[JNixonParticipant]

5: Syracuse Orange

Frontcourt- Rick Jackson was a very good PF/C last year who had a new level of athleticism after losing weight. He rebounded, passed the ball, and carved space around the rim at an outstanding rate. The headliner will be Sr. SF Kris Joseph, who will be a darkhorse All-America candidate next year. Joseph is a long 6’7 215 guy who can play 3 positions (4 in college), and he’s a good athlete too. He passes and handles the ball well, has a nice 1st step, can play real well in transition, and even though the Cuse’s zone D makes it very hard to evaluate his defensive projection to the NBA he seems like a guy who should be a very nice defender. His weaknesses come from the fact that he’s a mediocre shooter (much improved though) and he’s not exactly fundamentally sound yet. His jump shot has range out to about 23 ft, but he can be played off of and his screens will be dived. He doesn’t possess great stance on D and prefers to use his length to play D more than consistently moving his feet, and while he’s a decent rebounder on the wing, he can allow offensive rebounds because he rarely boxes out. He’s not really a truly great scorer IMO, but he did get 14 ppg last year on a team with scorers last season. It’s worth note that Joseph played with a balky knee last year that limited his explosiveness, sometimes visibly. Joseph reminds of Stacey Augmon. The PF spot will see time from Soph’s CJ Fair and Baye Moussa Keita. The 6’7 205 Fair is a long and athletic combo forward who uses his quickness and length to be a mismatch on the offensive end. He can’t shoot though, and isn’t a great ball-handler on the perimeter. His IQ for the game is also improving. Keita is a 6’10 215 C/PF with great length and motor. He is a great rebounder (15 rebounds in 17 mins against Canisius), shot-blocker and he runs the floor well for his size. He’s terribly raw on offense, and he is a bit too foul prone because he tends to hunt for blocks. He was thought to be an afterthought recruit, but he played more minutes than Fab Melo did, and rightfully so. Speaking of Melo, he will have to rebound from a disappointing Fr. year. He learned just how prepared you have to be in the Big East, being big doesn’t do you any good when you’re too raw to play. Melo is a true C with outstanding size (7’ 285), long arms, and he’s a shot-blocking presence. Melo is also fairly quietly a potentially solid passer from the low post too. He really struggled last season with a bunch of things though. The biggest concern is probably how often he fouls. He couldn’t stay on the floor, and averaged 2 fpg in 10 mpg. Crazy right? He lacks awareness and fundamentals on D. Melo also struggled with rebounding, as he’s not quick-twitch at all and rarely ventures outside of his area to be as much of a factor as he should be on either end despite having the physical tools to do so. Melo really struggled with running the floor too, lumbering up and down the court and getting winded excessively. Melo is raw on offense, but that is further magnified because it takes the man FOREVER to get in and out of his moves. Melo also has shaky hands and is not very fluid in his movements. Melo also got into trouble off the court this summer, and is a bit quick tempered on the floor too. It’s safe to say Melo has a lot to improve on. I look for him to show significant improvement next year, but it will be a process with someone that raw. He’s not going to be a star next year, he just needs too much polish everywhere for that. The C spot will get time from Keita, but also the touted Fr. Rakeem Christmas. At 6’10 230 with long limbs and a somewhat wide frame, Christmas has the body type that will be impressive as he gets on a tougher weight training program. He’s also a fluid athlete who runs well. Christmas has big hands, and it allows him to make tough catches and get rebounds out of his area too. What he needs to work on is getting more polish offensively, and to add more moves to his arsenal. Right now he only shows a drop step, but with his length and lack of great strength right now, he would be well-served to develop a strong-hand jump hook. Drop steps against college bigs aren’t going to be as effective as it was in HS. Christmas is a long term prospect. Jr. James Southerland returns after getting rotation time, and Sr. Mookie Jones remains an enigma. Southerland is a 6’8 combo forward with a nice shot, but he’s lacking in strength and consistency, both of which go hand in hand. Southerland does use his length fairly well as a rebounder and shot-blocker though. The 6’6 Jones has nice shooting skills. He probably could start for a majority of college teams in the nation to be honest, he can put points up quickly. He just has to take advantage of the time he gets and have a good attitude. Also wouldn’t hurt to play D and pass the ball though. I’m surprised he hasn’t transferred by now. This group is VERY long, and I think some of the more raw frontline guys will grow up and be serviceable bigs next year, particularly in Cuse’s zone D.

