Basketball Guide 2013

2013-14 basketball season preview Syracuse will lean on poised freshman point guard Tyler Ennis as it enters the ACC. Page 3 Hall of Fame head coaches are the faces of what could be the greatest conference. page 12

Duke transfer Michael Gbinije plays to live both his and his brother’s dream. page 5

Legendary company Syracuse moves on from the Big East and to a loaded Atlantic Coast Conference

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SMOOTH OPERATOR

POINT GUARD ENNIS BRINGS POISE, QUIET CONFIDENCE AS ORANGE’S FRESHMAN LEADER

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By Stephen Bailey ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

hroughout Tyler Ennis’ childhood, his father — and often his coach — Tony McIntyre would ask him the same series of questions.

Do you even like basketball? Are you sure? Why don’t you show it on the court?

For years, McIntyre failed to see the competitive fire in his son’s game. Tyler would play up on his older brother’s teams. Dylan, two years ahead of Tyler, and Brandon, four ahead, were fiercer on the court. part 4 of 4 McIntyre wondered if Tyler felt pressured to play the sport that controlled the family’s everyday life. It wasn’t that Tyler was passive. He was outgoing off the court, just not exclamatory on it. There was never any yelling. There was never frustration after a mistake or celebration after a success.

So McIntyre would ask his son those questions. On the court after games. In the car on their way home. At the dinner table later that night.

The questions baffled Tyler because there were never any questions in his mind.

Only an answer: “That’s how it’s supposed to be.”

“I just played and that’s how I always was. It helps me in pressure situations and keeping guys in control and things like that. My dad always wondered why. I don’t know why.”

Tyler is preparing to be only the fifth freshman to run the point for Jim Boeheim in the last three decades. But he’s far from an ordinary freshman — preposterous passing ability and catlike vision aside.

He’s as prepared a freshman Boeheim said he has ever had — more poised than former Duke superstar Jay Williams, according to Mark Taylor, who coached both in high school.

“I don’t really look at myself as a freshman,” Tyler said.

Not many people do — mostly because he doesn’t look like one. The calm command and unwavering nerve he brings as the Orange’s court general is a sharp contrast from the animated reactions of Michael CarterWilliams last season.

“He’s going to have good games. He’s going to have average games,” McIntyre said. “I’ve never seen him play a bad game.”

Now at Syracuse, the university he once called his “dream school,” he’ll look to lead the Orange to its first national championship since 2003.

“I know a lot of people are expecting a big year, expecting a lot,” Tyler said, “but that comes with what I wanted. I wanted a big role as a freshman and I got it. I know high expectations come with that.

“Now I have to produce.”

••• Suzette Ennis loved to shoot homemade videos of her children when they were young.

Many times when she was focusing on another sibling, Tyler would jump in front of the camera and break in: This is Tyler TV and we’re doing a show on Dylan Ennis.

“He actually liked being on the camera,” Suzette said.

Even as a kid, Tyler’s personality off the court contrasted that on it. In the house rambunctious battles with his brothers in NBA Live would spill out onto the street in front of their house where they would play basketball.

He was the kid brother, but he wasn’t the shy kid brother.

“He was always the kid they would push around on the street when he was 4 or 5 years old,” McIntyre said. “They would always be like, ‘You can’t play. And he said, ‘Well I’m going to play.’”

But on the court, he was stoic. The chatterbox Dylan roughhoused with around the house was sometimes emotionless on the court. For a while it was concerning for the family, but over time Dylan began to see it as a strength.

“I think that’s what I like most about him. You can’t tell that he’s down.

fresh FACES

“Tyler has got the most poise of anybody I’ve ever coached.

He just stays so calm no matter what the situation.”

Mark Taylor

ST. BENEDICT’S HEAD COACH

(top) photo illustration by spencer bodian | asst. photo editor (bottom) ziniu chen | staff photographer TYLER ENNIS brings his calm demeanor to SU this season as the Orange’s starting point guard. He has big shoes to fill now that Michael Carter-Williams has moved on to the NBA. Head coach Jim Boeheim said Ennis will take on significant minutes for SU.

SEE ENNIS PAGE 17

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contents Up for re-election

“Dunk City” took the country by storm during last season’s NCAA Tournament.

Now Florida Gulf Coast is back with a new head coach. Page 6

Get big

SU forwards Rakeem Christmas and DaJuan Coleman spent the offseason working to add an offensive arsenal to their raw defensive talent. Page 7

Ray of sunshine

Maryland forward Jake Layman is finally in a starring role and ready to shine for the Terrapins. Page 8

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New faces

A new conference brings new competition for Syracuse — some of the best players in the nation. Page 9

The best of all time

“I think we’ll be the best of all time hands down because we have three powerhouses from other conferences. We didn’t get the bottom half of that league — we got three of the top four and the No. 1 team comes next year.”

Ian Miller

Florida State guard

“It’s a blessing to have the best conference yet again.”

Jabari Park

Duke freshman forward

The Atlantic Coast Conference’s new look sets it up to be one of the most impressive leagues in NCAA history.

Page 12

How it stands

Syracuse is among the favorites in the Atlantic Coast Conference in its first season in the new league. Page 15

Days go by

Freshman forwards Bria and Briana Day bring size and athleticism to Syracuse as the Orange transitions to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Page 16

Editor’s note: This 2013-14 Basketball Season Preview provides a look at the Orange as it heads into a new conference. In this issue, you will find a profile on Syracuse’s freshman starting point guard, Tyler Ennis, a story about Duke transfer Michael Gbinije’s relationship with his brother and a look at what SU’s big men are doing to improve offensively. The spread of this issue also takes a peek inside the Atlantic Coast Conference and its quest to be the best league ever with the help of three Hall of Fame head coaches. With these stories and more, this guide provides an all-encompassing analysis of Syracuse’s upcoming season in its new home.

Sincerely,

David Wilson Sports Editor

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gbinije brothers

Duke transfer Michael gbinije joins Su, keeping special bond with brother brandon

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(top) ziniu chen | staff photographer (bottom and top right) photos courtesy of the gbinije family (above) michael and brandon gbinije spray-painted their hair for “Crazy Hair Day” at school. Brandon called it the “Dennis Rodman look.”

In the top-right photo, Michael sleeps in a car seat with a ball.

By Trevor Hass Asst. Sports Editor

ichael and Brandon Gbinije are complete opposites.

That’s according to their mother Yvette, the woman who’s guided them toward adulthood.

Michael stands at 6 feet 7 inches, while Brandon is 5 feet 9 inches. Michael is the classic extrovert, always out and about meeting new people. Brandon prefers to stay at home and inside.

Michael plays on the Syracuse basketball team.

Brandon is a freshman at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Va., and lives with their parents.

Their differences stick out right away, but they also bring them together. It’s what makes them so inseparable. It’s why every time Michael steps on the court, he has Brandon in mind. This year, as he plays backup point guard and sometimes shooting guard for Syracuse after transferring from Duke, he’ll be doing it all for Brandon.

After all, he’s his best friend. They’re both each other’s inspiration. Michael knows Brandon doesn’t have the physical ability he does, so he plays for Brandon. To make his brother proud.

“That’s my favorite human being in the world,” Michael said with a grin.

Michael wears No. 0 in honor of Brandon. Brandon’s favorite superstar when he was a child was Gilbert Arenas, who goes by the moniker “Agent Zero.” When Michael played at Duke, Brandon loved watching Austin Rivers, who donned No. 0, as well.

Michael also wears the No. 0 because he is out of chances. After barely seeing the floor at Duke, he knows this is his last opportunity. Brandon would love to play Division I basketball, so Michael has to live the dream for him.

“I know he wants to accomplish some goals that I have accomplished, but he just can’t,” Michael said.

“He just doesn’t have the ability. Sometimes I wish I could give him the experience, so that’s why I do what I do.”

Michael was 2 years old when Brandon was born. They immediately became incredibly close.

As children, they would read the “Cat in the Hat” together. Brandon even dressed up as the Cat from the book for Halloween one year.

They both spray-painted their hair green for “Crazy Hair Day” in elementary school — the Dennis Rodman look, Brandon called it.

And as they grew older together, they became pranksters.

Michael smiled while talking about the time he and Brandon tied their dad’s shoes together when he was asleep. He and Brandon dressed up in costumes to freak out their chihuahua Tyga sometimes, too.

