Tuesday, October 20, 2020

A Center Wish List

Syracuse fans have been clamoring for the Orange to get a strong center, someone who can score in the low post, rebound, and play defense.  Not necessarily a superstar, but someone who was fundamentally sound.

How about if I got you a 6'10" center, about 215 lbs, who averages 11.7 rebounds per game, and makes 70% of his field goals.   He shoots 63% from the charity stripe, which isn't earth shattering, but is better than many SU centers of the past.   He averages 9.8 points a game, 2.7 blocks, and 2.4 stores, while only turning over the ball 1 time each game?

I imagine that is a center that most Syracuse fans would jump at.

Well then welcome Bourama Sidibe.  Those were Sidibe's stats the last six games of his junior season.  That included two games against North Carolina, and games against Miami, Boston College, Pitt, and Georgia Tech. 

It will be interesting to see if Sidibe can carry that momentum forward into 2020-2021. One of his biggest problems historically has been avoiding fouls. That more than anything has limited his effectiveness, often keeping him at less than 25 minutes a game (he averaged 23.9 minutes a game for the season).  Sidibe fouled out of 14 games last year, definitely an issue.  During the six game stretch to finish the season, he averaged 29.2 minutes a game, and twice played 35 minutes.

Sidibe did shoot 69% from the floor for the season, and averaged 7.9 rebounds a game despite playing less than 24 minutes a game.



No comments: