Naithan George stars in Syracuse debut with 8 assists, career-high 5 steals
Naithan George dribbles up the court in Syracuse's win over Binghamton Monday. Making his SU debut, George led the Orange with eight assists against the Bearcats. Aaron Hammer | Staff Photographer
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Growing up in Canada, Naithan George’s basketball schedule at times consisted of a 9 a.m. game followed by one at 4 p.m. To kill time and refuel, he napped.
So, with George’s Syracuse debut hours away on Monday afternoon, he turned back the clock. George returned to his apartment from class at 3:30 p.m. He closed his eyes and rested until 4:20 p.m.
“It was just a quick power nap, just to get me back,” George joked.
The extra sleep must’ve helped, as George’s 14 points, eight assists and career-high five steals helped Syracuse (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) to a season-opening 38-point win over Binghamton (0-1, 0-0 American East). With his backcourt partner J.J. Starling leaving the game less than three minutes in and not returning, George took command.
Starling and forward Donnie Freeman recruited George to the Orange out of the transfer portal to be their maestro. Yet on Monday, George showed more than just his passing ability.
“The eight assists, I wasn’t really surprised about. I know he’s gonna get his passes,” Freeman said postgame. “But the five steals jumped out to me a lot, that’s gonna be big for us.”
After developing at Georgia Tech for two years and evolving into the ACC’s passing leader, George felt a change was needed. He bet on himself coming to Syracuse. He has a royal flush chain to show it, which he flaunted postgame under his zip-up sweatshirt. George got the chain this past May back in Canada. It’s a symbol of his love for playing cards with his family, who played a big role in his return to the Northeast.
As the media entered the locker room postgame Monday, George was hidden in the right corner. On an iPhone, George watched the end of his former team’s game against Maryland Eastern Shore. He was surrounded by assistant coaches and former GT teammate Akir Souare, who’s now with him at SU.
George still supported his former squad. But he also entered Monday prepared to kickstart his new era.
Less than 30 seconds in, George took a pass from Starling and got downhill. He turned the corner at the left elbow and lofted a floater off the back rim, cleaning up his own rebound for the game’s first score.
Minutes later, following Starling’s exit, George called his own number again with a flush from the right elbow. The bucket capped Syracuse’s 10-0 run to start the game.
While finding ways to score on his own, George is the facilitator. It’s why Syracuse got him; to pull the strings and facilitate the offense. He showed that ability early and often.
Naithan George rises to the rim for a layup in Syracuse’s win over Binghamton Monday. In 23 minutes of action, George added 14 points for SU. Aaron Hammer | Staff Photographer
Just a few minutes in, George received the ball beyond the arc and swiftly dished to Freeman in the post. Freeman sealed off his defender and sank a hook shot. George then went on a barrage of setting SU’s big men up for dunks. First, it was to center William Kyle III.
George and Kyle ran a classic pick-and-roll, where George shifted left to right across the floor and Kyle flushed home the dunk with his head nearly at the rim. A minute later, George collected a missed Binghamton shot and hit Freeman for a right-handed jam.
With six minutes to go in the first half, George got crafty. Dribbling down the right side, George saw a scoring opportunity for Kyle before the center even did. He lofted the ball up the left of the rim, and even though Kyle was well outside the paint, it still connected. The center grabbed the ball up top and dropped it in the hoop.
“You have a point guard like him, you can give him the ball and let him run the offense,” Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said.
“I just wanted to lead the team and execute what coach wanted us to execute,” George added.
The connection with Kyle quickly became prominent. It’s been months in the making. When Kyle committed to Syracuse on March 27, he was told George was on its radar. Immediately, Kyle began studying George’s film.
Once the Orange acquired George, the two built chemistry from the first summer practices. Kyle remembers the first day they practiced together, when George threw a lob pass from beyond half court. Kyle was stunned. He’d never caught a lob from someone past half court in his first time playing with them. The fit felt natural.
It certainly was on Monday night. Mere seconds into the second half, with Syracuse already well ahead 32-14, George slivered across half court and threw another lob to Kyle on the backdoor. The dunk sent SU’s bench into a frenzy.
While much of Kyle’s production came courtesy of George, the center looked to the point guard’s defense as the difference maker.
George averaged just 1.1 steals per game last season for the Yellow Jackets. The tally was the same amount as SU’s point guard, Jaquan Carlos. Syracuse averaged just 4.88 steals per game last season — the worst mark in the ACC. George eclipsed that total by himself against the Bearcats.
Most of George’s defensive production came in the first half. A few minutes in, he pressed up on Binghamton’s guards beyond half court, tipping the ball out and flexing in celebration.
In a two minute span near the end of the first half, George produced three steals. Two came as he maneuvered inside on help defense to wreak havoc on Binghamton’s big men. Another came by simply filling his gap, and cutting off a passing lane to produce an open look for Nate Kingz from 3.
George impacted the game in all facets. It’s a sign of things to come.
“Tonight, he was guarding,” Tyler Betsey, who scored 10 points in his SU debut, said of George. “When he does that, I think he’s the best point guard in the country.”
Sipping on an Orange smoothie, George celebrated with his family postgame. He has a total of eight siblings. His father, Mike, and a few of his siblings used to make the 18-hour drive from Toronto to Atlanta to see George play. They made limited trips due to the time constraint. A move closer to home allowed them to see more games.
George needed Syracuse, both to connect with his family and unlock his full potential. But when George is at his best, Syracuse can reach its full potential, too. On Monday, they both took the first step toward that goal.