“We watch a lot of comedy movies,” Michael said. “A lot of ‘Step Brothers,’ Will Ferrell, ‘Jackass.’ All that good stuff.”

Michael listens as Brandon reels off his list of impressions. One of his favorites is John Wall, where he speaks rapidly and in clichés and changes the inflection of his voice to sound like the Washington Wizards point guard.

“He sometimes looks to me for jokes,” Brandon said. “Sometimes I give him jokes. Sometimes most of them are not funny, but I try.”

But even more so, the brothers have bonded

see gbinje page 22

The Devil wears orange Before coming to Syracuse, forward Michael Gbinije came off the bench for new Atlantic Coast Conference rival Duke. He got on the court sparingly with the Blue Devils before transferring.

MPG PPG RPG APG FG& 3P%

5.8 1.7 0.8 0.2 .550 .400

dunk party

photo courtesy of mitchell leff chase fieler throws down a dunk over San Diego State. In last year’s NCAA Tournament, Florida Gulf Coast played the part of the “Cinderella” team and made a run to the Sweet 16, stunning Georgetown and ruining brackets everywhere.

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‘Mayor’ fieler, fgcu are back for another term

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By Josh Hyber Staff Writer

t Florida Gulf Coast’s Midnight Madness event, Chase Fieler’s moniker became official. The Eagles introduced him as “the mayor of Dunk City.”

In last season’s NCAA Tournament, Fieler, secretary of dunk Brett Comer and cabinet members Sherwood Brown and Bernard Thompson captivated the nation as the No. 15 seed in the South Region, upsetting No. 2 Georgetown and No. 7 San Diego State en route to the Sweet 16.

Now the Cinderella Eagles are known throughout the land, and will enter this season with eyes fixated on their glass sneakers and little-known town of Fort Myers, Fla. With the return of mayor Fieler, Comer and the addition of head coach Joe Dooley from Kansas, Florida Gulf Coast is out to prove it can once again attend the grand ball.

“Far and away, nothing we do locally to drive the economy and interest in Fort Myers can compete with that kind of national notoriety,” said Randy Henderson, the actual mayor of Fort Myers, in an email. “Enrollment in the school spiked and continues. People love Fort Myers.”

In 1983, there was Jim Valvano, North Carolina State and the “Cardiac Cats”. In 1988, there was Kansas’ “Danny and the Miracles.” In 2013, it was “Dunk City” and Florida Gulf Coast, a small school on Florida’s western shore that earned full Division I postseason eligibility only two years ago.

But on Nov. 13, in its second game of the season, FGCU upset Miami (Fla.).

“After that game, it really gave us the confidence

see fgcu page 11

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BIG MEN

ON CAMPUS FORWARDS CHRISTMAS, COLEMAN SPEND OFFSEASON IMPROVING OFFENSIVE GAME

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By Phil D’Abbraccio ASST. COPY EDITOR

he lack of offense from Syracuse’s big men was a theme throughout most of last season, but the deficiency was at its worst against Louisville on March 2.

Rakeem Christmas, DaJuan Coleman and Baye Moussa Keita combined for two points.

Each attempted one field goal, and Christmas was the only one to convert his. On the other end of the court, Louisville big man Gorgui Dieng dominated the inside with 11 points and 14 rebounds, powering the Cardinals to a five-point victory in a low-scoring Carrier Dome battle.

Syracuse’s big men know how to anchor the middle of head coach Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone. They know how to crash the boards and they know how to grab rebounds. But if they can assert themselves in SU’s offense, it would

“But they’re really effective when they can put that other guy right in the paint underneath the basket, where all they have to do is what? Turn, face and finish.”

Mike Hopkins SU ASSISTANT COACH

serve as a much-needed boost to the rest of the team as it transitions into the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“I think there’s going to be some opportunities there for them to score and I think we’ll have good balance,” Boeheim said, “because I think we have guys that can shoot and score at the forward and guard positions.

The Orange lost three of its top four scorers from last season, who averaged a combined 38.8 points per game — slightly less than three times the offensive production the big men mustered.

In their absences, much of the weight of putting the ball in the basket will be on the shoulders of SU senior C.J. Fair, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

He’s confident that the big men can help pick up some of that slack.

“Last year, the inside wasn’t really our strong suit, but I think this year, it’s going to be much stronger,” Fair said. “You can tell they worked on their game a lot and improved this year. They’re not scared to miss a shot.”

Last year, Syracuse’s guards and small

forwards accounted for 83.3 percent of SU’s scoring output. Christmas, Coleman and Keita collectively averaged just more than 13 points per game.

“I think this year, we definitely came back bigger and stronger,” Coleman said. “Definitely more offense-minded this year, and just can’t wait for the season to start.

“If we need a basket down low, I think I can step in and do that.”

As soon as last year’s Final Four run came to an end, the big men — labeled by many as the team’s weakest position — fired up their preparation for what they hope is a comeback season.

Coleman, Christmas and Keita reported for duty at the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center five days a week throughout the offseason. Once the basketballs come out, the on-court drills begin.

They practice three simple post moves: stationary hook shots, hook shots off a drop step and up-and-unders. Hold the ball high in the air, don’t hesitate and go up strong to the rim. Take your six shots and rotate.

“Just doing everything to perfection.

We don’t do more than three moves. We try to perfect three moves and then move on,” Christmas said. “We do it every day. It’s like daily vitamins for us.”

Outside of the key, the big men work on coming off screens and knocking down 15-17- foot jumpers, which assistant coach Mike Hopkins said will help develop their shooting stroke at the free-throw line.

After putting in an hour and a half on the court, the big men head to the workout room, where they spend another hour and a half enhancing their physiques with weightlifting and running.

And all that sweating has paid off.

Coleman said he is entering this season 10-15 pounds lighter. The knee that sidelined him for eight games last year is now at 100 percent.

His trimmed frame, assistant coach Adrian Autry said, will be the first thing people notice about Coleman this season. His slimmer build and work ethic have translated to the low post, where he’s refined his skills, Autry said.

The sophomore has improved his use of both hands to finish at the rim, Autry said, and is shooting the ball 15-17 feet away from the hoop.

“He’s getting more confident and comfortable with what we’re doing and understanding schemes,” Autry said. “I think the biggest thing is getting that year under his belt, getting himself in condition.”

On the other hand is Christmas, who has always had a reputation for being an imposing, shot-blocking defensive presence near the rim.

He backed that up as a freshman two years ago in the NCAA Tournament. With starting

SEE BIG MEN PAGE 19

#25

RAKEEM CHRISTMAS

Position: Forward

Class: Junior

Height: 6-9

Hometown: Philadelphia

Weight: 250

High School: Academy of the New Church

#12

BAYE MOUSSA KEITA

#32

DAJUAN COLEMAN

Position: Center

Position: Forward

Height: 6-10

Height: 6-9

Weight: 220

Weight: 280

Class: Senior

Class: Sophomore

Hometown: Saint Louis, Senegal

Hometown: Jamesville, N.Y.

High School: Oak Hill Academy

High School: Jamesville-DeWitt

(top) sam maller | asst. photo editor (bottom) ryan maccammon | staff photographer

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LAYMAN’S TURN MARYLAND FORWARD PREPARES FOR BIGGER ROLE AS STARTER

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By Jesse Dougherty ASST. COPY EDITOR

laire and Tim Layman tried to convince their son Jake to focus on their respective sports.

Tim played baseball at Maine and Claire played basketball there, too. They knew their son had the ability to play either game at a high level. It was only a matter of time until he chose one.

“She coached me a lot and was a big part of my basketball world,” Jake Layman said, “and then there was my dad saying I should play baseball.”

Layman said he didn’t need to make a decision while growing up. Baseball and basketball were played in different seasons.

“But as I got older,” Layman said, “I realized basketball was my calling.”

Layman’s decision led him to run alongside some of the country’s best players in his age group, something a bat and glove could have never done.

Entering his second year with Maryland, Layman is wading into the prime of his collegiate career. After averaging 5.5 points and starting 17 games last season, the sophomore forward will have an increased role with the Terrapins this season and is certain his familiarity with high-level competition has prepared him for it.

“My confidence level is as high as it’s ever been right now,” Layman said, “and I’m feeling good about it.”

