Switching Over

Hello everybody!

I will be switching to a new website for this season. The link is http://syracuseorangehoopscenter.weebly.com.

 Thank you so much for your patience and loyalty!

Sincerely,

James

2016 Recruiting Class: #24 Michigan Wolverines

by James Finneral

​It was an early exit in the tournament for a Michigan team with plenty of talent. This year Michigan is bringing in a strong recruiting class that could boost them back up towards the very top. 

Xavier Simpson 6’0” PG: Xavier Simpson out of Lima, Ohio is one of the top recruits that Michigan has landed in the past few years. Simpson is a point guard with a strong handle and a very nice three-point touch. He also has the ability to drive to the hoop so defenders must be aware of his pump fake. Simpson could be a difference maker in the Michigan program.

Jon Teske 6”10” C: Jon Teske is a long and lanky center who can altar shots with his shot blocking ability. Teske has solid post moves, but he does not have a strong jump-shot. He can definitely develop in his years at Michigan.

 Austin Davis 6’10” C: Davis is a very similar player to Teske. Davis loves to play in the post, but he can also hit shots from outside the paint. It will be interesting to see Teske and Davis alongside each other since they are so similar.

Ibi Watson 6’4” SG: Ibi Watson could be the surprise pickup this year for Michigan. Watson is only rated as a three star recruit, but his capability is much greater than people have given him credit for. He is very athletic and has a nice three-point jump-shot. Watson's game fits in nicely with the style of play in the NCAA because he likes to play fast and up tempo. Watch out for Watson in the next four years.

The Wolverines are receiving a nice mixture of guards and big men. Hopefully this recruiting class can work well together and bring Michigan back to being a dominant force in the NCAA. 

2016 Recruiting Class: #25 Villanova Wildcats

by James Finneral

​After winning the national championship, the Villanova Wildcats are hoping their fresh talent can help them repeat. Villanova has two strong recruits that are coming in for this season.

Omari Spellman 6'9" PF: Spellman is one of the top big men in this year's recruiting class. He is very strong and can bully defenders in the post. Despite his large frame, Spellman is pretty quick on his feet. He has a nice arsenal of post moves and a knack for grabbing rebounds. Expect Spellman to have an instant impact on the Wildcat squad.

Dylan Painter 6'9" C:
Painter is a hard working big man that can run the floor. He is a presence on the defensive end with his shot blocking ability. Painter also has the ability to shoot from mid-range so he is a pretty versatile player.

Villanova needed more big men after losing Daniel Ochefu and now they got them.

Orange Heading to the Final Four

by James Finneral

When the NCAA Tournament field was selected many people thought Syracuse did not deserve to make the tournament. The Orange struggled in the ACC, but it did rack up a solid number of top twenty-five wins. Now Syracuse has made it to the Final Four and proved all of the naysayers wrong. Here is how the Orange have made it this far and a look into its matchup against North Carolina.

In the early rounds of the tournament Syracuse was in lockdown mode on defense. The Orange held Dayton to 51 points and Middle Tennessee to 50 points. The Orange held both of those teams to under 33% from the field. The length of Syracuse's 2-3 zone seemed to bother both Dayton and Middle Tennessee. Michael Gbinije, Malachi Richardson and Trevor Cooney all were solid producers on the offensive end. In these games the world saw a more poised Syracuse team. Ever since the tournament began they seemed to be playing with much more intensity. After two dominant wins in the tournament Syracuse still had its doubters, but they played even harder in the next two games.

Gonzaga was a true test for the Orange. Domantas Sabonis and Kyle Wiltjer both proved to be problems for the Orange defense. Sabonis was getting anything he wanted down low and Wiltjer was shooting well from three-point land. Despite not being able to stop Sabonis or Wiltjer, Syracuse was within striking distance towards the end of the game. Syracuse went on a 9-1 run to end the game and defeat Gonzaga 63-60. Michael Gbinije stepped up like a true senior leader and made big play after big play on the offensive end. Trevor Cooney may have been the true savior for Syracuse in this game, coming up with many big steals down the stretch. This big victory set up a terrific Elite 8 showdown with Virginia. Virginia had already defeated Syracuse earlier in the year and earned a number one seeding. The Cavaliers create many matchup problems for the Orange and they were the heavy favorites in this game. It looked all, but over for the Orange by the end of the first half as they went to the locker room down 16 points. Freshman, Malachi Richardson lead the humongous comeback for Syracuse in the second half, scoring 21 of his 23 points. Virginia could just not find an answer for Richardson, who was firing on all cylinders. Once again Syracuse was able to make all the right plays down the stretch and send Virginia packing by a score of 68-62.