Backcourt- Their starting PG next year is 6’0 195 Sr. Scoop Jardine, who plays a fun to watch, herky-jerky style. Jardine is a very good ball-handler and playmaker who is also strong enough to keep guys on his hip when he slashes. His unorthodox style of play makes him tough to cover, and he simply has a knack for finding the way to the rim. Jardine also is a charismatic personality with some leadership qualities, and the most experienced player on the roster. While those are his strengths, Jardine has weaknesses; mainly his streaky jump shot, weird body, and overaggressiveness. He’s not athletic, and even though he shed some of his weight, Jardine isn’t exactly the posterboy of a prototypically built PG. The zone D Syracuse runs helps him alot because he probably is a liability in man-to-man. He has some OK spot-up shooting, but he shoots a set shot that’s streaky. Jardine can overdribble or make costly mistakes at the end of games too, but he does make plays down the stretch a lot of times. He’s the type of player that you love as a fan, but also think “had he not done this, the game would’ve been different.” His backup/backcourt mate is 6’4 205 Jr. Brandon Triche, a combo guard. Triche can score the ball a bit, has very good strength, and has some decent raw talent. He also has a nice shot, especially with his feet set. Triche clearly wasn’t used to having to play off the ball, and thus struggled at times. He struggled some with his jump shot too, as teams knew he is arguably the best perimeter shooter on the team so they gameplanned harder for him. He should be a good scorer next year, I think he’ll improve. Depth at SG comes from Fr. Michael Carter-Williams, Mookie Jones, and Fr. Dion Waters. The 6’5 175 Carter-Williams is an aggressive scorer on the wing. He has a nice handle, and he likes to slash the lane. He’s not a bad natural shooter either. He likely will have to adjust next year though, as he plays a style that’s not well-suited for his lack of strength and girth. He’s also a little bit of a ballhog. The 6’4 215 Waters played back-end rotation time but he has long-term potential. Waters has a well-rounded and mature skillset offensive player, with a nice mid-range game, a strong body, and good touch at the rim. He’s a natural scorer who can fill it up in bunches, just needs to work on his awareness on D. This group has a lot of experience, youth, and talent. Some real nice offensive weapons on the perimeter.

Overview: Jim Boeheim really has done a good job of getting a good bit of his core players to stay and develop, while bringing in top recruits to mesh with them. Syracuse recruits alot of size, and this years teams has size by the bundle. They also have a bunch of experience in the backcourt. This looks like the best team in the Big East to me, despite losing Jackson. I expect the Cuse to be a Elite 8 team next year, who could get to the Final 4.

[knicks4lyfe88Participant]

I think theres underlying issues there as Waiters is a better play then both jardina and triche and fits the system better i heard rumors of a possible transfer

[knicks4lyfe88Participant]

I think theres underlying issues there as Waiters is a better play then both jardina and triche and fits the system better i heard rumors of a possible transfer

[knicks4lyfe88Participant]

I think theres underlying issues there as Waiters is a better play then both jardina and triche and fits the system better i heard rumors of a possible transfer

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

I go to SU, and even after having been on the site for awhile, this is probably the most I’ve appreciated your analysis. I’ve watched every Cuse game for the last couple years and you really nailed it. There isn’t a college analyst in the country right now that could give a better scoop on guys like C.J. Fair and James Southerland, who you have to really have watched to write about them thoroughly. Terrific job.

The only things I would point out, which were off court and very under the radar, are that Waiters might not return to school (in April, last it was mentioned, Boeheim said that his future at SU was "up in the air"), and Melo’s career is in jeopardy as well after he was charged with a misdemeanor a couple months ago. Despite his ball-dominant nature and erratic play, I still really like Waiters; Melo was an abomination last year and while most of us Orange were more than ready to give him a break as he was just a frosh, the legal issues hurt and with Christmas (and hopefully Dajuan Coleman!!) on the way, we could certainly do without him.

I think a #5 ranking is accurate. We bring back a Sr. PG, Jr. SG, and Sr. SF who combined to contribute 37.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 10 assists and 3.9 steals, who have been playing together for years, can run the 2-3 zone blindfolded and can score in every which way, and efficiently. Joseph averaged 14 per game last year but only because Cuse has so many weapons and are always holding for the best shot; if he was the top option on a freer offense he could easily be a 17-20 ppg guy in college. As you noted, he’s a legit 6-7/210 with great length and top notch athleticism, a prototypical NBA three. Last year he increased his 3PT attempt from 41 to 123 despite playing just 4.6 more mpg and raised his percentage from 22% to 36.6%. He gets to the basket and plays within himself. I really like him as a top 20 pick in 2012.