It was just an intra-squad scrimmage, but the U-17 Boston Amateur Basketball Club was playing at full speed.

A consensus top AAU team in the country, BABC was playing in a tournament in Los Angeles and tuning up before the start. Playing defense in the half court, Layman was reminded of how good the team was.

When a guard drove into the lane, Layman stepped up to stop the penetration. The guard dished the ball and when Layman turned, another teammate, Nerlens Noel, dunked over him.

“His mom wanted to know if her son could really play, and he could. He started out on the bottom of the pile.”

Leo Papile

BABC HEAD COACH

photo courtesy of maryland athletics JAKE LAYMAN steps into a full-time starting role for Maryland this season after starting 17 games with the Terps last season. He has a lot of experience with tough competition, which has prepared him for the additional minutes.

“Yeah, he just dunked on me,” Layman said laughing. “We had a really good team.”

When Layman was a sophomore in high school, his mother Claire, a pragmatist, wanted to gauge how good her son was. She went to Leo Papile, the coach and founder of BABC and former senior director of basketball operations with the Boston Celtics, to see if there was a spot on his team.

Impressed, Papile made Layman a role player on a star-studded squad.

“His mom wanted to know if her son could really play and he could,” Papile said. “He started out on the bottom of the pile.”

That team ended up winning the 10th-grade national championship. By the end of the year, Layman was in the rotation off the bench.

With his sights set on playing Division I basketball, Layman embraced the role. While he shined at King Philip Regional (Mass.) High School, it was with Papile and BABC where he made his name.

SEE LAYMAN PAGE 18

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ACC PLAYERS TO WATCH

JABARI PARKER SF, Duke

The freshman small forward garnered preseason ACC Player of the Year votes before even taking the floor for the Blue Devils. In any year without Andrew Wiggins, Parker would be the most exciting new face in the country.

Even so, he’ll be one of the top attractions in the nation and a contender for the No. 1 overall draft pick.

JAMES MICHAEL MCADOO F, North Carolina

After underachieving as a freshman, the forward had a strong sophomore campaign. He could’ve been a lottery pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, but opted to return to Chapel Hill, N.C., to lead the Tar Heels. He was one of the top players in the nation coming out of high school, and is poised to cash in on his enormous potential.

OLIVIER HANLAN

PG, Boston College

The Eagles were one of the youngest teams in the country last year and struggled, but Hanlan was an immediate star. The point guard averaged 15.4 points per game last season, but just 2.3 assists en route to winning ACC Rookie of the Year. That number figures to jump as his young teammates come along.

AKIL MITCHELL PF, Virginia

Joe Harris gets credit for the Cavaliers’ success, but Mitchell is a crucial piece. He chipped in 13.1 points per game and led UVA with 8.9 rebounds. Mitchell gives the Cavaliers a bruising inside presence to compete with the best.

JAKE LAYMAN

JERIAN GRANT

SF, Maryland

G, Notre Dame

The sharpshooting small forward seems to be headed for a breakout year. Layman had his biggest games against Duke and other top-tier competition. He’s been the star for the Terrapins in the preseason and continues to develop his all-around game.

The brother of Syracuse’s Grant, Jerian Grant is the conference’s consummate combo guard. Grant was one of the best guards in the Big East last season and will be the focal point of a Fighting Irish offense that loses Jack Cooley.

— Compiled by David Wilson, sports editor, dbwilson@syr.edu, @DBWilson2

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Conference vs. conference Atlantic Coast Conference

American Athletic Conference

Teams

15 10

New teams

3 5

Top 25 teams

5 3

Hall of Fame coaches

3 2

National champions

16 8

Most recent national champion: 2013

Most recent national champion

2013 2010

Largest arena: KFC Yum! Center (22,090)

Largest arena

KFC Yum! Center Carrier Dome (22,090) (35,012)

Preseason favorite

Duke Louisville

Preseason Player of the Year

C.J. Fair Russ Smith SF, Syracuse G, Louisville

Teams: 15 New teams: 3 Top 25 teams: Hall of Fame coaches: 3 National championships: 16

Preseason favorite: Duke Preseason Player of the Year: C.J. Fair, SF, Syracuse Preseason Rookie of the Year: Jabari Parker, SF, Duke No. 1-overall NBA Draft picks: 12 Most recent No. 1 pick: Kyrie Irvin, Duke

Jabari Parker Keith Frazier SF, Duke S. Methodist, G

No. 1-overall NBA Draft picks

12 6

Most recent No. 1 pick

Kyrie Irving Derrick Rose

Preseason Rookie of the Year

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fgcu

from page 6

that we could play with one of the elite teams in the country,” Fieler said.

The Eagles went on to win the conference championship and earned themselves an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and a firstround matchup against No. 2-seed Georgetown.

“When we saw that matchup, we kind of got wide eyed,” Comer said, “because we knew we could really go up against them and win the game.”

The origin of the “Dunk City” motto is unclear. Some players first heard it on ESPN. Others say they saw it on Twitter. But against Georgetown, “Dunk City” won, and won in “Dunk City” fashion.

With the Eagles leading 65-58 with 2:03 left in regulation and the Hoyas pressing, Fieler threw an underneath-the-basket inbounds pass to Thompson. Thompson made a quick pass to Comer, who was waiting just outside the 3-point line on the right side.

Racing from end to end on the left side of the court was Fieler, who soared through the air and caught a pass from Comer with his right hand cocked behind his head. Fieler threw it down with authority and officially earned his mayoral title after the game.

“That’s something we’ve done in practice and we’d done throughout the entire season,” Fieler said. “I don’t think we really knew how big of a deal it was and how much it meant to the nation until the timeout when the stadium was going craz.”

The dunk put the finishing touches on a win and put “Dunk City” on the map. In Western Florida, there was pandemonium.

“You would walk into a gym and all everybody was talking about was FGCU and ‘Dunk

City’ making it to the Sweet 16,” said Eagles freshman guard Armand Shoon, who attended Westwood Christian High School in Miami.

“I definitely wanted to be a part of an up-andcoming program.”

But in the Sweet 16, the Eagles lost to Florida.

A month later, head coach Andy Enfield departed for Southern California. Two weeks later, the school announced the hiring of Dooley, an

“It doesn’t need to be remade,” he said, “it just needs to be refined.”

Joe Dooley Florida Gulf Coast head coach

assistant from Kansas.

Dooley doesn’t mind the up-tempo style, and said the team can probably average more points by rebounding and cutting down on turnovers.

“It doesn’t need to be remade,” he said, “it just needs to be refined.”

FGCU doesn’t plan on doing any renaming either, just building on last season.

“At this point, we have to build a legacy,” Fieler said. “Not just a one and done, or just one or two years. We have to keep winning.”

As for Mayor Henderson, he doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight with Fieler, the mayor of “Dunk City.”

“I will be tutoring Chase in the ways of Mayorhood,” he said. “He will be reciprocating by helping me improve my game. I love basketball. It’s a win-win.” jmhyber@syr.edu

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three wise men

Krzyzewski

boeheim

Williams

957-297

920-314

700-180

Duke

acc footprint (From north to south) Syracuse Boston College Notre Dame

Syracuse

4 national championships

1 national championship

2 national championships

11 Final Fours

4 Final Fours

7 Final Fours

13 ACC Tournament championships

5 Big East Tournament championships

2 ACC Tournament championships

12 ACC regular season titles

9 Big East regular season titles

6 ACC regular season titles

8 NCAA championship appearances

2010 FIBA Basketball World Cup gold medal

3 Big 12 Tournament championships

13 Elite Eights

Three-time FIBA World Championship medalist

4 Big 12 regular season titles

2007 FIBA Americas Championship gold medal

1 Big Eight Tournament championship

2-time Basketball Times National Coach of the Year

Pittsburgh Maryland

3-time Naismith College Coach of the Year

Virginia Virginia Tech Duke Wake Forest North Carolina

2 Olympic gold medals

5 Big East regular season titles

1991 NABC Coach of the Year

4-time Big East Coach of the Year

2-time AP Coach of the Year

5-time ACC Coach of the Year

2006 John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award

1997 Naismith College Coach of the Year

2000 Clair Bee Coach of the Year

2-time Henry Iba Award winner

2005 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

2003 John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award winner

2001 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

North Carolina State Clemson

2006 College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

Georgia Tech Florida State Miami (Fla.)

