Syracuse Game Discussion

I'm a Lavin supporter as some know. But it has absolutely been fair game to criticize him for game strategy, odd rotations, player development and the 2014 recruiting. Just like we praised him for handling the roster the right way (ultimately) in year one and his first few recruiting hauls. One game doesn't change that. But let's focus on the win and hopefully a continued improvement in the areas that coach has been criticized.

God damn that feels good. It was second nature to just feel like the game was gonna end up in Syracuse's favor. Thank god Phil Greene had different plans. 
What will not go unnoticed for me was once again, D'angelo Harrison was the only guy on the court who did not watch a ball go out of bounds. Instead he hustled his ass off, saved the ball to his teammate obekpa who made a great pass to Phil, who then had one of the best finishes I have seen in his career. 

I'm a Lavin supporter as some know. But it has absolutely been fair game to criticize him for game strategy, odd rotations, player development and the 2014 recruiting. Just like we praised him for handling the roster the right way (ultimately) in year one and his first few recruiting hauls. One game doesn't change that. But let's focus on the win and hopefully a continued improvement in the areas that coach has been criticized.

What he said

Quote from: prjohnnies on December 06, 2014, 11:24:39 PM

I'm a Lavin supporter as some know. But it has absolutely been fair game to criticize him for game strategy, odd rotations, player development and the 2014 recruiting. Just like we praised him for handling the roster the right way (ultimately) in year one and his first few recruiting hauls. One game doesn't change that. But let's focus on the win and hopefully a continued improvement in the areas that coach has been criticized.

What he said

Does anyone thjnk having a stable asst coach has helped this year, or is it that this team is full of Vetrans?

Quote from: we are sju on December 06, 2014, 11:27:25 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on December 06, 2014, 11:24:39 PM

I'm a Lavin supporter as some know. But it has absolutely been fair game to criticize him for game strategy, odd rotations, player development and the 2014 recruiting. Just like we praised him for handling the roster the right way (ultimately) in year one and his first few recruiting hauls. One game doesn't change that. But let's focus on the win and hopefully a continued improvement in the areas that coach has been criticized.

What he said

Does anyone thjnk having a stable asst coach has helped this year, or is it that this team is full of Vetrans?

I think the fact that he has a clearly defined 6 guys that have to play the bulk of the minutes and limits his um......creativity  certainly helps.

Could use ADL. When is he expected back? Also JDL?

Note Doms line, 9p,8rb,5asst,3blocks.....His play at the high post the key to this win.  Without it we are reduced to passing the ball around the perimeter and settling.  Great job by Lavin, team was ready.  CO 16 boards against 2 quality bigs....great game.

LKike I have been say   Dom always fills up the stat sheet

Agree!

Great job by coach, staff and especially the players! Pay it forward and use this as a springboard to having a good conference record and an NCAA T  birth!

Quote from: we are sju on December 06, 2014, 11:27:25 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on December 06, 2014, 11:24:39 PM

I'm a Lavin supporter as some know. But it has absolutely been fair game to criticize him for game strategy, odd rotations, player development and the 2014 recruiting. Just like we praised him for handling the roster the right way (ultimately) in year one and his first few recruiting hauls. One game doesn't change that. But let's focus on the win and hopefully a continued improvement in the areas that coach has been criticized.

What he said

Does anyone thjnk having a stable asst coach has helped this year, or is it that this team is full of Vetrans?

It's both.  Too many people aren't patient enough.  Whitesell didn't start until like August and people wanted results immediately without him having the benefit of a single summer with the team.

Dom played very well defensively on McCullagh.  I think he's at his best defending tall, long PFs. Chris was a little overmatched at times with Christmas, but our help d in the paint is awesome--especially when we front. Chris is so good at going up and getting boards out of thin air, but he does not box out or find his guy well.  Dom pinned McCullah several times and Ali B pins finds someone every shot and pins them without any hope of them getting a rebound.  Lost in this win was the fact that we got two freshman minutes.  Ali B was in there with ten minutes left in the second half.  This is the kind of winning that programs carry on for years.  This will be with St. John's three years after this season is over with those two.

Harrison did a great job on Cooney in the first half.  I didn't watch as closely in the second, but he didn't give Cooney an inch in the first. 

Jordan was awful to end the game.  The sloppy pass that led to the flagrant, two missed FTs in a huge spot, two awful lob passes into the corner (guaranteed trap from Cuse), the travel....wow.  Dom had the travel too and it looked like last season all over with the mistake patrol of Sampson-Pointer-Sanchez-Jordan. 

