Class of 2017 Top recruits still available...

[RF2044]

We were NIT bound in '15 if allowed and came within a razor thin margin of heading there last year


We were going to be an NIT team '15 with Rak being the best player in the conference and with Gbinije/Cooney and our asses were parked directly on the bubble last year so its a pretty reasonable assumption that would be the case again next year. This year is the year to feast.

You can't say that with any assurity about 2015 -- the team beat Louisville down the stretch, who was a top 10 team, and the psychological factor of not being eligible may have factored into how the end of the season played out. We also had a very key injury that hurt us that year. But to the bigger point, you are stating an opinion as fact when in fact we never know how things would have worked out. Or how things would have worked out if McCullough hadn't torn his ACL and played more than 10 games.

Last year, we WEREN'T going to the NIT, despite what the ostensible sports experts in the media, like that jackass Lunardi, predicted. We were safely in, as evidenced by our seeding. And again, a peripheral circumstance--this time, JB getting suspended for 9 games--had a big impact on us being anywhere NEAR the bubble.

 

[Orangtiz]

Andre Rafus is a really smooth player. From Baltimore, much like C.J is a lefty with a great mid range game and decent from 3-point range. They should really pursue him.

 

[chugg21]

Taurean and Howard will be an excellent 1/2 punch. If Battle plays the role he's playing right now all year, I don't see him going anywhere. Who know's how Moyer will improve.

You can't say that with any assurity about 2015 -- the team beat Louisville down the stretch, who was a top 10 team, and the psychological factor of not being eligible may have factored into how the end of the season played out. We also had a very key injury that hurt us that year. But to the bigger point, you are stating an opinion as fact when in fact we never know how things would have worked out. Or how things would have worked out if McCullough hadn't torn his ACL and played more than 10 games.

Last year, we WEREN'T going to the NIT, despite what the ostensible sports experts in the media, like that jackass Lunardi, predicted. We were safely in, as evidenced by our seeding. And again, a peripheral circumstance--this time, JB getting suspended for 9 games--had a big impact on us being anywhere NEAR the bubble.

The facts are that we're 18-13 & 19-12 while at exactly .500 in conference during the last 2 regular seasons and to just dismiss the likelihood that the roster and depth for next year is looking like a debacle is absurd. A core of Howard/Moyer/Thompson/Chukwu/Brissett/Sidibe would be a disaster on the offensive end.

 

[RF2044]

The facts are that we're 18-13 & 19-12 while at exactly .500 in conference during the last 2 regular seasons and to just dismiss the likelihood that the roster and depth for next year is looking like a debacle is absurd. A core of Howard/Moyer/Thompson/Chukwu/Brissett/Sidibe would be a disaster on the offensive end.

More facts that you are conveniently overlooking: we self-imposed a ban in 2015, so we'll never know what the outcome would have been from the NCAA selection committee.

Facts #2 and #3: we made the Final Four last year, despite being a 10 seed. We were better than a typical 10 seed, and our record was skewed negatively by the Boeheim suspension, when we went 3-6.

PS--where's Battle in your projections? Or is it another "fact" that he's going to the NBA?

 

[chugg21]

More facts that you are conveniently overlooking: we self-imposed a ban in 2015, so we'll never know what the outcome would have been from the NCAA selection committee.

Facts #2 and #3: we made the Final Four last year, despite being a 10 seed. We were better than a typical 10 seed, and our record was skewed negatively by the Boeheim suspension, when we went 3-6.

If you are saying that the last 2 seasons weren't miserable than I think you're lying. The boards were in meltdown mode for the majority of the last 2 years prior to a magical 2 week span last March that may be clouding your memory. This year should be great but to just be blindly optimistic about next year when we can all see the trouble ahead seems nonsensical. There's a reason there's like 20 of these same threads freaking out about next years team. Guess it would be better for our collective psyche to just enjoy the ride this year and worry about next year, next year but I don't think that people religiously posting/following on message boards are capable of ignoring the disaster that may be looming.