A league of its own

2006 College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

ziniu chen | staff photographer Heading into its first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Syracuse was picked to finish second in the preseason ACC poll. The conference is being recognized by its players and coaches as the strongest in the nation.

Jim Boeheim Roy Williams Mike Krzyzewski

Win No. 903

ll Eric Atkins could do was shake his head.

The Notre Dame guard was sitting at a table tucked away in the corner of the ballroom at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Charlotte, N.C., running through a mental list of Atlantic Coast Conference coaches at media day in mid-October.

There are the Hall of Famers Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams and Jim Boeheim. There’s his own coach Mike Brey. Oh, and Jim Larranaga of George Mason fame. And, of course, Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon. Plus Rick Pitino coming next year.

“Wow. Yeah — wow,” Atkins said. He stutters and stumbles over the names of the legendary coaches. “Wow. I didn’t think about all the coaches. I think about all the teams.”

Those men are the faces of a conference that has a chance to be the best of all time. From the top — with teams like Syracuse and Duke with coaches like Boeheim and Krzyzewski — to the bottom, the ACC has formed the nation’s premier super conference.

ACC schools have combined for 331 all-time

NCAA Tournament bids — almost 100 ahead of the next most successful conference. Only Virginia Tech and Miami (Fla.), who won the conference last year, haven’t reached 10 or more Tournaments. Five of the 15 schools have a national title to their name and have accounted for 13 total championships.

The notion that Syracuse and Pittsburgh sacrificed basketball for football in their move to the ACC is no more.

“The only thing that our fans will miss,” Boeheim said, “is the Big East Tournament.”

On July 1, after almost two years of anticipation, the Orange finally joined the ACC. Boeheim took to New York City with Brey, Larry Fitzgerald and ACC commissioner John Swofford to usher in a new forward-thinking era of college athletics — but, most notably, college basketball.

Syracuse and Pittsburgh bolted south because of football, but basketball is the sport that defines the new-look ACC. Syracuse-Clemson football was packed, but the Duke basketball game sold out in less than two hours.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Florida State guard Ian Miller said. “Before they came it was

always a great opportunity, but now that we’re the No. 1 conference, hands down, in America, every night we’re going to have to compete harder and they just make it that much more sweeter if you win.

“History is going to be made this year.”

It’s a misconception, Boeheim says, that he was against the move to the ACC. Sure, he will miss the old Big East — a league that he watched become one of the first great conferences — but realignment diluted it anyway. When Louisville comes to the ACC next year, the conference will be made up of more former Big East teams than original ACC schools.

He would like the conference to keep roots in New York, but that’s more because of the fans and good of the league than it is for his own personal gain.

Boeheim recalls one particular Big East Tournament. Although he can’t remember the exact year, it was one of his first experiences at the event. He walked out onto the court and looked into the crowd to see 10 or so of the top recruits in the nation.

“There’s more exposure,” Boeheim said. “I

think it’s good for the league. I think there’s obviously a lot more recruits in Washington and New York than there are in Greensboro.”

New York has produced more NBAers than any state but California, but states down the eastern seaboard — like Maryland, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia — aren’t far behind.

Swofford likes to talk about “conference footprint” and says that his league’s is the largest. It stretches through the South, like it always has, but with the addition of New York, it now dips into the Northeast not only for television, but also in terms of recruiting.

So Swofford hasn’t shot down the notion of the ACC Tournament spending time in New York.

“You have to understand,” he said, “that NYC is a permanent part of our footprint.”

FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton takes a seat where Atkins started the day. A handful of hours have passed, but the questions haven’t changed.

How good can this conference be? What about all these coaches?

“You’ve got to look at the big picture of what’s happening in the ACC,” Hamilton said, captivat-

ing the attention of the handful of reporters seated around him. Most reporters are seated by Krzyzewski, but Hamilton has his own insight.

“Even though I hear bits and pieces, we have put together the greatest collection of successful, traditional, winning basketball programs ever assembled in the history of college basketball.”

The ACC now features three of the five winningest programs in college basketball history and Hamilton rattles them off from memory.

North Carolina is No. 3. Duke is No. 4. Syracuse is No. 5.

He keeps going. Notre Dame is No. 9. North Carolina State is No. 25. Pittsburgh No. 45. These are the teams that make up college basketball’s upper echelon.

Two years ago, though, Hamilton’s Seminoles found a way to win the conference. Last year it was Miami. The talent from the top trickles down as teams are forced to compete with toptier competition.

“The traditional rich teams have helped bring the other teams up,” Hamilton said. “Now I’m not real sure if it’s going to be as much of a difference between the top and the bottom from

year to year. I think there’s an explosion getting ready to happen that’s a bigger story than the three Hall of Fame coaches.”

But those three — and the one coming next year — are impossible to ignore. They form a tight-knit fraternity — Boeheim and Krzyzewski are especially close — and ambassadors for the nation’s top conference. In fact, it was Krzyzewski who first publicly proclaimed how great the league had a chance to be.

But it’s away from the powers — away from Tobacco Road or the Carrier Dome — where the effects are most prominent. Syracuse, Duke and North Carolina will be good wherever they play.

Hamilton has seen it firsthand. Great teams make a great league, but a great league simply makes everyone better.

“The success that we’ve had in putting together this collection of schools and coaches, along with the talent level that exists, is amazing.

There’s no other way to describe it,” Hamilton said. “This is something new and unique that I don’t think anybody understands the gravity of what’s happening.” dbwilson@syr.edu

Win No. 470 1500

1200

900

Williams’ defining win came when North Carolina fended off Illinois 75-70 to claim the national championship. Sean May scored 26 points as the Tar Heels edged the Illini in thrilling fashion. Williams went on to win another championship in 2009.

With Bob Knight calling the game courtside, Krzyzewski passed his mentor with a 74-69 win over Michigan State at Madison Square Garden. Krzyzewski began as a guard at Army under Knight and later served as an assistant on his staff.

Games

A

Sports Editor

2-time ACC Coach of the Year

#winning

with addition of new schools, atlantic coast conference could be greatest of all time

By David Wilson

North Carolina

600

300

Win No. 880

Boeheim passes Dean Smith for most career wins by a head coach at a single school. Kris Joseph made a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left to beat Georgetown 64-61 in overtime.

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Wins

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BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

14

MEN’S

DAVID WILSON

TREVOR HASS

29-2 (16-2 ACC)

TOURNAMENT FINISH:

Elite Eight

Syracuse takes the ACC by storm in its first season. The Orange has C.J. Fair — and an equally gifted small forward in Jerami Grant. As he makes a big leap, big men Rakeem Christmas and DaJuan Coleman follow suit to give SU as strong a frontcourt as there is.

STEPHEN BAILEY

28-3 (16-2 ACC)

28-3 (15-3 ACC)

TOURNAMENT FINISH: Elite Eight

TOURNAMENT FINISH: Final Four

The Orange has the best frontcourt in the nation with seniors C.J. Fair and Baye Moussa Keita leading the way.

Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije are the X-factors. Their ability to knock down contested jumpers will determine how far SU goes in the tournament.

Syracuse will go as far as its guards take it. Jim Boeheim said freshman Tyler Ennis will play 38 minutes per game this year. To reach Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this March, the Orange will need production during every one of them.

WOMEN’S

PHIL D’ABBRACCIO

JOSH HYBER

AUSTIN MIRMINA

20-9 NCAA TOURNAMENT: First Round

18-11 NCAA TOURNAMENT: None

20-9 NCAA TOURNAMENT: First round

Quentin Hillsman has built a quality program through his recruiting. The Orange bring in another top-ranked recruiting class to make up for the losses of Elashier Hall, Kayla Alexander and Carmen Tyson-Thomas.

The team is coming off of one of its best seasons in program history, reaching the NCAA tournament as a No. 7 seed, but with the loss of its top three scorers and top three rebounders, the Orange will need a true team effort to in its first year in the ACC.

Syracuse loses most of its stars from last season’s NCAA tournament team, but sophomores Brittney Sykes and Brianna Butler are poised for a leap.

Freshmen Bria and Briana Day will be the ones that have to try and replace Kayla Alexander.

