Season 2: Q&A 2
@Syracuse.Hoops Blog
Thank you for reading my blog! This is the second Q&A this offseason, the first one went great! I love getting so many insightful questions. If your’s was not answered, ask again next time. Follow me on Instagram @Syracuse.Hoops. I LOVE your feedback so comment on this blog or send me a DM. Enjoy the blog and go Cuse!
Q&A- Season 2 : Blog 2
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Q1: Is Braswell gonna get minutes next season / Will Braswell make an impact?
-@nicholas_davirro_123 / @therealdocky
A: Absolutely. As I’ve said before, Cuse is extremely depleted of forwards. They lost Darius Bazley to the G-League and Matthew Moyer who transferred to Vanderbilt. Before landing Braswell, Cuse only had 2 forwards on the roster: Oshae and Marek. They both would have to play huge minutes again which hurt them late in games last season. Now with Robert, they’ll have a chance to rest and be more effective. Braswell’s game is a perfect fit for Cuse. He is long, lean, a great shooter, and can jump out of the gym. He is a state champion high jumper clearing an eye popping 6’10” bar. He also has shown the ability to cash in from three, hitting NBA range shots. Despite being the tallest player in the court in high school, he was most effective on the perimeter. I could see him coming off the bench as a SF or a stretch PF. He lived in Germany and learned the game there where they preach getting everybody involved, so he will have no problem in the Cuse offense. Defensively he will wreak havoc for opponents. His length and athleticism will be a tremendous asset in the zone. Many people point to the fact that he wasn’t highly rated by most recruiting sites; However he didn’t play in large AAU circuits due to injury and has only lived in America for a few years. I can’t wait to see what Robert brings to the table. He may be the long term option for Cuse at forward.
Q2: Who do you think will emerge as the go to shooter next season?
-Via @tennakaarina
A: This question lies on the shoulders of Tyus Battle. If he decides to stay in the draft, Cuse will lose their go to guy. When Cuse was down late in game they turned to Tyus. Everything ran through him. His replacement might be Oshae Brissett. Oshae showed Cuse fans what he can do with the ball in his hands. He demonstrated his ability to get to the rim and create his own shot. Although, he was an inconsistent finisher, shooting only 37% from inside the arc, increased floor spacing will help him tremendously. He will need to prove he can finish around the rim to become the go to scorer for Cuse. It might be Frank Howard. The lone senior had an increased role last season. He was Cuse’s second leading scorer last year at almost 15 PPG. He was Syracuse’s best 3 point shooter. I think Frank will be more of a facilitator and not the number one scoring option, but it’s possible. It could be Elijah Hughes. He is widely regarded as the replacement for Tyus. He will start in place of Tyus at SG. At East Carolina, he averaged 8 PPG in only 20 MPG. He is a great shooter despite poor freshman numbers. He could be a viable option as the go to scorer. It might be incoming freshman Jalen Carey. I can see him in a similar role to Dion Waiters a few years back: Coming off the bench and leading the second team. The dude is a scorer. He averaged over 20 PPG in high school. He may be the best flat out scorer on the roster. No matter who it is, Cuse needs a guy to rely on late in games.
Q3: What is the best and worst case scenario at the center position this year?
-Via @jkopek6
A: Theres no doubt that Syracuse struggled at the center position last season. This was large in part due to injury. Bourama missed multiple games with knee issues which put pressure on Paschal to play big minutes. Best case scenario this year both Paschal and Bourama stay healthy. They both are phenomenal rim protectors and the two of them, when healthy, is a scary sight for opposing teams. Best case is that they improve their offensive game and Cuse gets some production on offense from them. Cuse will enter the season with two solid, healthy centers. Worst case scenario; Paschal/Bourama don’t stay healthy and they again struggle to get some sort of offense from the center position. We will continue to hope for the best case.
Q4: What is your opinion on the upgrades to the Carrier Dome, and what should fans be excited about?
