Syracuse Basketball: Dissecting SU’s annual Orange vs. White scrimmage

Another year, another Orange vs. White scrimmage in the Carrier Dome. ITLH delves into the positives and negatives from the Syracuse basketball team’s annual spectacle.

Things are just different in Central New York. The number of fervent fans that showed up on a bitterly cold, rainy Friday night just to see the Syracuse Orange make their unofficial debut in the Carrier Dome was unbelievable.

The spectators that braved the storm were treated atypically on a night that won’t be forgotten any time soon.

The 40 minutes of action that was broken up into four quarters of 10-minute basketball featured mostly memorable, yet one very forgetful moment. The Orange team defeated the White team 77-72 on a night that featured plenty of notable moments.

Following Syracuse’s media day at their practice facility, the Carmelo K. Anthony Center, the Orange unofficially began their season on Friday night. Jim Boeheim‘s 17 players split up into two teams; Orange and White.

Point guards Frank Howard and Howard Washington both sat out the scrimmage in order to continue mitigating the risk of their injuries exacerbating.

While Washington’s timeline for return is still up in the air, Howard, who was in a walking boot for the vast majority of the day, appears to be making steady progress towards a full recovery ahead of Syracuse’s first exhibition game of the season against Saint Rose on October 25.

The Orange team’s outstanding active participants included Syracuse’s two best players in junior Tyus Battle and sophomore phenom Oshae Brissett, a familiar face in senior Paschal Chukwu, and a surprisingly dominant first impression made by 6-foot-9 freshman forward Robert Braswell.

While Washington couldn’t play, he and Brissett continued to bond throughout the event and put Canada on the map in the process. The two Athlete Institute Basketball Academy alumni have an unmatched bond off the court, and it’ll only be a matter of time until the two can once again play alongside one another.

Contrarily, the White team featured the players that are the glue that hold the ship that is Syracuse Basketball together. Jalen Carey, Buddy Boeheim, Bourama Sidibe, and Elijah Hughes highlighted a White team that gave Syracuse’s two best players a run for their money until the waning moments.

Let’s weigh in the good, bad, and ugly from Friday night.

The Good:

Oshae Brissett and Buddy Boeheim owned the dome

Battle’s decision to stay at Syracuse heavily overshadowed the fact that Brissett had the tools to go pro as well last spring, yet also decided to stay with the Orange for at least one more season.

On Friday night, the Canadian reminded Syracuse’s avid supporters just how much he improved his shooting ability both during the action and during halftime.

In the third quarter alone, Brissett scored 13 of his game-high 29 points. When all was said and done, the Mississauga, Ontario, Canada native hit five three-pointers, some of which were heavily contested.

In a two minute span, Brissett knocked down three baskets from long range and gave all who defended him a tough time throughout the quarter.

Similarly, the infamous Buddy Boeheim, who made his debut with the Orange on Friday night, knocked down a tremendous four three-pointers en route to a 19-point evening.

During halftime, Brissett and Boeheim were two-of-four participants in a three-point shooting contest. While the consensus was that Buddy was going to cruise to victory, Brissett was busy showcasing his much-improved ability to knock down the three ball.

After both supposedly hit 16 threes in the final round thanks to a judging mishap, the two decided to settle the debate via half court. Boeheim made quick work out of the situation, quickly won over the fans in attendance, and left the arena with one happy dad and coach.

Robert Braswell and Elijah Hughes make strong first impressions

A mirage of three-pointers, coupled with selfless efforts on both ends of the floor suggest that Braswell and Hughes’s respective roles on Syracuse’s roster could rise drastically ahead of conference play this season.

Syracuse Orange

Despite being inexperienced members of one of Boeheim’s deeper teams in recent memory, Braswell and Hughes’ encouraging displays should earn them more opportunities to solidify themselves ahead of the Orange’s conference matchups.

The Bad:

A little over halfway into his undocumented debut for Syracuse, Jalen Carey sustained a sprained ankle before being assisted off the floor by Boeheim and other members of the Orange staff.

The immediate reaction to the fall was sheer silence. The consensus was that he might have torn or sprained an ACL or MCL after appearing to clutch his knee while on the ground. On his way to the bench, he was able to momentarily apply pressure on both of his legs and walk on his own.

According to CNY Central’s Niko Tamurian, Carey told Hughes that the injury isn’t substantial.

What was shaping out to be an incredibly competitive and flawless exhibition game ended up being fragile due to Carey’s spill. However, the lingering impacts on his left leg doesn’t appear to be detrimental, and Syracuse’s basketball team already appears to be in midseason form.