Inside the Loud House looks back at the 2016-2017 Season and how each Syracuse Basketball player did this year. We give each player a grade as well as expectations for next year.
Syracuse Basketball and its fans had high expectations coming into this season that were never realized. The two grad-transfers more than did their share in a new system, but those around them mostly took a step back.
The seniors who were supposed to be the strength and backbone of this group barely showed up at all. This lack of production led to Jim Boeheim’s worst season (in terms of losses-15) ever as well as a NIT berth.
So, how did the Orange players do this year? Inside the Loud House grades each player, (except walk-ons) and tells you how they did, as well as expectations for next year.
PG- Frank Howard
Grade: B
Frank Howard came into this season with high expectations. Coming into the offseason after last season, he looked like the lead guard at point. However, when John Gillon was added, all that came into question. I’m not sure if he lost confidence after that, but his play didn’t look much improved from freshman year.
Usually players make a big jump from freshman year to sophomore year, but with Frank Howard that wasn’t the case. Sure, he had an improved stroke, but maybe we all just missed that freshman year. After all, he did get limited minutes then.
Flash forward to the end of this season. He was used as a limited backup at point and shooting guard, he was good in spurts as a defensive stopper. His work at the top of the zone was huge in shutting down streaky players we faced. It is for that reason alone, I cannot give Frank Howard lower than a B.
As for my projection for next year: I expect a breakout season, maybe like 13-15 points per game to go with 5-7 assists per game, and a player grade around an A-.
SG/SF- Andrew White III
Grade: A+
Andrew White III was a blessing this year for Syracuse Basketball. Coming into the year, many thought he’d be a bad influence on the locker room, and a big ego on the court. Fans and coaches alike knew he is someone who needs the ball in his hands and always wants to score.
Syracuse though only got half that package. They got a player this year who could score at will, and kept the Orange in games. He left his ego at the door, for the benefit of the team, and it paid off. He was one of the best players in the ACC and even broke Gerry McNamara’s 3 point Single-Season Three’s record. Check out my article here at ITLH that I wrote on this last week.
Andrew White earned his A+ this year in more ways than one. I do not have a grade for him for next year as he college eligibility is up, but I do expect he’ll have a decent pro career either way.
PG- John Gillon
Grade: A-
Everyone knows that Andrew White III was the main scorer for SU this year, while John Gillon was the soul. As Gillon went, so did Syracuse Basketball. As a grad-transfer it took awhile for him to settle in and find his role. However, once he found it, he overtook Frank Howard as the starter at point.
Everyone could see it was the right move because his leadership and passing ability was clear. He kept the Orange in games; much the way Jonny Flynn did years ago. Even though, he was the leader all year for Syracuse, sometimes he struggled to produce. When he did that, it made things hard for SU.
We can blame his drive or his passion at times, but realistically we all know Gillon gave his all this year. He bled Orange. Yeah he had a couple bad games, especially near the end of the year, but for the most part he tried his best. Its hard to be a leader, especially when thrust into the role like he was.
The only reason I keep Gillon below an A and A+ is simple. He wasn’t perfect; and believe it or not, that’s okay. To go from Colorado State to Syracuse is a big change, but he did his best to adjust. I think the fact he deserved a grade in the A’s at all shows how much he improved this year.
I do not have a grade for him for next year, nor do I think he’ll make the NBA now that his eligibility is up. I do however, expect that he’ll have a decent career overseas and be a capable starter for someone, somewhere. Best of luck Gillon, we’ll miss you.
PF- Taurean Thompson
Grade: A-
Boy, did I want to rank Taurean Thompson higher. He played so great as a freshman, and really showed a lot of potential and ability. His stroke from mid-range is automatic. In addition, his ability to put the ball on the floor and score around the hoop gave me flashbacks of CJ Fair.
I think his height is a huge factor in why he became a matchup nightmare near the end of the season. He got a lot of rebounds near the end of the season, and when he got an open look, he hit it. He became a consistent fourth scorer down the stretch, much like fellow diaper dandy Tyus Battle was, which was much needed. I expect he will be even more improved after an offseason full of work as well.
The only reason I mark him as low as an A- is his defense in the zone. Boeheim got so mad at him on so many occasions for missing guys behind him. Some mistakes were just inexcusable. It’s great you can score, but if your opponent scores against you consistently, then that outweighs how much you score on offense.
