October 24, 2005
Doing Somersaults (Part 2)
With the upcoming season of Syracuse University basketball seeming like Gerry McNamara's Farewell Tour instead of a plausible opportunity for a title, I must look to the future to find a team that will read "Final Four material" in its pre-season press releases. Fortunately, I didn't have to search very far to find championship-type talent within a recruiting class.
Predicting a deep run into the NCAA Tournament is difficult enough to do with the information available in March of that year, let alone with what we have available to us today when looking forward to 2007 and beyond. Fortunately, the business of tracking college recruiting has become so profitable lately that there are several different resources to choose from when attempting to predict one's March joy over the next decade. Just by running a Google search on names like Greg Oden, OJ Mayo, or even our friend Eric Devendorf, it is possible to learn all sorts of information regarding the players that will be favored to lead their teams to Final Four glory in the years to come. After reviewing the future of the Orange basketball team, I've found that the incoming Syracuse players may have some glory in store for fans as well.
As it has been reported on extensively around the Central New York area, S.U. is in line to have the top recruiting class in the country to start the 2007-2008 season. Of the four players that are currently scheduled to begin their college careers at Syracuse, 3 are ranked in the Rivals.com Top 100 for 2007. The fourth, Richard Jackson, is one of the best players in Philadelphia and expects to join the rankings before the current season ends. The rest of the class should also move up a few notches, including Donte Greene, who is currently ranked as high as the 12th best player in the country, according to Scout.com, and is playing for Carmelo Anthony's old high school as well as his AAU team, Team Melo. These four ultra-talented incoming freshmen watched the Orangemen win the 2003 National Championship when they were 14 years old - the same year they began pondering which Division-1 programs they would offer their services to. Considering the style in which S.U. won their title - underdogs led by a top-profile recruit with a future hall of fame coach who his players loved - it's not just coincidence that accounts for the school now being able to secure a top freshman class 2 years in advance. By helping Syracuse University Basketball win its first championship, Carmelo Anthony - helped by his street-credibility - promoted the school as a powerhouse program where the best players play. The recruiting magnet that Pearl Washington helped create in the late 80's (Coleman, Owens, Ellis, Siock) is officially recharged. Next time S.U. wins the championship, it won't be unexpected.
By looking at the '07-'08 class, one could expect that Syracuse will get to the Final Four again sometime between '09 and 2011, right? That, although it would be great, I believe is a prediction that looks too far ahead. With all the hype that has come from that class, it seems that much of the population has forgotten the player that is looking to be the next NBA star to come out of Syracuse University - 2006 freshman Paul Harris. Harris will be joining the team at just the right moment, when there will be 4 returning seniors and an experienced backcourt able to score or assist as needed. Harris could join the team in the same role Carmelo had in his lone season - the natural playmaking freshman who quickly becomes the team's #1 threat. Yes, there will already be a great deal of experience in the returning players, and Jimmy usually prefers wisdom over raw talent, but Harris is a lock to be a starter from Day One. Entering school with the Rookie of the Year will be Mike Jones, a small forward who has gone relatively unnoticed lately, having been overshadowed by his hyper-publicized classmate. Jones, though not nearly as good as Harris, is still a standout recruit and might have been the best pre-frosh since 'Melo if it weren't for his classmate. Both are ranked in the Top 40 of 2006 - Harris possibly making the Top 5 (or #1, if you listen to Doug Gottlieb) by the time this season ends. With only 2 recruits, Syracuse's 2006 freshman class is ranked #9 by Scout.com. No other team in the Top 20 has less than 3 incoming players. Forget 2007, folks - the Orange are for real next year. The 2006-07 version of the Orange will be the most talented, and possibly most experienced team since 1987, when they were pre-season #1.This is how the team could look on opening day (starters, followed by their backups):
Point Guard: Josh Wright, Junior
Shooting Guard: Eric Devendorf, Sophomore / Louie McCroskey, Senior
Small Forward: Paul Harris, Freshman / Demetrius Nichols, Senior
Power Forward: Terrence Roberts, Senior / Dayshawn Wright, Junior
Center: Darryl Watkins, Senior / Arinze Onuaku, Sophomore
wow. Now that's a team I can look forward to watching.
Mike Jones doesn't even fit into that lineup, though I have suspicions that he will get some time playing a forward spot throughout the season, especially if Nichols continues to struggle. Devendorf is able to play the point if needed, giving Boeheim a lot of flexibility in how he uses his substitutions. Much like a Duke or North Carolina team, Syracuse will be able to go 9 or 10 players deep into the bench without a significant drop in ability on the floor. Like I said in the previous post, I do not believe Nichols or McCroskey will have what it takes to start any games on this team. Looking at where they both are at this point in their careers, there will simply be too much talent available to give them the nod over blue chips like Devendorf and Harris. However, having two seniors available off the bench with as much experience in the coach's system as they will have is a great advantage over any opposing team in the country. They won't average 15 pts/game, but the team won't need them to - all they'll have to do is provide fresh-legged defensive pressure and wear down the other team.
A starting five consisting of two seniors, one junior, one sophomore, one freshman. Speed, power, scoring, passing. The perfect mix of energy and experience. The '06-'07 team will provide exactly what the program is going to need after Mayor McNamara leaves campus. With the start of next season comes a new era of Syracuse Basketball - one that will bring an even higher standard of winning and publicity-generating tournament runs into early April. Much like Carmelo inspiring the 2007 class to commit to SU, this team will inspire today's 14 year-old superstars-in-the-making to schedule a stop in snowbelt during their recruiting visits. Maybe by next year we'll even know what their rankings will be.
