Syracuse Basketball: Marek Dolezaj will star if he remains aggressive

Syracuse basketball big man Marek Dolezaj got things started off on a positive note in the current campaign.

Hands-down, Syracuse basketball big man Marek Dolezaj is one of my all-time favorite players to ever suit up on the Hill, and his career isn’t even done yet.

The 6-foot-10 senior, a power forward who also plays center, is the ultimate glue-guy. He’s unselfish, always looking to create opportunities for his teammates.

Dolezaj possesses tremendous court vision and a high basketball IQ. He is a terrific passer, not just for a big man, but in general. And Dolezaj is really solid on defense, helping to anchor the 2-3 zone.

After a junior term in which he averaged about 10 points and six rebounds per contest, Dolezaj is primed for a special final go-round in Central New York.

He’s a leader of this present Orange roster, and what Dolezaj did in the squad’s one-point victory over Bryant inside the Carrier Dome in the 2020-21 season opener illustrates how fantastic he can prove this stanza.

Per statistics provided by a Syracuse basketball spokesman, against the Bulldogs Dolezaj logged about 36 minutes of court time. He connected on 6-of-12 from the field and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe, which is huge, because if Dolezaj remains aggressive, he will receive a lot of chances from the free-throw line.

Dolezaj finished with 20 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and four steals. Additionally, the Orange was plus-10 when Dolezaj was on the floor. You can’t ask for much better of a performance.

Syracuse basketball senior big man Marek Dolezaj has the potential to really shine in 2020-21.

Per a tweet from 247Sports reporter Stephen Bailey, Dolezaj is the inaugural ‘Cuse big man to tally double-digit assists in an encounter dating back to Orange legend Derrick Coleman in 1989. Wow.

According to a ‘Cuse hoops spokesman, “Senior center Bourama Sidibe suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee during the game with Bryant. He is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday, Dec. 1. According to associate a.d. for sports medicine Brad Pike, four weeks is a reasonable recovery estimate for this type of injury.” Head coach Jim Boeheim has said that if Sidibe is unable to compete, Dolezaj is the team’s starting center.

As a focal point in the middle of the Syracuse basketball defense, Dolezaj will have to do his best to stay out of foul trouble. At the same time, though, he has to continue to be aggressive on the court, junior shooting guard Buddy Boeheim said after the team’s conquest of the Bulldogs.

Dolezaj is already an excellent player, but as he gains confidence, he looks for his shots more, and those shots fall, watch out. Ultimately, Dolezaj can be one of the premier guys in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season.

Jim Boeheim, in his post-game press conference following the Bryant affair, said that Dolezaj put forth some “unbelievable stuff out there,” on both offense and defense. We wholeheartedly agree with the ‘Cuse head coach.