 

[RF2044]

If you are saying that the last 2 seasons weren't miserable than I think you're lying. The boards were in meltdown mode for the majority of the last 2 years prior to a magical 2 week span last March that may be clouding your memory. This year should be great but to just be blindly optimistic about next year when we can all see the trouble ahead seems nonsensical. There's a reason there's like 20 of these same threads freaking out about next years team. Guess it would be better for our collective psyche to just enjoy the ride this year and worry about next year, next year but I don't think that people religiously posting/following on message boards are capable of ignoring the disaster that may be looming.

Miserable? We just went to the @#$ Final Four! Yeah, it sure was miserable coming back against Gonzaga, or beating UVA the way we did. :crazy: If you want to waste time and energy wringing your hands about the possibility that we might have been an NIT team in 2015, when we self imposed a ban and will never know, then be my guest.

And if you choose to remember last year's mediocrity [while curiously overlooking that Boeheim's 9 game ban was the reason for many of our difficulties last season] instead of the Final Four run, that's your choice.

And if you choose to focus on imaginary topics like how bad we're going to suck NEXT year, when we are in the midst of what could be a top 5 season from wire-to-wire, and you don't have a clue how the recruiting class is actually going to shape up when it is all said and done, then you are being a chicken little.

It is one thing to be apprehensive and show concern, and another to predict doom and gloom / disaster prematurely. How'd our roster look in April of 2016? How does it look now? I see very little difference in the "disaster that may be looming" sentiment from this spring compared to the sky is falling hysteria you are slinging now.

 

[chugg21]

Yeah, I'm saying that you are freaking out over nothing. If you want to waste time and energy wringing your hands about the possibility that we might have been an NIT team in 2015, when we self imposed a ban and will never know, then be my guest.

And if you choose to remember last year's mediocrity [while curiously overlooking that Boeheim's 9 game ban was the reason for many of our difficulties last season] while overlooking the Final Four run, that's your choice.

And if you choose to focus on imaginary topics like how bad we're going to suck NEXT year, when we are in the midst of what could be a top 5 season from wire-to-wire, and you don't have a clue how the recruiting class is actually going to shape up when it is all said and done, then you are being a chicken little.

It is one thing to be apprehensive and show concern, and another to predict doom and gloom / disaster prematurely. How'd our roster look in April of 2016? How does it look now? All of the "disaster that may be looming" sentiment from this spring didn't amount to a hill of beans.

This kind of talk is stupid. Any team with Howard, Battle, and Thompson at the nucleus isn't going to the NIT.

This was what started this. I'd rather be pessimistic in my view of the future than just proclaim with a sense of authority that something is impossible when its absolutely in play.

 

[RF2044]

This was what started this. I'd rather be pessimistic in my view of the future than just proclaim with a sense of authority that something is impossible when its absolutely in play.

So you admit you're a pessimist--at least that's progress. And IMO, it is a problem that is common amongst our fanbase. Some would rather just expect the worst than dare to get their hopes up for fear of being disappointed.

I'm not going to debate with you over you willingly deciding to see the glass as half empty instead of half full -- knock yourself out. But I'll tell you what: if Battle comes back, then I'm willing to bet you right now that we are an NCAA team in 2017. Because I stand by my belief that it is ridiculous to think that a team with Howard / Battle / Thompson wouldn't be a formidable squad, with the firepower necessary to get to the NCAA tournament. We've had teams with worse nucleuses than that make it. And while we have a long way to go before the class of 2017 gets finalized, I'm honestly not that worried that we'll be able to field a full [out to 11] roster next year, with adequate depth. Why? Because we're SYRACUSE, because we're going to have an outstanding season, and because the top 10 year we're about to have will help influence quality recruits / 5th year transfers to join the team in the spring.

It has nothing to do with "authority," and everything to do with common sense. How many times have we gone to the NIT tournament under Boeheim?

