The Syracuse Orange have a great deal of talent going into the 2011-2012 season. They also have plenty of depth at basically every position. And, of course, they will (as per usual) be lead by a Hall of Fame head coach in Jim Boeheim. But does this team really have what it takes to contend for the crown come March?
Frontcourt:
Last year, arguably Syracuse’s best player was a frontcourt guy named Rick Jackson. The athletic Power Forward from Philadelphia has since graduated, leaving behind a giant pair of shoes to fill (literally and figuratively). The good thing about this team, however, is that every single other player from last year’s team is returning (with the exception of C/PF DaShonte Riley, who medically redshirted last year and has since transferred to Eastern Michigan). SF Kris Joseph returns for his senior season and is poised for a breakout campaign. He has enough talent in his game to be in the mix for Big East Player of the Year next season. Joining Joseph in the Orange frontcourt is C Fab Melo. The former 5-star McDonald’s All American recruit vastly underperformed to the lofty expectations that were bestowed upon him last season. But because the 7-footer has a whole year of Big East Conference play experience mostly as a starter: Melo should exhibit a decent margin of improvement this upcoming year. He likely will share the position with fellow classmate Baye Moussa Keita again just like last year. The PF spot is the only one that is in question right now because of the loss of Jackson. In the end, I think highly rated C/PF recruit Rakeem Christmas assumes the duties down low. If he doesn’t work out though, Boeheim has plenty of other bench options to go to. Sophomore combo forward C.J. Fair showcased his excellent mid-range game and his toughness last season when he was called upon. Look for him to continue to improve as well. Orange fans also hope to see James Southerland worked into the mix as well, largely because of the mix between his size and his 3-point shooting ability.
Backcourt:
The Orange have much more experience returning to their backcourt than their frontcourt. PG Scoop Jardine should continue to assume the leadership role on this team. Jardine is a seasoned veteran at the college level (he is a 5th year senior) and has been working hard to not only improve his all around game, but also shed some weight to improve his quickness and agility. Orange fans can only hope that the Chris Paul Elite Basketball Camp that Jardine attended has greatly helped him improve on the aforementioned things. Joining him in the starting lineup is another highly experienced guard in Jr SG Brandon Triche. Triche started at PG in his freshman season and did okay. As a sophomore last season, he was moved to starting SG when Jardine was penciled in as the new starting PG. While Triche’s numbers improved between his first two seasons, he seemed to be uncomfortable at the 2 guard spot at times. Maybe a year of experience at that position behind him will help him adapt better in 2011. Jardine and Triche will be watching their backs all season long as Boeheim’s crew boasts a very deep and talented supporting cast of reserve guards. Sophomore combo guard Dion Waiters showed what he could do in the Orange’s NCAA Tournament loss to Marquette last year when he lead the team with 18 points and single-handedly kept his squad in the game. He is a flashy, creative, aggressive, talented basketball player, but last year showed the occasional problem of trying to do to much by having a “me-first” mentality. Incoming freshman Michael Carter-Williams (A.K.A. “MCW”) is arguably one of the most talented guards in the 2011 recruiting class. He won the skills competition by a landslide at the McDonald’s All American game last year and he has shown in his high school days that he is a dynamic scorer. The Orange can use him at any time off their bench next year as “instant points” if they choose to utilize him as such. Freshman Trevor Cooney and redshirt senior Mookie Jones could play if needed, but they will need to expand their games from strictly 3-point shooting if they want any chance at getting worked into the rotation.
Summary:
In conclusion, the Orange have a very well balanced group coming into next season. Four out of their five starters all have at least one full year of experience. They have talent and depth at every position. They have the great coaching staff. They have all played with each other, so team chemistry and familiarity should be a big advantage for this team. This team ultimately has all the tools to ride the road to the final four, as well as win a Big East title. If every guy does his part next year, there’s no limit to what this team can achieve.
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