-Via @Matt_le0
A: Fans have a lot to be excited in the next few years. Syracuse University announced they are investing $118 million into the beloved dome. The Carrier Dome was built in 1980 and not much has changed since then. Yes, fans do not attend Cuse games for the stadium, but it was outdated and needed a change. One MAJOR change will be the roof. Syracuse will lose its patented skyline without the puffy white roof. The roof will now be rigid and permanent, not air supported (No more being blown out of the doors on your way out). Most of the money will go towards the roof. There will also be a jumbotron hanging from the middle, a first for Syracuse. It will be mobile so it can be moved to for basketball games. There also will be new services installed such as WiFi (Thank God) and air conditioning. Yes, a building named after an air conditioning company will finally get air conditioning. Many of the facilities within the dome will be updated including the concession stands and bathrooms. The fans are split on the removal of the infamous mens bathroom troughs. It has been said that they will be one of the first things to go (RIP). There also is plans to improve the seating. Yes, the bleachers will go, hooray to not having back pain. One uncertainty will be the name. Carrier may be bought out of their naming rights and the dome may sport a new name. This would be a strange thing to get used to. All the things that are being done will improve the experience of going to a Cuse sporting event. The renovation is fitting considering the dome houses more teams than any other college facility. The plan is to have all construction wrapped up by 2022.
Q5: What do you think will be the teams biggest obstacle to overcome this season?
-Via @dwsphotography
A: The biggest obstacle this season will be figuring out where everyone fits into the rotation. Syracuse will only have five (six with Tyus) rotational players returning next year. They have more new guys than returners. Howard Washington missed much of the year with a knee injury, they added three recruits in Jalen, Buddy, and Robert, and they have a transfer in Elijah Hughes who will be eligible to play this season, and possibly another recruit or transfer. It will take time for all of them to figure out their role. I expect multiple combinations of starting lineups in the non conference.
Q6: What is the best rivalry in the Boeheim Era?
-Via @lj1610
A: There have been some great rivalries in Cuse’s history. One is UConn. Arguably the best game in basketball history was the 6 OT game vs UConn in the Big East tournament. Since leaving the Big East it has lost its lust despite playing each other every year. Another is Louisville who was one of Syracuse’s Big East rivals that carried into the ACC when both moved in. However, it’s lost its competitive edge since Patino was fired. Duke has emerged as a rival since Cuse joined the ACC. They have had a couple of fantastic games between them including John Gillons miraculous buzzer beater. All these are great but there is no arguing that the best rivalry is Cuse and Georgetown. It all started in 1980 when John Thompson and the Hoyas ruined Cuse’s 57 game home winning streak in the last game played at Manley Field House. He had the infamous quote saying Manley “was officially closed.” From then it would be in if the greatest rivalries in college basketball. Despite being in different conferences, Cuse and Gtown still play each other every year. They renewed the rivalry last season with a thrilling overtime victory. Not only is it on of the best rivalries in college basketball, it’s one of the best rivalries in sports.
Q7: Do you think Tyus should stay or enter the draft?
-Via @will_prkr
A: There is no denying that Tyus can ball, he has proved that time and time again last season. He is a great athlete and defender. He can shoot the long ball which is a need to succeed in the NBA. However, his stock is a little lower than people predicted it would be before the season. He was very streaky at times. He would go off for thirty one game and be non existent the next. He shot a low percentage from inside the arc and had poor shot selection at times. Granted, he did not have a lot of help on offense but he still needs to improve that. If he were to stay in the draft, he’ll fall late first round to early second. There is still guaranteed money in that range so I completely understand if he stays in the draft. However, staying another year would help immensely. He will have a much more efficient year with some offensive help and improve upon his weaknesses. The 2019 draft will be much weaker as there will be less than 10 one and dones. Tyus could be a lottery pick next year which means more money. No matter what he does, Cuse fans should support him.
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Thank you for reading the Q&A! I love interacting with my followers and the Q&A is a great way to do that. Please ask your question again next time if it wasn’t answered and chances are I will answer it. As always, thank you for the support on my page! Make sure to send me some feedback on how you liked the blog.
Go Cuse!
