Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Syracuse eager to atone for '99
Orange loom as darkhouse for NCAA title
BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Etan Thomas has been a force inside this year for the Orangemen.
(AP photo)
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The 1999 NCAA tournament began as a 64-team affair, but before the Syracuse Orangemen could get truly comfortable with that idea, it was down to 63.
The Orangemen were gone early on the afternoon of March 11, before some folks had the chance to turn in their office pools. They became a victim of Oklahoma State's tenacity and the unfortunate scheduling that did not permit them to enjoy the tournament experience for long.
The odd thing is that being dumped so early in last year's tournament wound up adding to the time Syracuse enjoyed between defeats. As the last team in Division I to drop a game this season, the Orangemen went 332 days without a loss.
“From the beginning — the first scrimmage, the first pickup game — we knew we had something special,” sophomore shooting guard Tony Bland said. “This team is really close: no bad seeds, everybody gets along. We have great chemistry.”
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AT A GLANCE
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• Nickname: Orangemen
• Location: Syracuse, N.Y.
• Conference: Big East
• Coach: Jim Boeheim (569-195)
• Record: 20-2
• Last Final Four: 1996
• Last NCAA title: none
• Best wins: 67-55 at Miami; 88-74 over Connecticut; 63-57 over St. John's.
• Starting Five: Power forward: Ryan Blackwell, 6-7 senior, 11.0 points; small forward: Preston Shumpert, 6-6 sophomore, 9.2 points; center: Etan Thomas, 6-9 senior, 14.5 points; shooting guard: Tony Bland, 6-4 sophomore, 8.5 points; point guard: Jason Hart, 6-3 senior, 12.0 points.
• Strengths: Depth, jumpshooting, defensive flexibility.
• Weaknesses: Consistency, effort, man-to-man execution.
• Potential problems for UC: Unlike many teams the Bearcats played, the Orangemen force their opponents to guard all five positions. It's hard to cheat off any of their players because each is a scoring threat. The Orangemen are effective when they play a 2-3 zone, which isn't necessarily the best defense to shut down UC but likely would cut down on the number of possessions. Thomas might be an imposing enough defender to match up with Kenyon Martin.
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Of all the teams contending for No.1 NCAA seeds, Syracuse received the least attention in the preseason although coach Jim Boeheim had the most returning players. With the exception of freshman wing DeShaun Williams, all of the Orangemen's key contributors were a part of the team that ended last season losing a game between Nos.8 and 9 seeds.
Syracuse has unlocked the value in their wealth of experience. Point guard Jason Hart and center Etan Thomas have been effective leaders and among the nation's best at their positions. Following a disappointing junior season, forward Ryan Blackwell has accepted his role as a role player, focusing on rebounding and worrying less about his diminished role in the offense.
“We have three seniors, three guys who know what's at stake,” Hart said. “We want to go out with a bang, and I think that maturity spreads throughout the team. That's why we've been successful so far.”
As freshmen, Bland and fellow wing Preston Shumpert were productive but passive. There were times when they were uncertain about what to do, so their athletic ability served no purpose.
With the knowledge that comes from having played a full season — and now nearly two — they have become what separates Syracuse from most opponents.
As reliably productive as Hart and Thomas have become, Bland, Shumpert and Williams give the Orangemen a set of wings that few teams can match.
Unlike Florida, which sometimes uses its impressive depth so haphazardly its best players can be diminished, Syracuse keeps its wings as fresh as possible but moves aside Thomas and Hart only when forced.
The Orangemen have no player who dominates the offense, other than Hart, who pushes the ball on the break as quickly as anyone this side of Mateen Cleaves and has gained the confidence to make big shots. Although Thomas has become more emphatic as an offensive target inside, they tend not to get points from any specific direction, instead relying on whichever perimeter shooter is hottest.
Whereas last season Syracuse often allowed opponents to dictate the pace of games, this group pushes the tempo when it is prudent.
“We were as good a rebounding team, so we couldn't run,” Hart said. “This year, the guards are getting back in the lane and getting rebounds, and as soon as I get it, I'm looking to go. And the guys know that, so they've become accustomed to running out the break.”
Boeheim became reliant on a 2-3 zone defense during the early '90s and became known for it when that scheme carried the Orangemen to the 1996 NCAA championship game, where they lost to Kentucky.
That still is in the playbook, but this team plays mostly man-to-man, which makes Thomas' shot-blocking ability handier.
“I think each year we've gotten a little more athletic, guys who can jump higher, are a little bit quicker,” Hart said. “We still have our zone, and we can depend on that, but we've got a shot-blocker and some quick guards who can pressure the ball. We're just playing to our strengths.”
Syracuse never has won an NCAA title, but it's been to the championship game twice under Boeheim. It appeared in the Sweet 16 four times between 1987-1994. The Orangemen appeared to have lost their relevance, though, as the flood of glamorous recruits like Derrick Coleman, Billy Owens and Red Autry slowed in the mid-90s, about the time they served a one-year ban from the tournament for rules violations.
Boeheim actually has benefited from not having any players with the talent to leave for the NBA before their eligibility expired. Nearly all his players have NCAA tournament experience, such as it is.
“All the guys are really hungry,” Bland said. “We had an early exit last year, and we're still striving off that. Even now.”
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