Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMBB | BIG TIME: Big man Arinze Onuaku scores a timely 23 points as Syracuse wins Big East opener
By Jackie Friedman
Posted: 1/2/08, 11:34 PM EST Section: Sports
Jan. 2, 11:32 p.m. -- Forget all the technical basketball jargon, his dexterity on both sides of the hoop, his ability to make a move in the post. Nope, freshman Scoop Jardine knows exactly why Arinze Onuaku can't be stopped.
"He's a big boy," Jardine said of the Syracuse center. "He just played like a monster (Wednesday). They just can't stop him. He's so strong. I remember one guy asking, 'How many pounds does he squat?'
"AO is an animal. He's an animal. He's just patient on the block. He doesn't miss a lot. The ones he misses he should make."
Wednesday night, he didn't miss many. Onuaku finished with 13 rebounds and a career-high 23 points and carried Syracuse during crucial stretches in the Orange's 76-70 win over St. John's in front of 17,487 at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday night.
Onuaku has made 68.3 percent of his field goal attempts this season, second in the Big East.
"Coach just kept saying they can't stop me, so keep getting the ball in the post," Onuaku said. "They were playing me behind so I was just trying to catch the ball and make good moves around the basket."
Onuaku picked a good time to step up, too.
When SU's leading scorer Donte Greene, who finished with 22 points, was called for his third personal foul 1:44 into the second half Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim stole a glance down his bench. He looked to the floor. He shook his head.
Greene stayed in. And less than two minutes later, the freshman forward picked up his fourth foul and made his exit for the next 10 minutes, opening the door for Onuaku to produce arguably one of the best performances by a big man in recent Syracuse history.
"Otis Hill was our last offensive weapon inside and that was about 10 years ago," Boeheim said of his three-year starting center from 1993-97.
When Greene was relegated to the bench after receiving Nos. three and four, there was an obvious tension. Less than a month earlier, Greene had stacked up fouls against Rhode Island on Dec. 8 and watched his team lose because no one else could get the ball in the net.
"He's a big boy," Jardine said of the Syracuse center. "He just played like a monster (Wednesday). They just can't stop him. He's so strong. I remember one guy asking, 'How many pounds does he squat?'
"AO is an animal. He's an animal. He's just patient on the block. He doesn't miss a lot. The ones he misses he should make."
Wednesday night, he didn't miss many. Onuaku finished with 13 rebounds and a career-high 23 points and carried Syracuse during crucial stretches in the Orange's 76-70 win over St. John's in front of 17,487 at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday night.
Onuaku has made 68.3 percent of his field goal attempts this season, second in the Big East.
"Coach just kept saying they can't stop me, so keep getting the ball in the post," Onuaku said. "They were playing me behind so I was just trying to catch the ball and make good moves around the basket."
Onuaku picked a good time to step up, too.
When SU's leading scorer Donte Greene, who finished with 22 points, was called for his third personal foul 1:44 into the second half Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim stole a glance down his bench. He looked to the floor. He shook his head.
Greene stayed in. And less than two minutes later, the freshman forward picked up his fourth foul and made his exit for the next 10 minutes, opening the door for Onuaku to produce arguably one of the best performances by a big man in recent Syracuse history.
"Otis Hill was our last offensive weapon inside and that was about 10 years ago," Boeheim said of his three-year starting center from 1993-97.
When Greene was relegated to the bench after receiving Nos. three and four, there was an obvious tension. Less than a month earlier, Greene had stacked up fouls against Rhode Island on Dec. 8 and watched his team lose because no one else could get the ball in the net.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Marc LeVine
posted 1/03/08 @ 9:34 AM EST
Players are stepping up nicely and scheduling St. Johns as the Big East inaugural was a blessing for a young team trying to find itself and develop as an effective unit. (Continued…)
Post a Comment