I’ll be honest, I’m not familiar with the new ACC teams like I am with the old. Yes, I’m doing my research, but there is only so much homework and a few games watched can accomplish. I can’t become an expert until I finally start to watch them full time next season.
Having said that, despite losing three key starters from last year’s Final Four club, there’s enough talent to make Syracuse one of the favorites to win it all in the ACC.
GONE: Michael Carter-Williams, James Southerland, Brandon Triche, Matt Lyde-Cajuste, Griffin Hoffmann
Projected 2013-14 Lineup:
PG – Tyler Ennis (FR), 6-2/180
SG – Trevor Cooney (SO), 6-4/195
SF – C.J. Fair (SR), 6-8/215
PF – Rakeem Christmas (JR), 6-9/240
C – DaJuan Coleman (SO), 6-9/290
Jim Boeheim needs to replace his entire back court and I’ll be honest, it’s not going to be a work of art. At point, freshman Tyler Ennis is the only true point guard on the roster. He’s got a solid basketball IQ, is a smooth ball handler, who always has his head up looking for the perfect pass. However, he’s not a gifted athlete and he doesn’t have a lot of length, which is key in the infamous Syracuse zone. I think he’ll do a fine job, but don’t be surprised if Ennis shows typical freshman inconsistencies.
Trevor Cooney gets the start at the two spot, not because I think he earned it, but there is no better option (maybe). He came to college as a lights-out three point specialist, but he struggled as a freshman (27-percent). He’s not a good athlete and his ball handling skills are suspect, yet a lot of sharp shooters struggle their freshmen year. They know their time on the court is limited, so they tend to press. Here’s hoping Cooney relaxes and plays within his skill set now that he shouldn’t have to worry about minutes (maybe).
At the wing is C.J. Fair, the star and potential ACC player of the year. Leading the team in points and rebounds last year, Fair displays nasty athleticism, with a knack for finding open spots on the foor. He’s not afraid to slash towards the rim or step back and nail a three. On the defensive side, his extreme length and lateral quickness makes him a perfect fit for the zone.
Inside, Rakeem Christmas has been sort of a disappointment since coming to college. Rated the #2 center coming out of high school, he’s a great athlete, but he can only do his damage within five-feet of the basket. He’s a terrible jump shooter, but he has to play the four because I believe DaJuan Coleman needs to be the man in the five hole.
With girth and strength, Coleman can be a real star inside, the kind of guy who averages 14/8 per night. The big questions are, can he remain healthy and can he stay on the floor for long stretches?
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTORS
PF – Baye Keita (SR), 6-10/215
PF – Jerami Grant (SO), 6-8/200
SG – Michael Gbinije (SO), 6-7/205
PF – Tyler Roberson (FR), 6-7/200
The Orange are stacked in the front court with a trio of high energy, athletic combo forwards coming off the bench. Like Christmas, Keita is another big man who has struggled to live up to the high school hype. However, like Christmas, his speciality is shot blocking, so no matter who is at the four-spot, it’s tough for opponents to attack the rim.
Jerami Grant is the most gifted scorer off the bench among the bigs. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and knows how to take advantage of the situation. If he’s being guarded by a bigger opponent, he will utilize his driving ability. If he gets a smaller guy on him, he’ll put up a jumper.
However, it’s freshman Tyler Roberson who could be the sixth man off the bench. Capable of playing both the 3/4 spots, he’s long and athletic and can both drive the ball to the rim or hit a three, although he prefers the former over the latter. On the defensive side, he’s an active defender, who is always looking to deflect or block shots.
It seems like it was years ago that Michael Gbinije played at Duke, yet he is just now getting his chance at Syracuse. Known as an aggressive scorer, he loves to play catch and shoot. He’s got great size and can be one of the better defenders too. I’ve been told he could see some minutes at the point, but I’ll be honest, I never saw any spectacular ball handling skills in his one season at Duke. In the end though, I’m really interested in seeing how he’s improved during his year off. The fact is, if he can be a multi-dimensional threat at the two, he could easily replace Cooney in the starting lineup.
ROLE PLAYERS
SG – Ron Patterson (FR), 6-3/195
Patterson is a classic SG coming out of high school. He’s a catch and shoot three-point shooter, who can do some damage driving to his right, but can’t do anything going to his left. If he can’t create his own shot or create open space for himself, then like most freshmen, he’ll find his three-point shooting percentage hovering around 30%.
LIMITED ACTION
SF – B.J. Johnson (FR), 6-7/165
C – Chinonso Obokoh (FR), 6-10/220
B.J. Johnson is a lefty with a knack for rebounding. He loves to attack the basket and get above the rim, but he’s way too skinny for ACC play and he has no jump shot to speak of.
Chinonso Obokoh is a solid athlete. He displays good foot work and mobility and he loves to protect the rim. However, he needs muscle and his offensive game is raw to the bone, unable to score anything with his back to the basket. He’s a year or two away from being a solid inside guy.
