3 standout players from Syracuse's 75-57 win over Pace

Syracuse defeated Pace 75-57 in their final preseason exhibition. The Orange only led by two at halftime but pulled away midway through the second half behind a 13 point run. Every Syracuse player saw the floor except for Luke Fenenll (lower body injury), Tiefing Diawara and Noah Lobdell.

Here are three of the stand out players from the win over Pace.

Sadiq White

Sadiq White missed Saturday’s game against Buffalo with an injury but came off the bench and played 16 minutes in his unofficial debut. He finished with 14 points, 4 boards and 3 blocks.

“I was itching to get out there [after missing Saturday’s game],” White said. “Just to be out there and to be me, I had a fun time.”

He was solid defending on the ball and even got a block on his first defensive possession. He showcased his athleticism offensively with multiple rim-rocking dunks. Arguably his most impressive athletic feat came from a miss. In the first half Kiyan Anthony threw an errant alley oop pass beyond the backboard frame and White controlled the ball and astonishingly nearly scored. His shooting was a question mark going into the season but he went 2-2 from long range.

“I thought he had some flashes and I thought he still could’ve been better,” Autry said. “I liked where Sadiq was at as soon as he stepped on the court.”

Donnie Freeman

Donnie Freeman was probably the best player for the Orange finishing with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Pace emphasized taking the ball away from the primary guard which meant Freeman received the ball constantly especially on short rolls.

“We knew [Pace] were putting two on the ball so as I rolled they hit me,” Freeman said. “I tried to distribute the ball and make it easier on myself while still being aggressive at the same time.”

In the second half, Freeman did a better job at being assertive going towards the basket and using his size to score. Pace doesn’t have a player above six-foot-eight and Freeman took advantage. He also showed solid touch on shots from and key and around the rim. He was a willing shooter in the first half and went 1-4 from deep and 3-5 from free throws in the game. Some of his best moments came with Sadiq White on the floor.

“I’ve been playing on the same team with Sadiq all summer… our games coincide a lot,” Freeman said.

William Kyle III

William Kyle III sparked the Syracuse offense in the second half with 8 points on 4 shots. Between the 18:13 mark to 14:55 in the second half, he contributed to all ten Syracuse points from that span.

“I just waited my turn and the ball just found me,” Kyle said.

Kyle did a good job when switched on to smaller guards. He’s undersized for a center but his quickness and athleticism more than make up for it. Ibrahim Souare, another undersized center, played well defensively. The center position was split between Souare, Kyle and Freeman and Syracuse looks shorter but much more athletic at that position.

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