Syracuse Basketball: Quincy Guerrier feels good, poised for break-out year

CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein is dishing out some high praise for Syracuse basketball forward Quincy Guerrier.

Back in late July, I penned a column in which I detailed my belief that Syracuse basketball forward Quincy Guerrier is primed for a break-out sophomore season in 2020-21.

College basketball insider Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports seems to agree.

Rothstein has published an article where he lists 20 under-the-radar, break-out players for 2020-21, and he has included the 6-foot-7 Guerrier, a Canadian star in high school who had a solid freshman stint for the Orange.

Guerrier, according to Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com, had surgery last June due to a groin injury that affected him a stanza ago. Guerrier told Ditota that the injury “limited his lateral mobility and jumping ability … and prevented him from doing workouts to strengthen his core.”

"Guerrier said to Syracuse.com, “It’s very different from the first day after surgery and now. I definitely feel better. I think sometimes my legs are hurting but it’s not the same thing as last year. It’s just because my legs are sore sometimes trying to get used to (working out) because I didn’t do anything for five months. And then after I had surgery I did rehab and all that stuff. So yeah, I feel great to be honest.”"

Syracuse basketball forward Quincy Guerrier is aiming for a monster sophomore term.

Check out what Rothstein had to say about Guerrier in his story. “Built like a Greek God, the 6-7 Guerrier battled injuries as a freshman and now should be fully healthy as a sophomore. Blessed with the type of physical attributes that most would salivate for, Guerrier possesses all the requisites to thrive during his second season of college basketball.”

In his inaugural year on the Hill, Guerrier averaged 6.9 points and 5.3 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per contest. He shot 49.7 percent from the field, 12.5 percent from beyond the arc and 60.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Without question, Guerrier will need to improve his shooting percentages from downtown and the charity stripe. But his rebounding prowess is terrific, and he’s an excellent finisher around the rim.

Guerrier said to Syracuse.com, “I think shooting has definitely improved a lot, but I don’t want to be a jump shooter. I need to add my shooting this year, but I need to do the same thing I was doing last year – being physical, taking rebounds and all that.”

In September, Rothstein placed Guerrier among his 10 break-out players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. I’m interested to see whether Guerrier earns a starting role at forward or comes off the bench as a critical sixth man.

Either way, Guerrier should follow up a more than credible freshman season with a fantastic sophomore campaign.