 The next task for the Orange is defeating the only number one seed left in the tournament, North Carolina. North Carolina has defeated Syracuse twice already this year, but Syracuse only lost by five when they were playing in Chapel Hill. This North Carolina is loaded with talent. Starting off with two senior stars, Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige. Johnson is one of the most athletic players in the country who can score in the post and shoot from mid-range. Paige has an excellent basketball IQ and he is shooting the ball well in this tournament. Kenedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks and Justin Jackson are all tall and long guys who could cause trouble for the Orange. Joel Berry is also an excellent guard who the top of the 2-3 zone must contain. The real mismatch that North Carolina has on Syracuse is down low. North Carolina is a very big and strong team and Syracuse does not have very many strong post players. Syracuse will need Tyler Lydon and Tyler Roberson in for most of the game. The guards for Syracuse must rebound as well or else North Carolina will get many easy baskets off offensive rebounds. It seems improbable that Syracuse will win this game, but it also seemed improbable that the Orange would beat Virginia and go to the Final Four. Syracuse has proved people wrong time and time again in this tournament and if they play their best game they might just make it to the national championship game.  

Sweet 16: East Region

by James Finneral

(1) North Carolina Tar Heels: 

This Tar Heel team is arguably the most talented team in the entire tournament. They took first place in a very competitive ACC. The senior duo of Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige have lead this team to where they are now. Brice Johnson has had a monster year. Johnson has improved his offensive game this season. He can use his athleticism when he is close to the rim, but he has also shown a solid mid-range game. Johnson is also a terrific rebounder and defender. Paige has been a great leader for the Tar Heels. Although he has not shot the ball as well as he would like, Paige has still been productive. Joel Berry completes the back-court with Paige. Berry is a very athletic guard who is very effective at getting to the rim. Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks provide more size and strength in the post. Hicks is an athletic big who shoots a very high percentage from the field. Meeks is very powerful and difficult for defenders to contain in the post. Justin Jackson is another consistent producer for the Tar Heels. Jackson can play out on the wing, but at 6-7 he can still rise above players when he is close to the rim. The Tar Heels are difficult for any team to match up against.

(5) Indiana Hoosiers:  

The Indiana Hoosiers are coming off a huge win against Kentucky and they are ready for the next challenge. The Hoosiers are lead by senior guard, Yogi Ferrell. Ferrel is a playmaker who can score and pass the ball. James Blackmon is the other guard in the back-court for Indiana. Blackmon is a knock down three point shooter, but he is also very athletic and can get to the rim. Thomas Bryant has been great for Indiana down low during the tournament. Bryant has a nice arsenal of post moves to get by defenders. Troy Williams is a wing player for Indiana who has been pretty consistent in terms of production. Williams is very athletic and rebounds very well for a wing player. Lastly Robert Johnson is another guard for Indiana who can shoot the three. When Indiana starts hitting three pointers they are extremely difficult to stop. It will be interesting to see how Indiana deals with the talented roster of North Carolina.  

Prediction: North Carolina over Indiana: 82-74
North Carolina has too many weapons of offense for Indiana to contain. Indiana is talented and athletic, but North Carolina presents many matchup problems for them.

(6) Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 

Notre Dame has lost some talent since last year, but they are still a very strong team. The Fighting Irish performed well in the tough ACC. This team feeds off the point guard-forward combination of Demetrius Jackson and Zach Auguste. Jackson is one of the most athletic point guards in the entire tournament. He can get to rim as well as shoot the ball. Jackson is also a strong passer who gets his teammates involved. Zach Auguste has been on the receiving end of many of Jackson's passes. Auguste is a strong and physical big man who can push around defenders in the post. Auguste has been a double-double machine for the Fighting Irish this year. V.J. Beachem is a junior forward who has made a tremendous improvement in his game since last year. Beachem is now a vital part of the Notre Dame offense. Junior guard, Steve Vasturia was a big part of Notre Dame's run in last year's tournament. Although he has been struggling with his jump-shot lately, do not be surprised to see Vasturia put up a big game. Bonzie Colson is a tough forward who likes to mix it up down low. Colson is a big piece of Notre Dame's rebounding game and he must play well for Notre Dame to advance. There is no doubt that Notre Dame wants to at least match their performance last year.

