Steven Baker and Nick Mannion
Staff Writers
Swish! Basketball season has begun. On Tuesday, Oct. 25 the NBA basketball season began with the defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers beating the New York Knicks, 117 to 88. The NBA isn’t the only basketball in the U.S.: College basketball preseason has begun. On Friday, Nov. 11, Syracuse Mens Basketball won their first game against Colgate 83 to 55. Tyler Roberson led the way for the ‘Cuse with 18 points and J-DHS alumni Dejuan Coleman scored 6 points and grabbed 6 boards.
As the college basketball regular season begins, many students at Jamesville-DeWitt High School are excited. “I’m really excited to watch college basketball. I think that there are a lot of teams that can be number one this year,” said junior Markos Pektopolous. Duke was voted No. one in the preseason coaches and AP poll, moving up 17 spots from last year. They won their first two games easily against Marist and Grand Canyon. Following Duke and rounding out the top five comes Kansas, Villanova, Kentucky and Oregon. The opening day of college basketball didn’t disappoint, as No. 11 Indiana upset No. 3 Kansas, 103 to 99, and No. 10 Arizona upset No. 9 Michigan State. The popular choice among websites this year for the best college basketball player was Duke guard Grayson Allen.
There hasn’t been much controversy among students about who they think will be winning it all this college basketball season. “The Cuse are going all the way,” said junior Parker Wing. Along with Giblin, sophomore Greta Smith believes that the cuse will win it all this year. “We have such a good team this year,” said Smith. Though not all students have faith in the Orangemen. “I love Syracuse, but Duke is too good this year, they’re going to go undefeated,” said sophomore Mateo Santos.
Many students at J-D are excited for another Syracuse basketball season. “I can’t wait to watch the Syracuse win it all,” said senior Emily Pomeroy. Syracuse is ranked number 17 in the coaches preseason poll and number 19 in the AP preseason poll. Syracuse has many returning players this season including graduate center Dajuan Coleman, sophomore point guard Frank Howard, sophomore forward Tyler Lydon, and senior forward Tyler Roberson. However, the Orangeman lost three starters in the offseason, losing senior guard Michael Gbinije, senior guard Trevor Cooney, and freshman guard Malachi Richardson. “It sucks that we lost such great players, but we have some great new talent coming in,” said senior Mikey Yonta. Two of the Orangemen’s best incoming players are four star point guard Tyus Battle, ranked on ESPN, and graduate transfer from Nebraska, Andrew White. At Nebraska last season White averaged 16.6 points and 5.9 points per game, and was named honorable mention of the Big Ten. “They’re both so good,” said junior Brendan Drotar.
The NBA season has kicked off, and it’s rolling. There have been many changes this NBA offseason between superstars changing teams and many new faces in the NBA. One of the biggest moves this offseason was three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade joining his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. Wade stated to an ESPN reporter “ it was not an easy decison, but I feel that I have made the right decison for me and my family.” Wade is now 34 years old and is in his 13th year of the NBA, but he is not showing it because he is still averaging 17 points per game.
Another bold move this offseason was that 2014 MVP Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors who just broke the NBA record for best regular season record with 73 wins and 9 losses. “It’s a coward move to join the team that beats you in the playoffs, I no longer have any respect for him,” said sophomore Nick Mandelis. Mandelis is referring to the fact that Kevin Durant’s old team the Oklahoma City Thunder was knocked out of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors, Durant’s new team.
The MVP race for this season is a good one, many players have a legitimate shot at being the league’s next MVP. It’s not unusual to say Lebron is a candidate for the MVP; many people, including freshman Laith Abdel-Aziz, say this is his year to get his 5th MVP. However, not everyone thinks that James will win the MVP, including sophomore Haleigh Summers; “I think Carmelo will win it, he’s a great player,” said Summers. One of the other players in the MVP race is Russell Westbrook who junior Carlena Torrens and senior Eli Williams think will take home trophy at the end of the season.
“This basketball season should be a good one,” said sophomore Jakob Ellithorpe.