 

[IthacaMatt]

The facts are that we're 18-13 & 19-12 while at exactly .500 in conference during the last 2 regular seasons and to just dismiss the likelihood that the roster and depth for next year is looking like a debacle is absurd. A core of Howard/Moyer/Thompson/Chukwu/Brissett/Sidibe would be a disaster on the offensive end.

Yes, they would be awfully challenged, but what they do offer is an outstanding platform to recruit a couple big time scorers to go with them. The 2002 recruiting class (Forth, Warrick, Edelin, Pace) set the foundation for the Melo & Gerry (and Edelin finally eligible) class that added the scoring to the necessary role players.

 

[two3zone]

Miserable? We just went to the @#$ Final Four! Yeah, it sure was miserable coming back against Gonzaga, or beating UVA the way we did. :crazy: If you want to waste time and energy wringing your hands about the possibility that we might have been an NIT team in 2015, when we self imposed a ban and will never know, then be my guest.

And if you choose to remember last year's mediocrity [while curiously overlooking that Boeheim's 9 game ban was the reason for many of our difficulties last season] while overlooking the Final Four run, that's your choice.

And if you choose to focus on imaginary topics like how bad we're going to suck NEXT year, when we are in the midst of what could be a top 5 season from wire-to-wire, and you don't have a clue how the recruiting class is actually going to shape up when it is all said and done, then you are being a chicken little.

It is one thing to be apprehensive and show concern, and another to predict doom and gloom / disaster prematurely. How'd our roster look in April of 2016? How does it look now? I see very little difference in the "disaster that may be looming" sentiment from this spring compared to the sky is falling hysteria you are slinging now.

Outside of our awesome run last year, the past two years were miserable all season long. Unless we win it it all I personally enjoy a great regular season more than a few in march.

 

[chugg21]

Outside of our awesome run last year, the past two years were miserable all season long. Unless we win it it all I personally enjoy a great regular season more than a few in march.

That's what I was trying to express. It was a fairly miserable 3 months followed by 2 weeks of euphoria.

 

[RF2044]

Outside of our awesome run last year, the past two years were miserable all season long. Unless we win it it all I personally enjoy a great regular season more than a few in march.

That's what I was trying to express. It was a fairly miserable 3 months followed by 2 weeks of euphoria.

Gee, sorry that you guys missed beating UConn on Thanksgiving last year... or top 10 Texas A&M the next day to win the Atlantis tournament. Or the fun of beating Duke @ Cameron Indoor Stadium last season.

The season was fine, with the exception of that 9 game stretch without Boeheim. Take that away, and you can tack on 3-4 more wins onto our regular season total.

Maybe you were just too busy being miserable to enjoy the good moments leading up to those 2 weeks of euphoria.

 

[two3zone]

Gee, sorry that you guys missed beating UConn on Thanksgiving last year... or top 10 Texas A&M the next day to win the Atlantis tournament. Or the fun of beating Duke @ Cameron Indoor Stadium last season.

The season was fine, with the exception of that 9 game stretch without Boeheim. Take that away, and you can tack on 3-4 more wins onto our regular season total.

Maybe you were just too busy being miserable to enjoy the good moments leading up to those 2 weeks of euphoria.

I enjoyed those victories as much as the next guy. Losing to garbage negated a lot of the good feelings from last year.

 

[RF2044]

I enjoyed those victories as much as the next guy. Losing to garbage negated a lot of the good feelings from last year.

That's a choiceful state of mind. But it doesn't offset the good. Sorry you were miserable for three months last year, as there was a forest behind those trees.

 

[OttoMets]

'Miserable' is a little strong, but it's all subjective anyway.

With a handful of exceptions, going to home games the last two seasons felt more and more like an obligation. (Gbinije's senior day show was cool, though.) We've been spoiled, but that doesn't mean that we didn't have 60 consecutive regular season games that were seriously substandard in the historical context of Boeheim basketball. A lot of that was very difficult to watch.