POSITION BY POSITION SHOOTING GUARD POINT GUARD It’s all on Tyler Ennis to follow up Michael Carter-Williams’ breakout season. The freshman will dive right into the starting role and take the reins of Syracuse’s offense. Behind Ennis, Michael Gbinije will also see time at point guard.

SMALL FORWARDS C.J. Fair is Syracuse’s go-to scorer. The preseason Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, Fair scored at least 10 points in 33 of the Orange’s 40 games. Outside of Fair, Jerami Grant will see an increased role from last season.

The two-guard is the most open position for the Orange. Trevor Cooney could solidify his likely starting role by consistently hitting 3-pointers, just like the five he drilled at Orange Madness. The 6-foot-7 Michael Gbinije offers length at the top of the 2-3 zone.

POWER FORWARDS This is where it gets interesting. Syracuse will have to develop a balance at the four. Combinations including wings C.J. Fair and Jerami Grant, but the Orange also hopes to play big men Rakeem Christmas and DaJuan Coleman simultaneously.

CENTER DaJuan Coleman, Rakeem Christmas and Baye Moussa Keita should each be more of an imposing figure defensively and on the glass, but their offense remains a question mark.

15

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ACC PRESEASON

POLL DUKE

1

Led by the highly touted Jabari Parker, the Blue Devils bring back three of the four guards from last year’s rotation.

UNC

3

Freshman big men Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks will see minutes right away.

NOTRE DAME

5

Notre Dame returns four starters, but will need to fill the void left by Jack Cooley.

PITTSBURGH

6

6-foot-9 senior forward Talib Zanna will lead the Panthers on offense and defense.

MARYLAND

7

The Terps bring back Dez Wells and Jake Layman to head UMD’s offensive attack.

BOSTON COLLEGE

8

Olivier Hanlan was a consistent force as a freshma. He’ll anchor the Eagles’ core.

FLORIDA STATE

9

Until Jameis Winston throws on a basketball jersey, this team will be mediocre.

NC STATE

10

The Wolfpack lost most of its rotation, including C.J. Leslie and Richard Howell.

GEORGIA TECH

11

With a daunting start, the Yellow Jackets will be buried in the ACC standings early.

MIAMI

12

Miami returns no one from its NCAA Tournament No. 2-seed team last season.

WAKE FOREST

13

Chris Paul ain’t walking through that door.

CLEMSON

14

This is where ACC teams get their revenge after football season.

VIRGINIA TECH

15

Somewhere, Erick Green smiles upon the program that let him score so many points.

Duke and Syracuse are the favorites in the preseason ACC media poll.

—Compiled by Jesse Dougherty, asst. copy editor, jcdoug01@syr.edu

SYRACUSE

2

Freshman Tyler Ennis will be thrust into a leadership role as the starting point guard.

VIRGINIA

4

Seniors Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell return after averaging double figures last season.

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16

ON THE TRAIL Syracuse has landed three top-100 recruits in each of the past two seasons after grabbing just two total in the two seasons before.

Rank Player 2013 57

Briana Day

73

Tasia Butler

92

Alexis Peterson

2012 14

Brianna Butler

31

Brittney Sykes

74

Cornelia Fondren

2011 65

2010 27

Tiffany Jones

Rachel Coffey

spencer bodian | asst. photo editor (FROM LEFT) BRIANA AND BRIA DAY, in addition to being twins, are freshman forwards from Raleigh, N.C. The two sisters originally committed to play college basketball elsewhere, but instead brought their 6-foot-4 frames to Syracuse, where the Orange hopes to utilize their size and athleticisi, as the progra, transitions into the ACC.

ALL DAY FRESHMAN SISTERS BRIA, BRIANA FILL FRONTCOURT VOID LEFT BY ALEXANDER

B

By Sam Blum STAFF WRITER

ria and Briana Day are one in the same. They look the same. They both stand 6 feet, 4 inches. They both have the same slight southern accent.

Though the identical twins are often interchangeable, the two tallest Syracuse basketball players have no trouble standing out in a crowd.

When they walk into the Carmelo K. Anthony Center for practice together, they smile as they tower above their teammates.

Inseparable growing up, not going to college together, not practicing together and not taking the court together were never an option.

“Yeah,” Briana said defiantly. “There was never any question.”

This season, Bria and Briana will fulfill the inevitable when they take the court in Syracuse orange together for the first time.

The journey to opening night started in middle school when Bria’s English teacher and the school’s basketball coach suggested the two join the team. Standing at 6 feet, 2

inches at the time, there wasn’t much debate.

There was only one problem: They were bad.

“When you can get two post players, it’s a luxury. They’re in a role where they can step in and help us right away.”

Quentin Hillsman

SYRACUSE HEAD COACH

They were tall but unskilled, and didn’t know the rules.

When the girls played on their seventh grade team, their mother Katherine approached an AAU coach, Ty Cox, who was in attendance watching his own daughter play the game. She asked if he could teach her daughters to play.

“They weren’t very good at all,” Cox said.

spencer bodian | asst. photo editor (LEFT) BRIA AND BRIANA DAY once committed to North Carolina, but further evaluation led the towering sisters to SU, where they willl be called upon right away.

“They were tall and everyone expected them to be good, and it was tough for them. They were truly athletic. They could run. They could jump. But they didn’t know the game, and they really were not good.”

So he took them under his wing. First he taught them dribbling. Next were layups.

Then passing. They were starting to get better, and the future looked bright.

But heading into eighth grade, they were faced with a choice. They had to either pursue basketball full time, or continue participating

in track and field. Cox said their track and field coach said the girls had to choose one or the other in the hopes that they’d drop basketball.

“But they chose basketball.” Cox said.

“That’s when they really started playing basketball seriously.”

In high school, they only got better. With more talent and a chance to get two athletes in a package deal, college coaches were relentless in their pursuit of the Day sisters.

SEE DAY PAGE 19

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ENNIS

FROM PAGE 3

You can’t tell that he’s mad,” Dylan said.

Tyler played up on Dylan and Brandon’s teams from age 4 all the way until high school.

Always a point guard for his father’s CIA Bounce program — an AAU team — Tyler gained confidence playing with his brothers.

From the beginning, he carved out a role as a distributor and ball-handler.

“We would really push each other, beat each other up to the point where we made sure we got a lot out of it and made sure we got better that day,” Brandon said.

••• There was a time when Tyler would come home from practice with hair long enough to braid and scratches up and down his arms.

That was back when basketball was only his second-best sport.

From age 4 until the end of sixth grade, Tyler was a better box lacrosse defender than point guard.

“He was actually amazing at it,” McIntyre said. “I think that helped him, too, with his emotions.”

Lacrosse helped him gain the confidence to hang with his brothers and other players their age, Dylan and his parents agreed. But rather than the 6-foot-2 point guard he is now, Tyler was one of the biggest players on the lacrosse field.

From a physicality perspective, lacrosse prepared Tyler to challenge big men at the rim. To absorb contact, and still finish his shots.

But from a tactical perspective, box lacrosse is similar to basketball. Reading screen-and-roll plays and zone rotations carried over to the basketball court, where Tyler thrived in pickand-rolls.

They’re still his favorite play to this day.

“I think that’s what’s made him a better basketball player in terms of coming off screen-androlls,” McIntyre said. “Because in lacrosse, if you put your head down, you’re getting killed.”

There came a point, though, when Tyler’s lacrosse career had run its course. Entering middle school, that’s when the basketball domi-

nance began.

“I remember thinking, ‘He wasn’t the little Tyler who I used to beat up,’” Brandon said.

“I’ve really got to play him now.”

••• Five hundred ninety-eight.

That was St. Benedict’s ranking after Tyler’s first year at the school. After head coach Roshown McLeod resigned in April 2011 following a 13-12 campaign. After all the non-seniors split for greener pawstures.

Other prep schools swarmed to Tyler. He could have gone anywhere, St. Benedict’s assistant coach Bob Farrell said.

But two years later, Tyler would lead the Gray Bees to the national championship game.

It all started with a trip to Newark Liberty International Airport in spring 2011 when newly hired head coach Mark Taylor picked him up.

“He was unsure what he was going to do,” Taylor said. “He really didn’t know. But I gave him a lot of credit just getting on the plane, coming down and talking.”

Taylor and Farrell had only spoken with him over the phone at this point, but they knew the program’s immediate success hung in the balance of that conversation.