Despite the loss of Rick Jackson to graduation, 7-footer Da’Shone Riley to Eastern Michigan and the potential loss of Fab Melo, the frontcourt is still rather strong. Fair doesn’t have a PF’s body; physically, he looks more like a SG and there’s no way he’s 6-8. 6-7 even seems generous. BUT he plays harder than anyone and became a huge fan favorite halfway through the season. He’s a very instinctive player with good enough athleticism/length that he can make an impact on every possession and I think he’ll be a very good 4-year player for us. Unlike Fab, Rakeem Christmas will be ready to play immediately and should get anywhere from 20 to 32 minutes of run each night, depending on how quickly he matures. He doesn’t need to score to make an impact and he’s perfect for the zone (his HS coach changed to a 2-3 zone his sr. year to prepare him for Cuse). Keita might start the season at C and while that will be deserved, he’ll unfortunately lose a good deal of minutes to Christmas. He has the potential to be as solid a defender as there is in the Big East but he simply isn’t the game changer that Christmas could be and I’d suspect his minutes won’t increase much from the 15 per game that he played last year. He could really shine as a senior in two years, but right he’s evidence of the depth Cuse still has up front. While Fair, Christmas and Keita bring edginess and their relentless motors and are perfect for Big East ball, Southerland and Mookie Jones provide firepower from the bench. As you astutely noted, both are very inconsistent but are deadly from range and have good size. Southerland will be burdened with more expectations this year.

This is a very experienced group with a perfect array of shooters, scorers, garbage men, shot-blockers, and guys that know their positions and roles. They’re fairly battle-tested and guys like Scoop (playing great right now for team usa) and Joseph (who has improved every year and is ready to go beserk) won’t let them wilt in the tourney this year. The zone is filled with awesome length and quickness and more than a few guys that love to defend and live to create turnovers. They’re not as sexy as Duke, Memphis or even Vanderbilt, but I think that will work in their favor.

 

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

I go to SU, and even after having been on the site for awhile, this is probably the most I’ve appreciated your analysis. I’ve watched every Cuse game for the last couple years and you really nailed it. There isn’t a college analyst in the country right now that could give a better scoop on guys like C.J. Fair and James Southerland, who you have to really have watched to write about them thoroughly. Terrific job.

The only things I would point out, which were off court and very under the radar, are that Waiters might not return to school (in April, last it was mentioned, Boeheim said that his future at SU was "up in the air"), and Melo’s career is in jeopardy as well after he was charged with a misdemeanor a couple months ago. Despite his ball-dominant nature and erratic play, I still really like Waiters; Melo was an abomination last year and while most of us Orange were more than ready to give him a break as he was just a frosh, the legal issues hurt and with Christmas (and hopefully Dajuan Coleman!!) on the way, we could certainly do without him.

I think a #5 ranking is accurate. We bring back a Sr. PG, Jr. SG, and Sr. SF who combined to contribute 37.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 10 assists and 3.9 steals, who have been playing together for years, can run the 2-3 zone blindfolded and can score in every which way, and efficiently. Joseph averaged 14 per game last year but only because Cuse has so many weapons and are always holding for the best shot; if he was the top option on a freer offense he could easily be a 17-20 ppg guy in college. As you noted, he’s a legit 6-7/210 with great length and top notch athleticism, a prototypical NBA three. Last year he increased his 3PT attempt from 41 to 123 despite playing just 4.6 more mpg and raised his percentage from 22% to 36.6%. He gets to the basket and plays within himself. I really like him as a top 20 pick in 2012.

Despite the loss of Rick Jackson to graduation, 7-footer Da’Shone Riley to Eastern Michigan and the potential loss of Fab Melo, the frontcourt is still rather strong. Fair doesn’t have a PF’s body; physically, he looks more like a SG and there’s no way he’s 6-8. 6-7 even seems generous. BUT he plays harder than anyone and became a huge fan favorite halfway through the season. He’s a very instinctive player with good enough athleticism/length that he can make an impact on every possession and I think he’ll be a very good 4-year player for us. Unlike Fab, Rakeem Christmas will be ready to play immediately and should get anywhere from 20 to 32 minutes of run each night, depending on how quickly he matures. He doesn’t need to score to make an impact and he’s perfect for the zone (his HS coach changed to a 2-3 zone his sr. year to prepare him for Cuse). Keita might start the season at C and while that will be deserved, he’ll unfortunately lose a good deal of minutes to Christmas. He has the potential to be as solid a defender as there is in the Big East but he simply isn’t the game changer that Christmas could be and I’d suspect his minutes won’t increase much from the 15 per game that he played last year. He could really shine as a senior in two years, but right he’s evidence of the depth Cuse still has up front. While Fair, Christmas and Keita bring edginess and their relentless motors and are perfect for Big East ball, Southerland and Mookie Jones provide firepower from the bench. As you astutely noted, both are very inconsistent but are deadly from range and have good size. Southerland will be burdened with more expectations this year.

