D

ear readers,

If there was any bubble of hope surrounding Syracuse’s basketball seasons, that the two teams could combine to play at least 50 games during a global pandemic, Sunday night’s news punctured it. The Orange paused all men’s basketball activities after two positive tests within the program, including 76-year-old head coach Jim Boeheim.

There’s little stability entering the 2020-21 season, with dozens of programs already in similar situations to Syracuse — on pause, with a cloudy timetable for when that’ll be lifted. And while games will start, while college basketball will plow ahead with its season, there’s no guarantee that this delicate year, which followed a tumultuous offseason, will end like it does in normal years. 

After all, that’s what happened last year, when the coronavirus began to tear apart life in the United States and around the world. Two SU basketball teams destined for NIT bids had seasons halted and postseason opportunities erased before they began when college sports shuttered on March 12. March Madness just became madness as the NCAA frantically tried to figure out life in a pandemic while planning for the 2020-21 season.

Now, here we are. Syracuse men’s basketball’s supposed season-opener, if it happens, is scheduled in nine days. The women will follow soon after. To prevent outbreaks and the spread of COVID-19 within the team, Syracuse invested in contract tracing technology with wristbands that track distance between players and coaches. It added strict COVID-19 protocols during workouts and practices to ensure if one member tested positive, like Boeheim, they could contain the positive case.

Alongside COVID-19’s continued impact are storylines that’ll shape the Orange’s seasons when they take the court. Tiana Mangakahia will complete her return from Stage 2 breast cancer, a path that included pickup basketball games at Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School and SU’s Barnes Center at The Arch. Illinois transfer Alan Griffin is tasked with replacing the NBA-bound Elijah Hughes, the 19.0 point and 5.0 rebound-per-game gaps.

Alongside them will be necessary complements. Kamilla Cardoso, the best recruit in women’s basketball program history, will use her 6-foot-7 frame in the center of SU’s 2-3 zone. Marek Dolezaj, who’s always been an undersized player, added 20 pounds to his frame this offseason. And Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi once again steps into a role as SU’s top player off the bench, while continuing to expand her shooting range beyond the arc on offense.

Together, those five players are tasked with navigating Syracuse through this unusual season. Welcome to The Daily Orange’s Basketball Guide.

Thanks for reading,
Andrew Crane, Sports Editor

Banner photo design by Katelyn Marcy | Digital Design Director, Photos by Max Freund | Staff Photographer, Alexandra Moreo | Senior Staff Photographer