“If you commit to us, we’re going to commit to you,” Taylor told Tyler. “This is your team. We’ll build the pieces, but we’ve got to have a point guard that has the ability and the IQ that you have, and everything else will fall into place.”

He stayed.

St. Benedict’s won a school-record 35 games en route to the No. 2 ranking in New Jersey that year, as Tyler was named Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year.

As a senior he led the Gray Bees to the No. 2 national ranking and just seconds from a national title.

When he didn’t make the McDonald’s AllAmerican team, Tyler dropped a school-record 53 points on Eastern (N.J.). When highly acclaimed Princeton Day Academy star Aquille Carr talked smack to him on the court, Tyler scored 10 straight points on “the Crimestopper.”

Tyler helped the Gray Bees snap No. 1 Findlay Prep’s 54-game winning streak, then St.

KEY

GOTTA BE FRESH

2007-08 Flynn was the highestscoring freshman in the quartet, averaging more than 39 minutes in Big East play.

Four freshmen have run point for Jim Boeheim in the last 30 years. Two are currently on Boeheim’s coaching staff.

Here’s a look at how they stack up: 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

35.5 35.3 33.2 34.0

20 15 10 5 0

Jonny Flynn 2002-03 Known for his shooting, McNamara committed the fewest turnovers in leading Syracuse to a national championship.

Gerry McNamara

15.7 13.3 9.7

1990-91

14.4

Autry was named to the All-Big East first team when Syracuse won the Big East regular season title.

POINTS PER GAME

MINUTES PER GAME 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Anthony’s 83-game streak.

“He’s a true gamer,” Farrell said. “If you’ve got to send somebody to hit free throws in the last few seconds or take that last shot, Tyler would be my guy.”

••• Tyler was Farrell’s guy off the court, too.

The strict Monday-to-Friday confines of St. Benedict’s were often difficult for Tyler. He would complain about the living situations, Bob’s wife Michelle Farrell said, like being unable to have food in his room.

But more than anything, he just needed a change of environment from Newark.

So on weekends without basketball games, he stayed at the Farrell’s home in Point Pleasant Beach. He became part of the family, walking or biking to the nearby Jersey Shore regularly with the Farrell’s son Matt, and attended family dinners on Sunday — the quiet Canadian surrounded by as many as 20 boisterous Italians.

“I remember the first time he came and my husband introduced me to him,” Michelle said, “he talked so quiet I couldn’t understand him.

“He had to repeat himself, and I finally just said, ‘If you want to stay here, you’re definitely going to have to speak up because nobody can hear you.’”

Gradually, Tyler became comfortable there. He learned Michelle would take care of his laundry for him and cook him pork roll, egg and cheeses on a hearty bagel each morning.

The bedroom he slept in each weekend became Tyler’s room, and the family support from the Farrells allowed him to stay focused on basketball and maintaining his control on the court.

“He was part of the family,” Michelle said.

“That was just another one of my kids out there.”

••• C.J. Fair, Jerami Grant, Rakeem Christmas and Michael Gbinije all agreed: They haven’t seen Tyler get frustrated on the court once.

Through two months of practice, a four-game homecoming exhibition tour to Canada, Orange Madness and SU’s two scrimmages, Tyler has fit the bill as a smooth operator.

Adrian Autry

5.3

4.2

5.3

6.2

ASSISTS PER GAME

4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0

1983-84

2.7 2.4 3.6 3.5

TURNOVERS PER GAME

Washington was likely the greatest playmaker of the group, coming to SU as the most highly recruited player in the nation.

Pearl Washington

“The only time he gets frustrated is when I take the towel from him while he’s in the shower,” Gbinije said before cracking a smile.

Tyler said he’s comfortable with the weight placed on his shoulders. He wants it there.

Seemingly, Boeheim does, too. Before the season he said that Tyler would play 38 minutes per game this year.

More than the 35.3 per game that Gerry McNamara played as a freshman in SU’s 2003 championship season and the 35.5 that Jonny Flynn played as a freshman five years later.

That confidence shone through in Boeheim’s press conference after SU’s 79-41 win over Holy Family last Friday.

When asked about his assessment of Tyler’s performance, Boeheim merely shrugged.

“He was fine. I don’t even think about him.” sebail01@syr.edu @Stephen_Bailey1

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LAYMAN FROM PAGE 8

That was where he honed his physical gifts and discovered his natural scoring touch. At the time, Layman was 6 feet 8 inches and 205 pounds, but he was still growing throughout high school and had to deliberately refine his skills to keep up with his physical development.

And when he did that, he earned a spot on another loaded roster — the U.S. U-18 national team.

In the summer before his freshman season at Maryland, Layman traveled with that team to the FIBA U-18 championship in Brazil.

JAKE LAYMAN’S FIELD GOALS MADE LAST SEASON

39 35 Total: 74

Led by Florida head coach Billy Donovan, the United States earned a gold medal after a 5-0 finish. Layman, once again, came off the bench. He played 12.2 minutes per game and averaged 7.6 points, the fifth most on the team.

“There was a ton of great players that I had all heard of before,” Layman said, “and playing with them that summer prepared me for anything I’d face at the next level.”

A week before the 2013 season opened, Papile created a hypothetical situation where he pondered Layman’s NBA potential.

If Layman were European, Papile said, he would have been drafted in the first round right out of high school.

In his freshman season, he was only overtly impressive in f lashes. But he worked all summer on his shooting stroke and ball handling, hoping to become more than just the role player he’s always been.

“He was a little rocky last year, but when he heated up, he really could stroke it in games,” Maryland guard Nick Faust said during the Atlantic Coast Conference media day. “(Now) he’s just been stroking. So we just try to get him off screens and let him shoot.”

Outside of high school basketball, Layman was always a bench player. It didn’t matter that some of the nation’s best programs wanted him. He played sparingly for the U.S. U18 team and never started for BABC. But now he’s nestling into a starting role with the Terrapins, and there’s no question that he chose the right sport.

“Jake’s best days are ahead of him,” Papile said. “Here’s a guy with a sparkling basketball resume. Maryland has something going for it with him.” jcdoug01@syr.edu @dougherty_ jesse

IN GOOD COMPANY Jake Layman has had the opportunity to play with some great players and coaches throughout his basketball career. Here are the top five of each.

Best coaches

NAME

TEAM WITH LAYMAN

CURRENT TEAM

Billy Donovan

U.S. U-18 National team head coach

Florida head coach

Leo Papile

BABC head coach

BABC head coach

Mark Few U.S. U-18 National team assistant

Gonzaga head coach

Shaka Smart

U.S. U-18 National team assistant

VCU head coach

TEAM WITH LAYMAN

CURRENT TEAM

Best players

NAME

Marcus Smart U.S. U-18 National team

Nerlens Noel BABC

Oklahoma State

Julius Randle U.S. U-18 National team

Jerami Grant U.S. U-18 National team

Kentucky

Philadelphia 76ers

Syracuse

18

19

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BIG MEN FROM PAGE 7

center Fab Melo out, Christmas filled in admirably during the Orange’s journey to the Elite Eight, posting 18 rebounds in SU’s first two tournament matchups.

But he hasn’t been well known for his offensive abilities. Until now.

Fair has noticed a considerable change in Christmas’ poise, and Autry raved about how much effort Christmas has devoted to developing a jump hook.

The big men competed with each other for playing time last year, but a major theme throughout SU’s offseason has been Christmas and Coleman learning to play on the court together, Hopkins said.

“When they’re in the game together, they’ve got to be able to impose their size and their will and their athleticism,” Hopkins said, “and really get some easy putbacks for that lineup to be fairly effective.

“But they’re really effective when they can put that other guy right in the paint underneath the basket, where all they have to do is what? Turn, face and finish.”

That combination so far, Coleman said, has featured him at the five and Christmas playing the four. That’s where they played in SU’s season-opening scrimmage against Holy Family last Friday.

The duo has started to establish high-tolow post chemistry, Coleman said, and the SU coaching staff expects that connection to strengthen with time.

Hopkins pointed to Syracuse’s trip to Canada this summer as the epitome of how powerfully the Orange’s big men can dictate the team’s success. Engaged in a “dogfight” against the University of Ottawa on Aug. 24, Syracuse led by just six at halftime.