(7) Wisconsin Badgers:

Wisconsin is another team that is trying to at least replicate what they did last year. The Badger's run to the national championship game last year was nothing short of phenomenal. They have lost some strong players, but they still have Nigel Hayes. Hayes has assumed a leadership position on this Badger team. Hayes is an extremely athletic player who is very affective at driving to the basket. Hayes has been a reliable scoring source for Wisconsin all season. Junior guard, Bronson Koenig is coming off an amazing game winning shot against Xavier. Koenig is a strong three point shooter that the Badgers will need in order to advance in the tournament. Forward, Ethan Happ has been a strong contributor for Wisconsin in his freshman season. Happ gives the Badgers some size and rebounding down low. Vitto Brown is another forward for Wisconsin who could have an impact in the game. Brown is a tough guy to contain in the post, but he has also displayed his shooting range this season. In the past two games Wisconsin has shown that they want a championship badly and they do not care who they have to go through to get there.

Prediction: Notre Dame over Wisconsin: 75-73  
These two teams are both hungry, but Notre Dame has the more talented roster. The Wisconsin big men may be strong, but they have no one that will be able to contain Zach Auguste. Look for both Auguste and Jackson to have big games for the Fighting Irish.

Sweet 16: West Region

by James Finneral

The top four seeds in the West region still remain in the tournament. Here is a look at these four great teams and predictions for the two games.

(1) Oregon Ducks:                    
The Oregon Ducks have made a lot of noise out of the Pac-12. They have plenty of quality wins under their belt and have earned a number one seed in the tournament. The Oregon front-court is the heart of their team. Dillon Brooks is an athletic forward who plays above the rim. Brooks is also a strong mid-range shooter and can hit a three with time. Elgin Cook is a pretty similar player to Brooks. They can both attack and rebound. Chris Boucher is the man in the middle for the Ducks. He is long and lanky and makes his presence known on the defensive end Boucher is an affective rebounder and shot blocker, but he has also shown some offensive game as well. Tyler Dorsey has been a great addition to this Oregon team. Dorsey is a tall point guard with great court vision. He can also stretch defenses with his three point range. This is a very hungry and talented Oregon team.

(4) Duke Blue Devils:

Duke would love to match what it did last year. Although the Blue Devils are talented, they will have much more work to do to win a national championship. As a sophomore, Grayson Allen has become a superstar. He is very athletic and has a knack for scoring the ball. Brandon Ingram is the one man threatening Ben Simmons for being the number one selection in this year's draft. Ingram is 6-9, but he plays like a guard. He has a strong handle and a nice jump shot. When Ingram gets in the post he uses his length to get over defenders. Luke Kennard is a freshman guard who has been a strong scorer for Duke this season. Kennard can shoot the three with time so defenses have to be aware of that. Matt Jones stretches the defense for Duke with his knock down three point jumper. Down low Duke has Marshall Plumlee who is a big strong guy who grabs a ton of rebounds. This year's Blue Devils may not be as talented as last year's, but they still have quite a bit of fire power.

Prediction: Duke over Oregon: 70-67
Oregon will have it's runs in this game, but they will not be able to find an answer for Brandon Ingram. There is no one  on Oregon who matches up well with Ingram so expect him to have a big game. This is another game that should come down to the wire.

(3) Texas A&M:

After a double overtime scare against Northern Iowa, the Texas A&M Aggies have to look forward to playing Oklahoma on Thursday. This team is lead by two star seniors, Danuel House and Jalen Jones. House is a big time athlete. Although he is 6-7 he plays out on the wing and looks to attack the basket. Jones is a pretty similar player to House. Jones is about the same size as House and he likes to go to the rim as well. House and Jones are not three point marksmen by any means, but they do have range to the arch. Freshman, Tyler Davis is a big body in the post. Davis plays like a pretty traditional big man, taking most of his shots from inside the post. Davis, House and Jones all attack the glass and grab many rebounds. Lastly senior, Alex Caruso has been a leader for the Aggies this year. Caruso gets his teammates involved, but he also has the ability to shoot the ball and attack the rim. This is one of the strongest Texas A&M teams in a while.

