Syracuse walked into Media Day at the Carmelo Anthony Center on Friday looking very much like a team built with a clear identity in mind. With the preseason opener against Connecticut less than a week away, the Orange made one thing obvious: this roster is going to lean hard into length, defense, and size.
Head coach Gerry McNamara didn’t have much time to assemble the group after taking over, but the personnel tells the story. Senior guard Garwey Dual, at 6-foot-5, is likely the smallest starter.
McNamara said at the opening press conference that Dual is one of the best on-ball defenders he has seen from high school through the present day. Temple transfer Adian Tobiason, also 6-foot-5, brings a 7-foot-1 wingspan and wants to put that reach to work.
“I want to emphasize that I can use my length more,” Tobiason said. “Get more rebounds, steals, and blocks.”
That same theme runs through the frontcourt. Returning sophomore Sadiq White Jr. gives Syracuse another long, versatile defender who can handle multiple positions.
At center, the Orange added four new players, including last year’s Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Luke Wilson. Syracuse also brought in two freshman 7-footers in Abdramane Siby and Iker Martinez.
The questions on offense are still there, especially when it comes to who will carry the scoring load. But the shape of this team is already clear. Syracuse looks like it will be defined more by physical, length-driven defense than by firepower.
The roster makeover is real, too. Syracuse is bringing back only two players from last season in Kiyan Anthony and White.
The rest of the group blends portal additions with freshmen who are expected to chip in, especially off the bench. A number of McNamara’s freshmen are international players, and that includes one of the team’s most promising shooters.
Freshman Mark Morano from Slovenia could end up as Syracuse’s best 3-point threat this season. He has been a regular for the Slovenian U18 team for two years and averaged more than 20 points in his second year. Morano has also played in European leagues, and he said that experience has made the adjustment easier.
“Basketball is a lot more tactics-based there.” Morano said. “So it has kinda helped me with picking up new plays and the system Gerry has prepared for us.”
Another European addition, Siby, spent three years playing in Serbia before arriving at Syracuse. He has already made a noticeable jump physically, with McNamara saying Siby has added 16 pounds since this summer.
“Since the first day I got here, I wanted to be tough here on the court.” Siby said. “Because here in the NCAA, you have to be strong and really tough.”
McNamara is also leaning on a familiar face in freshman Ryan Moesch, who is positioned as the backup point guard. Moesch had committed to Siena while McNamara was there, then followed him to Syracuse. Guard Gavin Doty and forwards Francis Folefac and Tasman Goodrick also came from Siena, giving McNamara a built-in group that already knows his system and can help the newcomers catch up.
Folefac said that trust matters.
"Coach McNamara believes that we can be kind of leaders for the team. I know me, Gavin, and Tasman.
We’ve come in to try to help our teammates and bring them up to speed on Coach McNamara and how he wants us to play.” Folefac said.
"Just knowing that he (McNamara) has that belief in us is awesome."
The exhibition schedule will give Syracuse some early answers. Last year, the NCAA allowed teams to openly scrimmage other Division I opponents, and Syracuse used that chance to face Buffalo.
This time, the Orange are stepping into a much bigger test, traveling to Mohegan Sun to play UConn on Tuesday. The Huskies reached the final game last season before losing to Michigan.
Former Syracuse player and current Syracuse basketball coach Tyus Battle likes the challenge.
“I love it. As a player, I would have loved to do that.
You get thrown in the fire right away and see where you stand and see what you can improve.” Battle said, “It’ll be a very good learning experience for us.”
Tobiason feels the same way.
“It's our first big test,” Tobiason said. “It will test our team chemistry when they go on runs, or we go on runs.”
Syracuse still has two more exhibition games on the schedule, including one against Niagara and another that will serve as a homecoming for McNamara at Siena. The Orange open the real season on Nov. 2 at home against New Haven in the JMA Wireless Dome.
In Other News...
Gavin Doty Just Framed Syracuses Mindset For A Huge Season
At the ACC Tipoff event in Charlotte, Syracuse coach Gerry McNamara joined Gavin Doty and Aiden Tobiason on the conference stage, giving the Orange a chance to talk about where the program is headed before the season gets rolling. The visit also offered a look at the new faces around the team and the tone McNamara is trying to set as Syracuse tries to build momentum in a league that rarely offers much room for error.
Doty, in an interview featured on the Juice on the Cuse Podcast, sounded eager about what this year can become, pointing to his own development while keeping the focus on the bigger picture for the group. The message was clear enough: Syracuse wants to be in the mix in the ACC and has its sights on NCAA Tournament success, but the next step will depend on how quickly that confidence turns into results once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Let Another Winnable ACC Game Slip Away
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Instead, Syracuse let another winnable conference game slip away and stayed winless in ACC play, while the losing streak against Power-Four programs grew to 11 games. The second-half fade was especially costly, with the offense bogging down as the kicking game and special teams continued to create problems the Orange could not afford in a tight game. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads To Louisville With A New Worry Fans Feared
Syracuse left Charlottesville with another close loss and a familiar kind of frustration, dropping 28-25 to Virginia in a game that had enough positives to make the finish sting even more. The Orange, now 2-3 overall and still winless in ACC play, got an encouraging early outing from third-string quarterback Malachi Nelson and enough balance on offense to move the ball on the ground, but the team still could not protect a lead or close the door in the second half.
The worry heading into Louisville is less about the final score than the quarterback situation. Nelson was injured in the fourth quarter and Danny Lauter had to finish the job, adding another layer of uncertainty to a position that has already been tested this season. Syracuse found some rhythm offensively and rushed for 163 yards, but the defense gave up 21 second-half points, leaving the Orange with plenty to sort through before a trip that now feels even more important. [Read more 🡒]