But out of the break, Coleman spearheaded a 22-2 run with eight points en route to his dominant 26-point performance. When Coleman headed to the bench, Christmas stepped up to hit two jumpers and put the game further out of reach.

Christmas finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds in what ended up being a 23-point

DAY SISTERS F ROM PAGE 16

“It was stressful,” Bria said. “They’d call very, very early, like 8 o’clock, and I’d just want to sleep.”

But no matter how much they wanted their sleep or privacy, they’d always entertain the calls. They listened to everyone, even though they had their minds on one school.

When it came time to make the decision, the choice was easy.

North Carolina. Having grown up in Raleigh, N.C., they were fans of the Tar Heel program. The choice made sense.

Not long after they made their decision, Briana decided she wanted to de-commit.

But Bria and their mother Katherine wanted them to stick with their decision to play at UNC. So Briana recommitted.

But eventually, their interest in UNC waned and they opened themselves back up to recruitment.

“Bria started to see different things, Briana started focusing on different things,” Cox said. “And they just felt that maybe they could look at different options.”

So the sisters went into Cox’s office and laid out all of their college prospects.

“We kind of created a spreadsheet to look at all of the schools that were interested,” he said. “We listed the pros the cons, the

Syracuse’s big men were inconsistent last year, but when they were good, they were difference-makers.

LONGEST SCORELESS DROUGHTS

5 4 3 2 1 0

5

4 2 Christmas

Keita

Coleman

AVERAGE POINTS PER GAME

20 15 10 5 0

18.9 8.3 13 nonconference games

The remaining 27 games

15

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0 SU’s 10 losses

SU’s 30 wins

victory for the Orange.

Now the real deal waits ahead, and Syracuse’s big men welcome the challenge.

“We’ve been getting prepared for this and we’re ready,” Christmas said. “This year, we want to come in, get the ball and just go after it.” pmdabbra@syr.edu

roster, players at their positions, tradition, winning, where they were going to study and the coaches’ contract situation.”

They calculated just about everything.

And the answer was Syracuse. In the end, it was the weather on their visit that sealed the deal.

“When we first came here we thought it was going to be cold,” Bria said. “But it was actually really hot the day we came. It was 94 degrees, I remember it perfectly.”

But now, as the winter rears its frigid head, basketball season begins and another chapter is written in the Day sisters’ story.

With the graduation of all-time leading scorer Kayla Alexander, Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman said he will be calling Bria and Briana’s numbers early and often this season.

“When you can get two post players, it’s a luxury,” Hillsman said. “They’re in a role where they can step in and help us right away.”

And just like everything they’ve always done, it will be together. From not being able to dribble a basketball, to playing in one of the top Division I conferences, Bria and Briana have always been a package deal.

“Everything they say is in unison,” Hillsman said. “But it’s good they’re very close, they have a good bond.

“They’ll have a great career here.” sblum@syr.edu

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com ba sk et ba l l gu ide 2 013-2 01 4

20

men’s basketball

Schedule vs. Cornell vs. North Carolina

Nov. 8 vs. Cornell, 7 p.m., ACC Regional Sports Network

Jan. 11 vs. North Carolina, noon, ESPN *

Boston College vs. Fordham at Jan. 13 at Boston College, 9 p.m., ESPNU *

Nov. 12 vs. Fordham, 7:30 p.m., ESPN3

Pittsburgh vs. Colgate vs.

Jan. 18 vs. Pittsburgh, 4 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 *

Nov. 16 vs. Colgate, 4:30 p.m., ACC Regional Sports Network

Golden opportunity

Syracuse’s first major test of the season comes in Maui, Hawaii, against Minnesota. The Orange won’t get a chance against Rick Pitino this season, but his son, Richard Pitino, leads Andre Hollins, Austin Hollins and the Golden Gophers against SU.

Rematch

vs. Minnesota

Nov. 25 vs. Minnesota at Lahaina Civic Center, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2 (EA Sports Maui Invitational)

Civic Center 2/7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 (EA Sports Maui Invitational)

Nov. 27 vs. TBD at Lahaina Civic Center 5/10 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 (EA Sports Maui Invitational)

PG

Yogi Ferrell

SO

SG

Troy Williams

FR

SF

Will Sheehey

SR

PF

Jeremy Hollowell SO

C

Noah Vonleh

vs. Indiana

Dec. 3 vs. Indiana, 7:15 p.m., ESPN (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)

vs. Binghamton

Dec. 7 vs. Binghamton, 7 p.m., ESPN3

FR

PG

Yogi Ferrell

FR

SG

Jordan Hulls

SR

SF

Victor Oladipo

JR

PF

Christian Watford SR

C

Cody Zeller

SO

Hoosier daddy

A rematch of last year’s Sweet 16 comes to the Carrier Dome.

The Hoosiers take a major step back without Jordan Hulls, Victor Oladipo or Cody Zeller, but freshman forward Noah Vonleh has a chance to be an immediate star.

at St. John’s

Dec. 15 at St. John’s, noon, Fox Sports 1

vs. High Point

Dec. 20 vs. High Point, 7 p.m., ESPN3

The Orange gets its first test with a traditional Atlantic Coast Conference power. Forward James Michael McAdoo leads the Tar Heels into the Carrier dome, but wing P.J. Hairston’s status is in question. Big man Joel James gives UNC a potentially stiff inside presence, too.

Jan. 29 at Wake Forest, 9 p.m., Raycom Sports Network *

vs. Duke

Feb. 1 vs. Duke, 6:30 p.m., ESPN *

Feb. 3 vs. Notre Dame, 7 p.m., ESPN *

Syracuse keeps its rivalry with the Red Storm alive at Madison Square Garden. SJU was inexperienced last year, but return Chris Obepka, Jakarr Sampson and D’Angelo Harrison.

at Pittsburgh

Feb. 12 at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 *

vs. North Carolina

Largest dome crowds Opponent

W/L Date Score Attendance

Villanova

W 2/27/10 95-77 34.616

Villanova

L 1/22/11 83-72

33.736

Villanova

L 6/6/06 92-82

33,633

Connecticut W 2/11/12 85-67

33,430

Georgetown L 2/23/13 57-46

35,012

Feb. 19 vs. Boston College, 7 p.m., ESPN *

at Duke

Feb. 22 at Duke, 6 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 * SU gets its first Cameron Indoor Stadium experience when it travels down to Durham, N.C.

cameron indoor stadium courtesy of duke photography | duke sports information

Feb. 24 at Maryland, 7 p.m., ESPN *

March 1 at Virginia, 4 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 *

vs. Miami vs. Georgia Tech

March 4 vs. Georgia Tech, 7 p.m. *

at Virginia Tech at Florida

Jan. 7 at Virginia Tech, 9 p.m., ACC Network *

Grant brothers Jerami and Jerian get another chance to meet when the Fighting Irish come to the Dome to carry on some Big East tradition.

vs. Boston College

vs. Eastern Michigan at Virginia

Dec. 31 vs. Eastern Michigan, 3 p.m., ESPNU

Brotherly love

Feb. 15 vs. North Carolina State, 3 p.m., ACC Network *

vs. Villanova at Maryland

Dec. 28 vs. Villanova, 2 p.m., CBS

Jan. 4 vs. Miami, 2 p.m., ACC Network *

Garden party

at Wake Forest

Welcome to the ACC

Clemson vs. TBD vs.

Feb. 9 vs. Clemson, 6 p.m. *

Indiana overturn

Indiana 2013-14

Nov. 18 vs. St. Francis Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m., ESPN3 (EA Sports Maui Invitational)

Jan. 25 at Miami, 1 p.m., CBS *

vs. Arkansas/California vs. Notre Dame Nov. 26 vs. Arkansas/California at Lahaina

Syracuse will be faced with a rematch of some sort. A test against Tyrone Wallace and California is more intriguing, though, as an NCAA Tournament rematch.

Indiana 2012-13

vs. St. Francis Brooklyn

at Miami

ryan maccammon | staff photographer

March 9 at Florida State, 2 p.m., ACC Network *

Short lived

Syracuse gets its first and only ACC meeting with the Terrapins in College Park, Md. UMD had an up-and-down season, but as small forwards Jake Layman and Dez Wells become more familiar with head coach Mark Turgeon’s system the young Terps will keep improving.

