Cadre Richmond shines in first career Syracuse start (Donna Ditota’s quick hits)

SYRACUS, NY – The biggest observation about Thursday’s game was made in the Career Dome about two hours before the Syracuse-Niagara game was announced.

SUA announced a positive Covid-19 test in its men’s basketball program. That announcement had an impact on who could play on Thursday night and juggle the orange rotation, especially at guard locations.

Game? Syracuse led the half 14 and won 75-45.

Here is what happened:

Syracuse University announcedAt 6:18 p.m., someone in her men’s basketball .l program tested positive for the Covid-19 during last week’s test. Using the most accurate coronavirus tests – PCR nasal swabs are used three times a week to Orange basketball players and staff. The person who has tested positive must be separated for 10 days; Anyone considered close contact must be kept separate for 14 days.

The university will not identify people in its athletic program who test positive. Buddy Bohem Carrier was not in the dome on Thursday night and did not play in the game. He started the previous 36 games for Orange and scored 21 points in SU’s home-opener at Dome last week.

At any rate, SU had 10 players against Niagara. He changed his initial lineup to look like this: JG Giard, Carrie Dari Richmond, Lan Griffin, Quincy Gerrier and Marek Dolejaz. Baurma Sidib was not available; He underwent surgery earlier in the week to repair a torn meniscus and will miss about a month. Dolejaj started for him and Gauriar went to Dolejaj’s traditional power forward spot. Richmond, the freshman point guard, replaces Buddy Bohem in the starting lineup.

The bench looked like this: John Ball Ajak, Woody Newton, Frank Anselm, Jesse Edwards, Robert Bracewell.

Carrie Dari Richmond, 6-foot-5 point guard, starting for the first time in his Syracuse career.

He struggled a little early. It felt a little temporary against the small (5 ft-10) guard assigned to cover it. But after that, it got better. very good. G-Giard took over most of the early ball-handling and point guard duties early in the game, but like the half-wear, Richmond had more hands to make plays or make shots. And as his minutes mounted he grew more confident.

That was good in the first part. He showed nice hesitation and a change of pace with his drabble that allowed him to enter the alley. He completed the Gerard Lobe pass. He was 3-of-5 with four rebounds in the half, a blocked shot (he swept a 3-point attempt from above) and an assist. And when was Niagara trying a 3-point shot? They did it from the Girard area of ​​the zone.

He did well in the second half. Early in that closing half, he stole a ball from Dom Air and converted at the other end. He fed Quincy Gear in transition. He gave himself a ball that the Niagara player tried to save inbounds, then scooped it up. He found Woody Newton with a lobe throwing him down Newton.

When he said it all and was done, Richmond scored 16 points in a 6 to 10 shoot. He had seven rebounds, six assists, four steals, three blocks and three turnovers.

Quincy Gearr He was very powerful, very active on the backboards and ultimately very good for Niagara, who had no real answer for him.

Gauriar scored 12 first half points. He missed none of his five shot attempts. And he had eight rebounds. This all happened in the first 15 minutes of the half. With 16 plus minutes to go into the game, he had already achieved a double-double (14 points, 10 boards).

Gauriar talks this season about how much attention he is paying to growing around the basket, working around the basket. He clearly understands that these are his best basketball .l features.

He did, for good measure, sink a 3-point shot in the first half. But it was the work around his basket that made him so impressive. He finished with a game-high 23 points in 25 minutes. He was 1-for-1 from the 9-of-10 and 3-point line overall.

Niagara, which recently After its own break for Covid-19, basketball practices resumed, looking like a team back in basketball action.

The Purple Eagles were struggling to get the ball and were struggling to score. They shot 29 percent in the first half. They lost 19 of their 24 3-point attempts. They were worse than that in the second half.

One of his credits was to the defense of the SU, which seemed tougher than the opener against Bryant. But, as the players and coaches of Syracuse will certify, it is difficult to wait for a few weeks, then resume playing basketball .l. Thursday’s game was the season-opener for Niagara.

We’ve talked a lot about weirdness Playing in the career dome without fans. Piping into SU music during breaks. The people at the scorers’ desk were all wearing face masks and plastic armor. For me, after watching so much basketball on television since last March, Covid had a more interesting relaxation at the end of time, while Jim Bohem sat in a chair surrounded by five people currently in the game; All of those individuals occupied their own seats. Players who were not in the game wore gears to cover their faces.

Giard continued to struggle Thursday with his shooting touch. Giard was 2-for-14 and 2-for-9 from the 3-point line in the season-opener against Bryant, going overall off-11 and —- off the overall-point line against Niagara. He scored eight points.

He had a supportive couple and a reckless four turnover.

He had company from a shooting standpoint. SUA as a team shot 22 percent (5-F-23) from the 3-point line. Buddy Bohem’s absence did not help. That’s one area that needs to be improved in Orange going forward.

This and that: After the first few minutes had passed there was never much doubt as to who would win on Thursday. SU is a good team. The orange, though, showed signs of rust. There were fantastic turnovers and shots that didn’t seem to start off comfortably. Orange missed all 12 of his second-half 3-point attempts. SU still has a lot of work to do. … without Baurma Sidib, Who will be on the side for a month after meniscus surgery, Merek Dolejaz played a big part of the minutes in between. Jim Boheheh tried Jesse Edwards there for a short time (1 minute) in the first half. He inserted John Ball Ajax there in the second half, then moved Ajax forward and put in Frank Aslem. Bohehem has said that Dolejaz will be his primary center until Sidib is ready to return. … Freshman forward Woody Newton was one of the first subs on Thursday (with Robert Bracewell). Newton, a thin, spring athlete, drains a 3-point shot in his first attempt and had some great moments. In the second half Newton played at the top of the SU zone; He finished the game with nine points and five rebounds in 15 minutes of action. … Ajak, who wore a redshirt last season, played his first minute of 2020-21 against Niagara.

More Syracuse Basketball:

Grade the orange after you win over Niagara

Syracuse Men’s Basketball; reports positive Covid-19 test in its program; Niagara will affect the game

Syracuse University: Water leaking to new roof on Carrier Dome floor is not the result

Triple double-doubles, strength of schedule, Jim Bohem’s tenure: Mike’s mailbox

Donna Ditota is a Syracuse post-standard and Syracuse.com. Got a comment or idea for a story? Reach out to her [email protected].