This is a very experienced group with a perfect array of shooters, scorers, garbage men, shot-blockers, and guys that know their positions and roles. They’re fairly battle-tested and guys like Scoop (playing great right now for team usa) and Joseph (who has improved every year and is ready to go beserk) won’t let them wilt in the tourney this year. The zone is filled with awesome length and quickness and more than a few guys that love to defend and live to create turnovers. They’re not as sexy as Duke, Memphis or even Vanderbilt, but I think that will work in their favor.

 

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

I go to SU, and even after having been on the site for awhile, this is probably the most I’ve appreciated your analysis. I’ve watched every Cuse game for the last couple years and you really nailed it. There isn’t a college analyst in the country right now that could give a better scoop on guys like C.J. Fair and James Southerland, who you have to really have watched to write about them thoroughly. Terrific job.

The only things I would point out, which were off court and very under the radar, are that Waiters might not return to school (in April, last it was mentioned, Boeheim said that his future at SU was "up in the air"), and Melo’s career is in jeopardy as well after he was charged with a misdemeanor a couple months ago. Despite his ball-dominant nature and erratic play, I still really like Waiters; Melo was an abomination last year and while most of us Orange were more than ready to give him a break as he was just a frosh, the legal issues hurt and with Christmas (and hopefully Dajuan Coleman!!) on the way, we could certainly do without him.

I think a #5 ranking is accurate. We bring back a Sr. PG, Jr. SG, and Sr. SF who combined to contribute 37.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 10 assists and 3.9 steals, who have been playing together for years, can run the 2-3 zone blindfolded and can score in every which way, and efficiently. Joseph averaged 14 per game last year but only because Cuse has so many weapons and are always holding for the best shot; if he was the top option on a freer offense he could easily be a 17-20 ppg guy in college. As you noted, he’s a legit 6-7/210 with great length and top notch athleticism, a prototypical NBA three. Last year he increased his 3PT attempt from 41 to 123 despite playing just 4.6 more mpg and raised his percentage from 22% to 36.6%. He gets to the basket and plays within himself. I really like him as a top 20 pick in 2012.

Despite the loss of Rick Jackson to graduation, 7-footer Da’Shone Riley to Eastern Michigan and the potential loss of Fab Melo, the frontcourt is still rather strong. Fair doesn’t have a PF’s body; physically, he looks more like a SG and there’s no way he’s 6-8. 6-7 even seems generous. BUT he plays harder than anyone and became a huge fan favorite halfway through the season. He’s a very instinctive player with good enough athleticism/length that he can make an impact on every possession and I think he’ll be a very good 4-year player for us. Unlike Fab, Rakeem Christmas will be ready to play immediately and should get anywhere from 20 to 32 minutes of run each night, depending on how quickly he matures. He doesn’t need to score to make an impact and he’s perfect for the zone (his HS coach changed to a 2-3 zone his sr. year to prepare him for Cuse). Keita might start the season at C and while that will be deserved, he’ll unfortunately lose a good deal of minutes to Christmas. He has the potential to be as solid a defender as there is in the Big East but he simply isn’t the game changer that Christmas could be and I’d suspect his minutes won’t increase much from the 15 per game that he played last year. He could really shine as a senior in two years, but right he’s evidence of the depth Cuse still has up front. While Fair, Christmas and Keita bring edginess and their relentless motors and are perfect for Big East ball, Southerland and Mookie Jones provide firepower from the bench. As you astutely noted, both are very inconsistent but are deadly from range and have good size. Southerland will be burdened with more expectations this year.

This is a very experienced group with a perfect array of shooters, scorers, garbage men, shot-blockers, and guys that know their positions and roles. They’re fairly battle-tested and guys like Scoop (playing great right now for team usa) and Joseph (who has improved every year and is ready to go beserk) won’t let them wilt in the tourney this year. The zone is filled with awesome length and quickness and more than a few guys that love to defend and live to create turnovers. They’re not as sexy as Duke, Memphis or even Vanderbilt, but I think that will work in their favor.

 

[8H0P4Participant]

 i like SU, very strong coming out of the Big East, also very consistent, dont really like the 2-3 zone for an entire game, shit just slows down, but i like the orangemen

[8H0P4Participant]

 i like SU, very strong coming out of the Big East, also very consistent, dont really like the 2-3 zone for an entire game, shit just slows down, but i like the orangemen

[8H0P4Participant]

 i like SU, very strong coming out of the Big East, also very consistent, dont really like the 2-3 zone for an entire game, shit just slows down, but i like the orangemen

[JNixonParticipant]

 That was a great breakdown sammybuckeye. I like that alot. I think Cuse is a sleeper pick to get to the title game.

[JNixonParticipant]

 That was a great breakdown sammybuckeye. I like that alot. I think Cuse is a sleeper pick to get to the title game.

[JNixonParticipant]

 That was a great breakdown sammybuckeye. I like that alot. I think Cuse is a sleeper pick to get to the title game.

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