Syracuse's steady success is all a matter of time

Sporting News, The, Jan 1, 2001 by Mike DeCourcy

Allen Griffin can see the difference when he watches other teams play on television. He sees freshman point guards and sophomore captains, inexperienced players who must make significant on-court decisions. He hears announcers discuss whether these young players might spend next winter in the NBA. This is not how things are done at Syracuse.

Not anymore.

"Like Eddie Griffin (Seton Hall). I think he's a great talent," says Allen Griffin, a senior point guard for Syracuse. "But there are things he's going to learn to make him a great college player. It takes some time."

Those who play serious minutes for Syracuse mostly have put in that time, which is one reason Syracuse never stops being Syracuse no matter how confidently anyone predicts that will happen. The Orangemen began the season with nine consecutive victories and a Great Alaska Shootout championship even though TSN rated them No. 64 at the start. Their only loss is to No. 7 Tennessee.

"We always have a senior class," says first-year Syracuse assistant Troy Weaver, quickly becoming indoctrinated to the ways of the Orange.

This no longer is the Syracuse that built its legend m me 1980s with rosters bloated with McDonald's All-Americans. But that's OK. Coach Jim Boeheim has since concocted a winning formula by collecting athletic wing players with perimeter shooting skill-players such as Preston Shumpert and DeShaun Williams--and aligning them in a 2-3 zone defense.

Syracuse's access to elite talent slackened after the 1992-93 team missed the NCAA Tournament because of sanctions. The team hasn't signed a McDonald's All-American out of high school since John Wallace in 1992. It hasn't mattered much.

The Orangemen reached the Sweet 16 four of the past seven years and played Kentucky for the 1996 NCAA title. They survived the dearth of superstars by signing players in the next tier, guys ranked between 30 and 100 in their high school classes, and keeping them around to mature and gain experience. Since 1992, Syracuse lost one player to early draft entry, and that was Michael Lloyd, a junior college transfer who spent a year on the roster and had academic eligibility issues.

Almost invariably, the team's key players are upperclassmen. Shumpert, averaging 22.6 points, will make this the eighth straight season in which an upperclassman leads Syracuse in scoring. How unusual is that? Only two other Big East teams have had the same since the '95-96 season.

"As far as experience, you can't put a price on that," Shumpert says. "The quality of shots can be better, and having the right mentality on defense is important. That big-game experience helps you get a little bit of an edge on your opponents."

This is especially true with the zone. It is not as complex as Temple's matchup scheme but is effective because the Orangemen are long, active and aggressive--and through experience, they understand its nuances. Most teams employing this zone struggle to rebound because it is difficult to locate block-out assignments, but SU is up two boards a game on its opponents despite lacking great interior power.

This team needs the zone because it is not deep. Inside, it's necessary to stick with versatile Damone Brown, surprising senior center Billy Celuck and sophomore reserve Jeremy McNeil. Shumpert, Brown, Williams and Griffin are averaging 31 minutes or more.

Opponents shoot only .400 from the field and .324 from 3-point range. The zone might create the illusion of open shots, but when it's played correctly, they're not there. Missouri's Kareem Rush and Clarence Gilbert combined to hit just 11-of-27 from the field. Ohio State's Brian Brown and Boban Savovic were 5-of-21.

"We know where the shooter's at in the zone," Griffin says. "When you've got a veteran team, you've got a team that knows what it takes to win. I think that's what I bring to the table the most. I've been on teams when we were 13-0, when we went to the Sweet 16 twice. I show guys that we can win, as long as we do this and this."

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