Next year, I project he will come in just as talented, but with even more ability to hit from three. I think he will pick up a few pounds so he can muscle inside in the post more next year. In addition, I see him as a consistent option next year on offense, as well as a better low post defender. If he can learn to be smarter giving fouls and block more, he’ll be a dangerous asset for Syracuse. I project a grade of an A next year for him.
PF/C Tyler Lydon
Grade: A
Last year, I would have given Tyler Lydon an A+ for how he played as a freshman. He was outstanding and saved Syracuse in the tournament multiple times in close games. His ability to hit from three as a big man was huge in spreading the floor.
This year he struggled scoring for whatever reason, but his defensive prowess and ability to get
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good shots remained. He still got open quite a lot, and still got a lot of rebounds and double-doubles. However, he just missed a lot more shots. Maybe we just had too high of expectations for him this year, or maybe he just had an off year. Those things happen, but that didn’t change the fact he was still the star on SU this year.
A consistent threat the other team always had to watch for, the drop-off wasn’t huge. In my mind, he only went down an A+ performance last year to to an A this year. Next year, I think he will bounce back and have a breakout season in the NBA, and play much better than he did last year at Syracuse. Inside the Loud House’s Paul Esden Jr. reported this afternoon that he declared for the NBA Draft, hiring an agent.
Personally, I think he should have been here one more year to build his draft stock, but that’s just me. I think he did what was best for him, as should all Syracuse fans. The dream of an NBA career when its right there is a hard thing to pass up. I think he’ll have a great year next year wherever he ends up. Best of luck in the NBA Lydon! Make us proud!
PF/SF- Tyler Roberson
Grade: C+
Tyler Roberson’s career in Orange will always be a mystery to me. The stats show he is a capable double-double type player. He gets a lot of rebounds, plays great on defense and makes scores when the ball is given to him. For his career, he hovered around 6-10 points per game, and was a reliable player, for the most part, on both ends.
So why did his minutes and his spot in the rotation evaporate despite being a senior? Well, lack of motivation is what most fans would agree upon. My guess though is lack of opportunity. Since Syracuse had so many other talented options on offense this year, his defensive prowess was needed less. If the Orange were in games more, then I expect we would have seen much more of him. However, we trailed a lot, and then we needed all scorers on the floor, which sadly Roberson is not.
I think he had the potential this year to be a A-/B+ type guy, but had to settle for a C+ because of lack of minutes, and little to show when he did play. Next year, I have no grade for him as his eligibility is up. I expect he’ll have a hard time finding a spot in the pros, but I think he’ll land somewhere. Maybe he will be a backup because he is still a raw player with talent. He has a ways more to go before someone trusts him out there for a lot of minutes. However, I do wish him the best of luck in all of his endeavors. Oh and Robey, we loved having you here at SU. Thanks for always showing up in big games.
SG- Tyus Battle
Grade: A
This kid deserved an A+, but I gave him an A, only because he struggled early as a freshman which is understandable. Tyus Battle is extremely hard to guard, as he can hit shots from anywhere.
He creates his own shot, can drive the lane for buckets, and hit mid-range shots with no sweat. He got better at distributing the ball as the season went along as well. In other words, he bleeds potential.
Assuming he comes back, I can see him being our main scorer on offense now that Lydon, White, and Gillon are all gone. He can be like the Carmelo Anthony of this team who can lead this team to the promised land.
Battle has that much potential and I think he can take the Orange to the next level next year. We saw a glimpse of that down the stretch this year. Now, let’s see what he can do after an offseason of work to improve even more.
C- Dajuan Coleman
Grade: D
Dajuan Coleman has had a rough career at Syracuse after leaving Jamesville-Dewitt. He has had knee problems his whole career which made it hard for him to be consistent.
A former McDonald’s All-American, according to NunesMagician.com, never quite lived up to the hype. He made two Finals Fours with the team, but never really made an impact. Hence, the D grade.
Next: Syracuse Basketball: Paschal Chukwu Expects to Be Back In Orange Next Year.
He is a decent scorer and I love his heart, but he has a long way to go before he’s an NBA prospect. He might make to the league someday, but in the meantime I can see him playing as a starter overseas for someone. Since he is out of basketball eligibility at Syracuse, I wish him all the best in the future. He is capable, he just needs to get healthier. Best of luck Coleman!