Spring Break
The Daily OrangeBASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW
Moving Forward: After losing top 3 scorers from last season, Syracuse hopes it's retooling, not rebuilding
By Matt Ehalt
Scoop Jardine pleaded his case to a trio of Syracuse teammates who had visions of professional basketball dancing in their heads. Jardine, a redshirt sophomore, tried to convince Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf to stay for one more season in the frozen tundra of Syracuse.
'It's been a long road': Wes Johnson has been just about everywhere, but he has finally found a place to call home
By Conor Orr
Wesley Johnson stole away from the media day crowd, a group who'd already pegged him as the afternoon's main attraction. Dressed inconspicuously in his gray hooded sweatshirt, the highly-touted transfer snuck behind the masses and into the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center weight room to bang out some bicep curls before his inevitable date with the bevy of cameras and reporters waiting for him.
Taking the lead: Rautins, Onuaku return for a 5th year and become the leaders of a program searching for an indentity
By Andrew L. John
Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku decided to take the other path. While Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf spent the offseason showcasing their abilities for professional basketball executives, Rautins and Onuaku opted to return to Syracuse for a fifth year in the program - an oddity in major college basketball these days.
Diamond: Triche has bright side, but Jardine deserves chance to show his worth
By Jared Diamond
The moment Jonny Flynn announced his decision to leave Syracuse and enter the NBA Draft, Scoop Jardine finally saw the opportunity he feared would never arrive. He felt helpless for much of last year, barely a part of the Orange's Sweet 16 squad, doubting the fate of his career.
The payoff: Seton Hall gave Bobby Gonzalez a hefty contract extension. Now he has to prove he's worth the price.
By Tony Olivero
In Bobby Gonzalez's mind there is "bad pressure," and then there is "good pressure" when it comes to coaching basketball. "Bad pressure" is when a coach is on the hot seat and in desperate need of a winning team. "Good pressure" accompanies a coach whose team is expected to perform well because of previous accomplishments.
Life in the fast lane: With a speed-oriented offense, Siena transcends common traits of a mid-major
By Tyler Dunne
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Don't call them underdogs. By now, Siena is sick of that stereotype. "Underdog" means they haven't arrived yet. "Underdog" means they're still a cute subplot, a gimmick. Standing at midcourt of Siena's practice facility, seniors Alex Franklin and Edwin Ubiles cringe at that word.
Face of a program: Michael enters senior year with a chance to become SU's all-time greatest player
By Brett LoGiurato
Over the past three years, almost everything about Nicole Michael's career has been a blur to Quentin Hillsman. She was his first major recruit after he was appointed to head coach in 2006, and since then, has helped him take his first steps toward building a program at Syracuse.
Believing the hype: Quentin Hillsman calls Juanita Ward the best he's ever coached. This is her last chance to prove it.
By Dider Morias
Quentin Hillsman invested four years of his coaching career into recruiting Juanita Ward. From the moment he saw her play at Callaway (Miss.) High School in 2004, Hillsman, then Alabama's assistant coach, fervently sought the 6-foot-2 forward's services. And at last year's media day, Syracuse' head women's basketball coach sauntered into Manley Field House and finally celebrated the culmination of his efforts, offering his blue-chip, JUCO prospect the greatest compliment a coach could give a player.