Jordan is such a talent, though, and can get contact with the best of them. He just needs to be smarter.

Few notes...
Positives
-D'Angelo Harrison was knocking down shots from everywhere. 
-Even though Harrison had a few insanely deep shots he also took the ball to the rim. He was 8-8 from FT line
-Jamal Branch was a calming factor to start the game. Ball movement was good against the zone with him. 
-Chris Obekpa put in an effort playing 39 min. Grabbed 16 boards and held Christmas in check for 2nd half. 
-Rysheed's steal after the miss and he got to the line 2x with pump fakes at the rim. 
-Obekpa being the peaceful enforcer
-PGIV being unconscious in the final minutes.
-Greene having awareness to slide into open pocket without the ball on go ahead three. Jordan finding him.
-Sir'Dom passing out of the middle of the zone was tremendous. 5 assists from him was huge. 
-Add in 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks for Sir'Dom. Glue! 
-Lipscomb had some serious celebrations at end of bench on Greene's threes. #Benchmob 
Negatives
- Too many times St. John's looked clueless against the zone. Passing way beyond perimeter with shot clock winding down. Harrison isn't going to knock down 40 footers every night. 
- So many missed layups. Obekpa, Jordan, Dom, and Branch missed a handful. 
- Jordan making bad turnovers
- No real contributions from the bench. No Jones and Stewart/Albi didn't offer anything positive. 
- Lavin using last timeout with 9 min to play. 

Overall
- St. John's played poised. Never got too up, never got too down. Looked like a senior team today
- Lavin did a good job of riding his horses. Didn't get sub happy and played Stewart and Albi just enough to give starters a quick rest. 
- Obekpa did a great job of playing extremely tough and not getting into foul trouble. Even Battier said it that you don't see shot blockers taking charges. 
- St. John's made their free throws count. Syracuse didn't. 
- Lavin's timeout strategy actually kept the crowd pretty dulled. 
-St. John's defense overall was great. Didn't allow any wide open 3's and was disruptive in passing lanes. They simply wanted it more. 
-Took care of the basketball. Outside of Dom and Jordan combining for 8 turnovers the rest of the team only had 2. 
-Syracuse with mysterious clock malfunction when St. John's was getting hot. Took them right out of rhythm but it wasn't enough. 
-Cuse lost. 

Last season Sampson was the bonehead...missed all of the front-ends of 1 and 1s, fouled three point shooters, fouled guys way too far form the basket, tried to do too much off the bounce, took ill-advised shots whenever he wanted, etc.  Dom was right there with him and Sanchez and Jordan were a few steps behind.  It made it tough to watch. 
This year it seems Jordan is the only bonehead.  Dom gets himself in trouble off the bounce a few times (twice tonight in key spots) but he has such a better understanding of his role and what his strengths and weaknesses are....I've only seen him take one three.  Jordan was brutal to end the game...the turnover to McCullagh and then the flagrant-1...two inexplicable lobs into the corner that led to Syracuse traps (one that cost us our last t.o. at 7 minutes mark)...missed two huge fts, etc. 
I can live with Jordan doing that because he takes care of his defense and rebounding priorities first and he is so damn good at drawing contact.  He does take a few shots every game that leave me screaming why!!!!

Great win. I legitimately thought they would blow the game after the Jordan "flagrant" foul, but they really surprised me. I don't think it's too far fetched to think we could be 10-1 heading into conference play. And with the early success of the Big East we will have plenty of opportunities to grab even more signature wins. The tourny is very attainable at this point.

SJU made two of the top 10 plays on Sports Center. One was SirDom's dunk and the other was CO's block...still excited.

Awesome win, nice to beat Syracuse! 

I would jjust like to thank the players and staff for this precious gift they've bestowed upon us.

I am so happy that Johnny fans everywhere and the BEB community in particular get to celebrate this victory.  You guys so deserve this.

Awesome win, nice to beat Syracuse!

Just want to document this. Dan posting after a WIN. Nice! 

Great post!  What is so satisfying is that this was a team win all the way around!

Dwayne Polee
"polee5: Great win coach"

Steve Lavin
"Thx Paris and Dwayne.  Happy for the fellas and our seniors in particular. Needed to stop bleeding vs Cuse.  Miss ya guys.  Blessed Holidays.  Best to your family. "