Syracuse Basketball: Elijah Hughes has to be the ‘it’ factor for Orange

If the Syracuse basketball squad is going to bounce back in 2019, they’re going to need Elijah Hughes. Here’s why he has the “it” factor.

I’m not one to overreact about Syracuse basketball. Don’t get me wrong, the ‘Cuse fanbase has always been known to do this.

Whether it’s fans calling for Jim Boeheim’s retirement after a 2-game losing skid, or a player announcing an unexpecting one and done, thus leaving the team with one less player at a chance for greatness the following year. Overreacting has been a pattern with those who follow Orange basketball.

Well, this may be the first time that I will overreact, because I don’t know where this team is headed next season.

At first glance, this team doesn’t look too good on paper. The lone returning players who had any quality minutes last year are Elijah Hughes, Marek Dolezaj, Buddy Boeheim, Jalen Carey, and Bourama Sidibe. Throw in Robert Braswell and Howard Washington as well, and that’s what Jim Boeheim is left with as far as any experience goes.

That’s certainly not a lot to count on. Hughes is the lone returner who averaged in double-digits last year, while Dolezaj joins Hughes as the only other player who averaged at least 20 minutes per game.

This isn’t to say that Buddy, Jalen, and Bourama aren’t good players, because they can all contribute in ways. However, all of them will have to step it up this season if Syracuse wants any chance of making the NCAA Tournament, and that is asking a lot of three guys who probably weren’t expecting to have to make this big of a jump this early in their collegiate careers.

While experience is an issue, this team does look good for the future.

To stop the overreaction a bit, the incoming recruiting class does look very intriguing. Jim Boeheim and his staff knew that the Orange wouldn’t be able to rely on Tyus Battle and Oshae Brissett forever, and they went out made the correct measures to try and replace them.

Brycen Goodine and Quincy Guerrier are most likely the freshmen that will be most ready to play a good chunk of time right away. Throw in National Gatorade Athlete of the Year, Joe Girard III as well – because he can stroke it with the best of them – and you’ve got three freshmen who will NEED to play some minutes this season, and have the talent to have some type of a positive impact.

This isn’t to discount the two big men in the class as well. 6-foot-11 Jesse Edwards and 6-foot-10 John Bol Ajak will be behind Dolezaj and Sidibe in the depth chart. However, those are the only two true big men coming back for the Orange this season, meaning at least one of these guys, if not both, will also have to play some quality minutes for the Orange.

So what does this all mean?

Will that’s easy. Uncertainty.

There just isn’t much with this 2019-20 Syracuse basketball team that we know. Sure, we know the names, and we know what the returners are capable of for the most part, but it’s widely a team filled with guys who never had to play in the roles that they will have to fill this upcoming season.

Except for one guy that is. And without a doubt, he will be the single most important player for Syracuse basketball this season.

What’s his name you ask? Elijah Hughes.

Yep, Hughes, who according to sportsreference.com, averaged 13.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.5 APG. That was good enough for the second leading scorer a year ago, third-leading rebounder, and fifth in assists per game.

Not too shabby to have that guy coming back, but to be the best returner means that he will undoubtedly need to boost those numbers a lot.

No, I’m not saying Hughes needs to put up 25, 10, and 5. But in all honesty, he is going to need to lead the locker room, be the captain of the team, and probably average somewhere around 18 PPG, 5 RPG, and 3 APG.

Nothing too crazy, and I know that he has the talent to accomplish it, but it is undeniable that Hughes will need to play very well if this Syracuse team wants to make it to the ‘Big Dance’.

It will be an interesting team to watch, and the non-conference slate will be key to gauge how this team will ultimately fare. Sure they will hit bumps in the road, and there will be some high times as well. That’s how this program has been over the last decade or so.

However, Elijah Hughes will have to be the most impactful and the best player on this team if they want to go places. I believe in his skill set and his mindset to do this. The pressure is on him. Now we just need to see him perform.