Rautins and Jardine had this team running and I assume MCW will do the same. I'm not sure that means he technically has to be labeled the PG, but I would assume MCW's comfort in pushing the tempo makes him all the more likely to be the primary ball handler.

As for Triche, I disagree to a large extent. i think we've seen what he is and I'm mildly puzzled that people seem to think he's going to be significantly better this season. I'm not suggesting he can't improve but or that he is a bad player by any means. But simply that he is a nice complimentary piece and that's about it. I'd be pretty surprised if he somehow suddenly excelled at breaking his man down off the dribble, or attacking in unsettled situations or becoming a deadly option off the screen, or suddenly developed a much quicker release ... Just think he is what he was last year, a nice player who will contribute but is unlikely to reach the level of Waiters and/or even a guy like Jardine.

And no, he doesn't have Waiters spin moves. I agree. Not sure I've seen many better than Waiters at that.

JB's 4 year guys have a history of good to grat senior years.

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[OrangeZone]

In my experience, JB has been and is a very caring person; performing many acts of kindness and personal giving without the glare of any reporters or video's. He does not "suffer fools well". When you see him interact with a young person; that's when you get JB.