Syracuse basketball is almost here and the upcoming season is chock full of interesting story lines, players to watch and games to look out for.
Syracuse, New York is basketball country. Period. If you
were to ask a person the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the word
“Syracuse”, they would probably say “basketball.” The University likes to brag
about being “New York’s College Team” (seriously, next time you go to the
Carrier Dome, count how many banners you see with that slogan), but the fact is,
that claim is justified mostly because of Jim Boeheim and his deep squad.
So, needless to say, when basketball season approaches,
everyone gets giddy. Just thinking of the electric atmosphere the Dome is sure
to produce game in and game out sends shivers up the spine. Plus, the football
team’s not-so-great (read: awful) start has only intensified the excitement.
With all of this in mind, let’s turn our attention to the
team itself. We all know the story by now: graduating seniors Scoop Jardine and
Kris Joseph are gone, along with underclassmen first round picks Dion Waiters and
Fab Melo. Most teams depleted of that kind of talent would probably consider
the following year a rebuilding one, but Syracuse returns enough quality
players to avoid this label. Let’s highlight 4 of these players, one from each
class, who will need to have an impact in order for the Orange to contend.
Senior: Brandon
Triche
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| AP Photo/ Kevin Rivoll |
Triche is a 3-year starter and unquestionably one of the
leaders of this team. While he won’t set the Carrier Dome ablaze with his
scoring abilities, the 6’4’’ guard can do a little bit of everything. Last year
he averaged a respectable 9.4 points per game as well as averaging 2 assists, 2
rebounds and a steal. This year he will have to improve on those numbers if the
Orange wants to compete at a high level. Perhaps just as invaluable is his
veteran presence, as he was one of only three players last year to start every
game.
Junior: C.J. Fair
Along with Triche, C.J. Fair must emerge as a leader for
this squad. The forward from Baltimore shot well from the field and the free
throw line last year, scoring at a 46 and 74 percent clip respectively. He also
averaged over 5 rebounds a game, and will need to keep up this quality play, as
he becomes a focal point of this team. Hopefully his performance in last year’s
NCAA tournament will be a sign of things to come. Fair tallied 15 points, 7
boards and 4 steals in a sweet sixteen win over Wisconsin, the Orange’s final
victory of the 2011-2012 season.
Sophomore: Michael
Carter-Williams
Michael Carter-Williams and fellow sophomore Rakeem
Christmas are going to be very important this year for ‘Cuse. With Dion Waiters
and Scoop Jardine gone, this is especially true for the 6’6’’ shooting guard
from Massachusetts. MCW possesses great range for a player his size and is also
a very polished passer. His combination of size and athleticism presents a
scary matchup for opponents and gives him the potential to break out in a big
way this year.
Freshman: DaJuan
Coleman
The cream of Syracuse’s 2012 recruiting crop, Coleman is a strong
forward capable of going toe-to-toe with almost anyone in the Big East. The
biggest thing for him is conditioning. If Coleman can stay in shape (he’s
currently listed at 6’9’’ 288 lbs.), he can make an immediate impact for the
team. Hailing from the same high school as Brandon Triche
(Jamesville-Dewitt-very local), Coleman is certainly a player to look out for
this year.
The 2012-2013 season is about a month away and will start on
a ship (how cool is that?) against San Diego State. Once 2013 rolls around, the
Orange will begin their final year of Big East play. Who, you ask, is its final
regular season Big East opponent? Well of course, our archrival, the Georgetown
Hoyas. I think another 6 over-time classic is in the works, wouldn’t
you say?
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