Men's Hoops Holds Media Day

Coach Boeheim Quotes | Player Quotes | Tyler Ennis Interview | Jerami Grant & C.J. Fair Interviews

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Following a busy summer which saw #7 Syracuse officially join the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and play four exhibition games in Canada, the Orange men's basketball program held its annual media day at the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center on Friday, Oct. 18.

Unlike past years where media day has signaled the beginning of practice, SU and the rest of the nation got underway three weeks ago.

"We're way ahead of where we would be," said head coach Jim Boeheim. "That doesn't necessarily mean we are going to get further than we would want to get. I think the key is to use what we've done and what we've been able to do with these early practices and to keep building on those as we go forward so we don't plateau and we don't stay here."

Boeheim returns to the Syracuse sidelines for his 38th season after leading the Orange on a Final Four run last year. Boeheim's 920 victories at the Division I level is second all-time, behind conference-foe Mike Krzyzewski (957) from Duke.

Preseason ACC Player of the Year C.J. Fair and Baye Moussa Keita will take on leadership roles during the 2013-14 season as the two remaining seniors on the squad.

"I feel like this year Baye and I are two of the leaders of this team," said Fair. "We have to make sure we keep the team in order."

Joining Fair as returning starters are junior Rakeem Christmas and sophomore DaJuan Coleman. Redshirt sophomore Trevor Cooney is expected to push hard for a starting role in the backcourt and sophomores Jerami Grant and Michael Gbinije will provide a spark off the Orange bench.

The incoming freshmen are considered a consensus top-12 recruiting class in the nation. Guard Tyler Ennis of St. Benedict Prep (N.J.) started all four exhibitions in Canada. Fellow backcourt-mate Ron Patterson, who spent last year at Brewester Academy (N.H.), and forward B.J. Johnson, a Lower Merion High School (Pa.) product, also gained valuable experience in Canada. Roselle Catholic High School (N.J.) alum Tyler Roberson and center Chinonso Obokoh, who attended Bishop Kearney High School in nearby Rochester, N.Y., will add depth to a loaded Syracuse frontcourt.

After spending more than an hour with the media on Friday afternoon, the team will make its first official public appearance in Syracuse at "Orange Madness" at the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse University Athletics

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