21

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

ba sk et ba l l gu ide 2 013-2 01 4

2013- 2014

basketball ROSTERs Men’s No.

Name

0

Michael Gbinije

2 3

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

Hometown/High school

F

6-7

200 So. Richmond, Va./Benedictine College Prep

B.J. Johnson

F

6-7

185 Fr.

Jerami Grant

F

6-8

210 So. Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic

4

Nolan Hart

G 5-10

152 Sr. Albany, N.Y./Albany Academy

5

C.J. Fair

F

215 Sr. Baltimore, Md./Baltimore City College H.S./ Brewster Academy

6-8

Philadelphia, Pa./Lower Merion

10 Trevor Cooney

G 6-4

195 R-So. Wilmington, Del./Sanford School

11

Tyler Ennis

G 6-2

180 Fr.

12

Baye Moussa Keita

Brampton, Ontario/St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.)

C 6-10 220 Sr.

Saint Louis, Senegal/Oak Hill Academy

6-8

Union, N.J./Roselle Catholic

21 Tyler Roberson

F

23 Russ DeRemer

G 6-5

212 Fr.

203 Sr. Wrentham, Mass./Xaverian Brothers/St. Andrew’s/Worcester Academy

25 Rakeem Christmas

F 6-9 250 Jr.

32 Dajuan Coleman F

6-9

280 So. Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-Dewitt

33 Albert Nassar

F

6-6

195 Jr.

Stuart, Fla./South Fork

34 Ron Patterson

G 6-2

200 Fr.

Broad Ripple, Ind./Broad Ripple/Brewster Academy

210 Fr.

Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney

35 Chinonso Obokoh C 6-10

Philadelphia, Pa./Academy of the New Church

spencer bodian | asst. photo editor

women’s No.

1 2 3 4 5 10 11 13 20 22 32 33 34 50 55

Name

Pos. Ht. Cl.

Alexis Peterson G 5-7 Tasia Butler G 6-1 Rachel Coffey G 5-7 La’Shay Shaft G 5-7 Maggie Morrison G 5-8 Isabella Slim G 6-0 Cornelia Fondren G 5 -8 Brianna Butler G 5-11 Brittney Sykes G 5-9 Taylor Ford F 6-0 Tiara Butler G 5-10 Phylesha Bullard G 5-11 Shakeya Leary C 6-3 Briana Day F 6-4 Bria Day F 6-4

Hometown/High school

Fr. Columbus, Ohio/Northland H.S. Fr. Waldorf, Md./North Point H.S. Sr. Kingston, N.Y./Kingston H.S. Sr. Baltimore, Md./Baltimore City College H.S. Jr. Millersville, Md./Archbishop Spalding Fr. Amsterdam, Netherlands/CTO Amsterdam So. Memphis, Tenn./Overton H.S. So. King of Prussia, Pa./Nazareth (N.Y.) Regional H.S. So. Newark, N.J./University H.S. So. Bronx, N.Y./Nazareth Regional High School R-Jr. Waldorf, Md./North Point H.S. Sr. Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills H.S. R-Sr. Brooklyn, N.Y./Murry Bergtraum H.S. Fr. Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook H.S. Fr. Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook H.S.

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com ba sk et ba l l gu ide 2 013-2 01 4

gbinIje from page 5

through basketball.

Brandon remembers when they watched Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant go back and forthat the Wizards-Lakers game. Jordan finished with 25 points and Bryant dropped 27 as the Wizards beat the Lakers 100-99.

Brandon was “totally excited and proud” when his Wizards won.

He said Michael has beaten him 148 out of 150 times in games of 21. They’ll go out and play in their driveway on their NBA-style hoop. And nearly every time, Michael will win. But he’s always supportive afterward.

While the pranks and laughs have continued throughout the years, Brandon followed every step of Michael’s basketball journey as it

became more and more serious.

He went to every one of Michael’s basketball games at Benedictine College Preparatory in Richmond, Va. As Michael honed his game and quickly became one of the smoothest, most dominant players in Virginia, Brandon watched from the stands and cheered.

Michael’s high school coach Sean McAloon reminisced about how after every game, Brandon would walk over to Michael and congratu-

22

late him, win or lose. McAloon said Brandon was Michael’s biggest supporter.

After talking to his brother, Brandon would walk over to McAloon and congratulate him, too. Win or loss.

“Great game, Coach. Great game.”

Michael never dwelled on bad games because of Brandon’s unwavering support. He was just fortunate to have the chance to play.

“He can see what his brother has gone through,” said Yvette Gbinije, the boys’ mother.

“I think that humbles him more. He’s really proud of him.”

Michael’s high school assistant coach Mike Strickland recalls during Michael’s senior season that he would always ask if Brandon could join in pick-up games. Even though Brandon wasn’t close to the other players physically, Michael would always include him.

When Michael went to college, though, it became more difficult to keep in touch. They don’t see each other nearly as much as they used to. Brandon is majoring in engineering, but also wants to go into the medical field. And on top of that, he’s interested in directing films.

He plans to make a live-action drama of the movie “Balto,” a dog that helped save children in Alaska in 1925. Brandon’s possibilities are endless.

Michael’s transition to college wasn’t quite as seamless. A lack of playing time, coupled with difficulty adjusting to the culture, sparked an unexpected transfer.

Not even Mom knew he was going to transfer.

She knew it was a possibility, but was shocked when she heard the news.

“Actually, he really didn’t say much to us because he knew how we would react,” Yvette Gbinije said. “We didn’t know what to do. We didn’t know what to say.”

After sitting out due to eligibility rules last season, Michael’s busy trying to fit in at Syracuse and get accustomed to his role on a new team once again.

But now he’s an integral part of a national championship contender, not simply a benchdweller. He’s never run point before and struggled bringing the ball up in the preseason.

His mom said he loves it, though, and is eager for the challenge.

For the kid who gracefully and coolly thrashed high school competition and then sat on the bench at Duke, he’ll have a chance to shine once again with Syracuse. Backup point guard is the Orange’s Achilles’ heel, and Michael will be expected to fill that void.

No matter how well or how poorly he plays at point guard, Michael knows Brandon will be proud of him. Although their time together has dwindled, it makes seeing each other that much more special.

Whenever Michael returns home, they always greet each other the same way: a hug followed by a high five. Sometimes Brandon is so excited to see Michael that when they play fight, Brandon hits him as hard as he can. So hard it actually hurts, Michael said.

“We talk a little bit, then hit the games,” Brandon said. “Video games, board games, you name it.”

Uno, checkers, Scrabble, “NBA 2K.” Michael usually takes Brandon in checkers, but Brandon has his number in Scrabble.

The next time they’ll see each other is during Thanksgiving Break, when the Gbinijes head to Maui, Hawaii, to see Michael play.

For the rest of his playing career at Syracuse, and maybe even in the NBA, Michael will always have a No. 1 fan. Something — someone — to play for and keep him motivated.

“Everything’s a struggle (for Brandon), but he just keeps going,” said Yvette Gbinije.

“That’s why I think Michael looks at him as his inspiration.” tbhass@syr.edu @TrevorHass

23 b a s k e t@b a l l g u i d e 2 0. 1 3 - 2 0 1 4 sports

da ilyor a nge com

text by jesse dougherty | asst. copy editor photos by spencer bodian | asst. photo editor

perspectives Are you excited for Syracuse to be in the ACC? Why?

“Yeah, it’s going to be awesome.

New conference is going to be a different style of play to go against. Seems pretty cool.”

Steven Ross

“Super pumped. I feel like it’s going to be a lot of fun seeing the energy around campus.”

Sarah Grabman

“Yes, apparently there are better teams than in the Big East.”

Allison Catania

“Yeah definitely, we’re going get better competition, which is going to be cool.”

junior information management and technology major

Mason Paul

freshman television, radio and film major

sophomore advertising major

sophomore, undecided

“Yes, especially because they’re going to play Maryland, which is my hometown. I’m excited for Syracuse to beat them.”

“Yes, because it’s a new conference and new teams. Duke’s going Conor Cummins to be insane. I have my season sophomore secondary education major tickets all lined up.”

“Yeah, I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to the new challenges.”

Cora Lightfoot

“Always bleeding Orange always.”

Matt Fox

senior public health major

freshman engineering and computer science major

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