(2) Oklahoma Sooners:

The Oklahoma Sooners are the best they have been since the Blake Griffin season. Buddy Hield is the front runner for the Player of the Year Award. Hield is an incredible scorer who can hurt defenses in a variety of ways. The common misconception about Oklahoma is that  Buddy Hield is the whole team and they do not have other good players. Although Buddy Hield puts on a show, Oklahoma is loaded with other great players. Isaiah Cousins is very athletic and shoots the lights out. Jordan Woodard is another guard for Oklahoma who is a great three point shooter. Hield, Cousins and Woodard are the reason that Oklahoma has been the best three point shooting team in the country this year. Down low the Sooners have senior, Ryan Spangler. Spangler is a strong forward who averages nearly a double-double per game. Khadeem Lattin has also been a key piece for the Sooners down low. Lattin is very athletic and causes issues for the opposing teams that try to come in the post. This Oklahoma team has the talent to take it the distance in this tournament.

Prediction: Oklahoma over Texas A&M : 80-74 
Oklahoma will shoot the ball very well like they always do and Texas A&M will not be able to match them. The Sooner front-court should be able to contain the front-court of Texas A&M.

Sweet 16: South Region

by James Finneral

This year's tournament has been filled with many shocking upsets and now there are only sixteen teams left. The South region of the bracket has four great teams in the Sweet 16 which should make for two great games. Here is a look at each team left in the South and predictions for the games. 

(1) Kansas Jayhawks:

The Kansas Jayhawks have earned the number one overall seeding in this year's tournament. They have been a pretty consistent team all year and they are coming of a Big 12 Tournament championship. This is a very athletic Jayhawk team headlined by senior, Perry Ellis. Ellis has not only produced big numbers for Kansas, but has also been a great leader. This Kansas team has excellent guards. Frank Mason III is an electric point guard, Wayne Selden is a big time athlete with a solid three point touch and Devonte' Graham is a deadly three point shooter. Many teams have struggled to match the guard play and athleticism of Kansas. There are only a few teams with the talent and heart to beat Kansas. 

(5) Maryland Terrapins: 

At one point this year Maryland was a top five team in the country, but now they are a five seed in the tournament. Sophomore point guard, Melo Trimble is the leader of the Terps. He is a floor general who can drive to the basket as well as shoot from outside. Freshman big man, Diamond Stone has made an immediate impact for Maryland. His 6-11, 255 lb frame makes him difficult to guard in the post. Robert Carter is also a powerful presence in the post. Jake Layman and Rasheed Sulaimon are two great three point shooters that add additional fire power to Maryland's offense. This team has the talent of a number one seed, but they are a five seed who has to play the number one overall team. 

Prediction: Maryland over Kansas: 75-70  

Melo Trimble and Rasheed Sulaimon will be able to match the Kansas guards and the Maryland bigs are too strong for Kansas to contain. Perry Ellis will need help down low in order for Kansas to win this game.


(3) Miami Hurricanes: 

Miami is a team that can make some noise in this tournament. They have big time athletes that can make electric plays. The Hurricane's fire power comes from their point guard and wing players. Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan are the senior leaders of the team and make up one of the best back-courts in the tournament. Rodriguez can both score the ball and find open teammates. McClellan is a special athlete who can get to the rim and shoot the ball pretty well. Davon Reed is another wing player that can shoot and rebound. These three guys can single handedly beat teams. Tonye Jekiri is the big man in the middle for Miami. At 7 feet tall, Jekiri is a great presence on the offensive and defensive ends. The Hurricanes are coming off a huge win against a very experienced Wichita State squad and they are definitely ready for a show down against Villanova.

(2) Villanova Wildcats:

Over the past few years Villanova has revived their program. Year in and year out the Wildcats earn a solid seed in the tournament. Villanova, much like Miami is lead by their back-court. Josh Hart is a strong guard who leads the Wildcats in scoring. Ryan Arcidiacono is a strong scorer as well, but he is also a solid passer. Kris Jenkins and Daniel Ochefu make up the front-court for the Wildcats. Jenkins plays more on the wing and knocks down three pointers. Ochefu on the other hand is a big powerful guy who is very strong in the post. This Villanova team is pretty experienced and they work well together. After being disappointed early on in the tournament last year, Villanova is very hungry for a deep run in the tournament.

Prediction: Miami over Villanova: 82-80 (OT) 
This will be one of the best games of the tournament so far. Both of these teams are good enough to win the national championship. They match up very well against one another, but I see Angel Rodriguez making big plays down the stretch and leading the Hurricanes to victory in overtime.

This is probably the most talented region in the entire tournament so we should be in for a treat when these two games are played.