 

[OttoMets]

I enjoyed those victories as much as the next guy. Losing to garbage negated a lot of the good feelings from last year.

Not just losing, but mediocre play. (I always think of the Clemson and North Carolina State games in 2014 - winning while playing very poorly is sometimes more frustrating than a loss.)

Funny, the turn this thread has taken is why I don't share the 'sky-is-falling' mood of this side of the board. The team we root for has really good guards for the first time in years and is playing good basketball while still showing a high ceiling for improvement. That's exactly what we want - SU to do well. Who cares about some 5'10" high school kid? Let the recruiters worry about recruiting. We follow the team for the on-court activity, and that's going really well this week.

 

[SUfanNC]

Now we have to play the game and get into some recruiting battle's with for people maybe we didn't intend. If Green was swayed at the last minute that doesn't mean that the guys he wanted to play with are going to be able to go to UK. Also we have playing time to offer in the ACC at a premier program. We put ourselves in this position but there are players out there that can be swayed. If you can get Green at the last minute than we should be able to get some viable options.

 

[chugg21]

Now we have to play the game and get into some recruiting battle's with for people maybe we didn't intend. If Green was swayed at the last minute that doesn't mean that the guys he wanted to play with are going to be able to go to UK. Also we have playing time to offer in the ACC at a premier program. We put ourselves in this position but there are players out there that can be swayed. If you can get Green at the last minute than we should be able to get some viable options.

That would be the case if 90% of the top 100 weren't already accounted for. Beyond Tucker, we don't really appear to have much of a shot at anyone else in the top 50. Looking like best case scenario is Tucker, Washington for depth & searching the grad transfer market for a wing.

 

[pearl31]

That's what I was trying to express. It was a fairly miserable 3 months followed by 2 weeks of euphoria.

good god.
yeah it was miserable winning the Atlantis tourney and at Cameron, etc - of course the 9 games JB was out sucked but w-t- does that have to do with recruiting/roster strength?

 

[chugg21]

good god.
yeah it was miserable winning the Atlantis tourney and at Cameron, etc - of course the 9 games JB was out sucked but w-t- does that have to do with recruiting/roster strength?

I was responding to someone who more or less said that it would be impossible for next years team to be NIT bound when for the last 2 seasons we've been a team firmly on the bubble. We're essentially a .500 team over the past 60 games without the cupcakes thrown in there but its apparently blasphemy to acknowledge that. Sure it was glorious to beat Duke at Cameron and I also wanted to smash everything within arms reach against garbage Georgetown & St. Johns.

 

[rackman18]

So you want to throw Frank Howard under the bus and go with an unproven freshman to run the team.

No, I'm saying Coleman and Howard could work together. That's far from throwing him under the bus. When you see Coleman play I don't think you will see unproven there. They were going to with Green, and Coleman in my book,and others is just as good of a player.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

That would be the case if 90% of the top 100 weren't already accounted for. Beyond Tucker, we don't really appear to have much of a shot at anyone else in the top 50. Looking like best case scenario is Tucker, Washington for depth & searching the grad transfer market for a wing.

Seems like we are in the mix for Diallo - we offer more than KY can - more time - better league - and as good chance to win - and UCONN looks like the lack of a conference is settling in on them - so I would say we have a real shot with Diallo

 

[jordoo]

Seems like we are in the mix for Diallo - we offer more than KY can - more time - better league - and as good chance to win - and UCONN looks like the lack of a conference is settling in on them - so I would say we have a real shot with Diallo

Diallo is going to the NBA or UK at this point. No reason to lose sleep over this one.

 

[two3zone]

Seems like we are in the mix for Diallo - we offer more than KY can - more time - better league - and as good chance to win - and UCONN looks like the lack of a conference is settling in on them - so I would say we have a real shot with Diallo

They have more top 100 recruits than we do.

 

[reedny]

They have more top 100 recruits than we do.

Stay tuned.