Grades

Scoop Jardine: B-

The fourth-year junior point guard looked like anything but a fourth-year point guard at seemingly every important time this year. Still, his six assists per game was a number that put him near the top of the Big East. And simply, Jardine was SU’s most reliable late-game performer.

 

Brandon Triche: B

Triche had to relinquish the reigns to the SU offense to Jardine, and his growth as a scorer was tempered because of it. His shooting percentage dropped from 50 percent to 42 percent as he made only 30 more field goals since his freshman year. From deep, Triche went from 40 percent to 33 percent.

 

Kris Joseph: B-

Was Joseph ever going to be the next Wes Johnson this year? No. Expectations that he was can only be described as misguided. He led the team in scoring this year. That fact alone could give Joseph a great grade. But he earns this one because of the simple element in his game that was lacking: the ability to take over a game.

Rick Jackson: A

Undoubtedly Syracuse’s best player this season, Jackson was the one source of consistency on the roster. You knew what you were getting each night — most often a double-double. Without him, it’s likely the Orange wouldn’t have finished in the top half of the Big East standings.

Baye Moussa Keita: C+

Based on preseason expectations, Moussa Keita probably surprised some people. He gave the Orange frontcourt depth in the absence of DaShonte Riley. With that said, he wasn’t ready to play major minutes, and Jackson was thrust into the middle of the zone at inopportune times.

Fab Melo: D

While there were flashes of productivity at the end of the season, Melo’s freshman season will go down as a disappointment based on the early hype. It was clear from the first week of the season that he would be a work in progress, and he didn’t put it all together quickly enough to play a significant role.

Dion Waiters: B-

The guard went through many ups and downs in his freshman season with the Orange. From not seeing any time in SU’s first loss at Marquette in January to becoming its go-to scorer in the second matchup last Sunday, he came a long way, though. Overall, he looks to have a promising future.

C.J. Fair: B

This freshman’s future also looks bright. If he bulks up in the offseason, he will be better able to handle playing down low in the physical Big East. And if he works on his midrange jumper, he could be a lethal weapon next season. The supreme athleticism is already there.

Jim Boeheim: C

Boeheim lost three outstanding college basketball players after last season and did well immediately with the hand he was dealt. However, it became clear this group had more talent than an exit in the Round of 32. He has now reached the Elite Eight only once in the past 15 seasons.

 

Superlatives

MVP

Rick Jackson

This is an obvious choice. Both Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph said after SU’s loss to Marquette that there was ‘no telling’ how far the Orange would have gone without him. And with good reason — averaging a double-double speaks for itself.

Most improved

Brandon Triche

Triche adjusted to his new role as the two-guard as the season wore on and became a huge factor in SU’s late-season surge. Starting with the Orange’s victory at Seton Hall on Jan. 8, Triche scored in double figures in 12 of 14 games to finish the season strong.

Biggest surprise

C.J. Fair

With Kris Joseph out due to a concussion at Pittsburgh, Fair began his rise from freshman afterthought to key contributor. He had big games at home when SU beat Rutgers in overtime (17 points) and in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Indiana State (14 points).

Biggest disappointment

Kris Joseph

Joseph led the team in scoring, but from watching him on a game-by-game basis, it was clear he never amounted to what Jim Boeheim hoped he’d become this season. He was mostly solid throughout the year, but rarely spectacular as the go-to option. He struggled to fill the shoes of first-team All-American Wes Johnson.

Published on March 23, 2011 at 12:00 pm