Syracuse basketball 2014-15: Syracuse vs. California
Syracuse forward Chris McCullough tries to catch his breath in the second half of the 2K Classic semifinals against California on Nov. 20, 2014, at Madison Square Garden.
(Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)
New York — Al and Andre McCullough, father and uncle of Syracuse's freshman forward, wore Syracuse basketball colors to show support for an anticipated debut.
The McCulloughs were minutes away from a moment they had long imagined. Chris, the 6-foot-10 Orange forward, would be making his college debut in Madison Square Garden. McCullough grew up in the Bronx, a 35-minute train ride from the world's most famous basketball arena. He would take the No. 2 train to watch the Knicks, picturing himself on that hallowed floor.
His family — dad, uncle, cousin Tony Rozier, and mom Brenda Ryer — made that same subway journey Thursday night to watch Chris and Syracuse play California in the 2K Classic.
Andre McCullough (uncle), Tony Rozier (cousin) and Al McCullough (dad) get ready for Syracuse vs. California in Madison Square Garden.
"I'm a little nervous, yeah," Al McCullough admitted before the family took its seats.
It started so well for his son. Chris McCullough sank a 3-point shot, swished it from up top, then grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled. His spinning layup in the lane gave the Orange an early 8-7 advantage on a night that would eventually turn so terribly wrong for Syracuse.
"That (3-point) shot boosted my confidence, got me going early," McCullough said later, after his Orange had succumbed to the California Bears 73-59.
SU coach Jim Boeheim warned reporters in his post-game address that McCullough's 212-pound frame needs time to mature, that the bumps and shoves by bigger, older basketball men will make converting shots inside the painted area an adventure for the Syracuse freshman.
But on a night when every Orange teammate but perhaps Michael Gbinije struggled, McCullough offered a glimmer of basketball hope.
He blocked five shots, one of them a point-blank rejection of skilled 6-foot-10 center David Kravish at the rim on a Cal transition chance. Forced to play multiple minutes at center with Rakeem Christmas mired in foul trouble, McCullough is learning how to man the middle on the fly.
"I was the only one back," McCullough said of the Kravish block. "I either had to take a charge or take a block. I just went for a block and I got it."
Al McCullough talked to his son on Wednesday. Chris assured him he wasn't tense, that he "wasn't even thinking about it."
Brenda Ryer can barely watch her son play. She wore a navy Syracuse sweatshirt and carried with her a small stone to substitute for a stress ball. She expected to put that stone to work Thursday night.
"My lady," Al McCullough said, "she's nervous. I try to keep her calm."
Al McCullough said he allowed himself to begin dreaming of days like Thursday when his son turned 15 "and I saw him getting better and better." The family, gathered at the Garden, left disappointed in the game's outcome.
So did Chris McCullough.
"I was looking forward to it. I was happy to be home to play," he said. "We just didn't get the win tonight."