Syracuse Basketball: Quincy Guerrier is a ‘monster down low,’ coach says

Syracuse basketball forward Quincy Guerrier is competing like an All-ACC player.

Coming into the 2020-21 campaign, Syracuse basketball coaches and national pundits felt that forward Quincy Guerrier was primed for a break-out sophomore year.

So far, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound Guerrier is proving those prognostications correct, as he is among the Atlantic Coast Conference leaders in scoring, rebounding and field-goal shooting to date in the young 2020-21 term.

On Wednesday afternoon inside the Carrier Dome, the Orange connected on an absolutely dreadful clip from the field and beyond the arc against a scrappy Northeastern team in a non-conference duel.

Guerrier, who this season is imposing his will on defenders in the paint, registered a double-double of 18 points and 16 rebounds versus the Huskies, providing a much-needed spark to the ‘Cuse roster as Syracuse basketball (5-1) squeaked by Northeastern, 62-56.

After this contest, head coach Jim Boeheim said in a Zoom call with media members that Guerrier has played well since the beginning of the 2020-21 stanza.

He’s a “monster down low,” Boeheim said in praising Guerrier, while adding that his sophomore forward is relying on physicality in the paint, has good instincts around the basket, and takes advantage of the fact that he’s usually stronger than his defenders.

In the virtual press conference following the Huskies affair, sophomore point guard Joe Girard III said Guerrier is “a beast down there” as it pertains to scoring and rebounding near the rim.

Check out the stat lines from Syracuse basketball sophomore forward Quincy Guerrier.

Per his bio on ESPN’s Web site, through six games, Guerrier is posting averages of 32.3 minutes, 16.5 points, 9.8 boards, 1.2 assists, 0.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per encounter. He is connecting on a ridiculous 67.3 percent from the field, 66.7 percent from the charity stripe and 45.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Prior to contests on Thursday night, Guerrier was No. 8 within the ACC in scoring, No. 2 in rebounding and No. 1 in field-goal percentage. Those are All-ACC numbers, in my opinion.

As a freshman in 2019-20, Guerrier absolutely showed flashes of his future potential, and that promise has arrived in his sophomore stint. It’s encouraging that Guerrier has significantly improved his 3-point shooting percentage.

However, with senior Bourama Sidibe, the team’s starting center, out due to injury, Guerrier said on the Zoom call that he’s focused on being physical in the paint and rebounding at a high rate on both ends of the floor.

“I know my role,” he said, adding that his success on the glass stems from moving his feet faster.