Syracuse freshman Brissett making big impression
SYRACUSE, N.Y. » As the final seconds wind down in a tight game with St. Bonaventure, Syracuse’s Oshae Brissett spins and drives the lane and hits the go-ahead shot as the Carrier Dome crowd erupts in glee at the final horn.
In the blink of an eye, the winning basket is waved off when the 6-foot-8 Brissett is called for a charge and Syracuse goes on to lose in overtime, its first home loss of the season .
Lesson learned for the Orange’s standout freshman forward from Canada.
“I’ve just got to keep learning, get stronger, get smarter, so the games can be easier,” Brissett said. “It’s going great. I have a big role on the team.”
Among freshmen in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Brissett ranks near the top in scoring and rebounding. He’s averaging 14.5 points and 9.2 rebounds, behind Duke’s Marvin Bagley III (21.6, 11.4) and dead even with Wendell Carter Jr. (14.5, 9.3), who also plays
for the Blue Devils. Brissett also ranks third among ACC freshmen with eight doubledoubles.
“He’s our main offensive weapon on the front line,” Orange coach Jim Boeheim said. “He’s gotta score for us to win.”
Much of Brissett’s game revolves around drives to the basket, and his creativity has sent him to the free
throw line a lot. He leads the conference with 103 made out of 130 trips to the line (79.21 percent). He’s also playing heavy minutes since the Orange are shorthanded with only eight scholarship players, averaging 38.1 minutes.
That extra dose of experience bodes well for the future.
“I expected him to have an opportunity to play, get a chance to produce,” said Chris Cobbina, whocoached Brissett at Athlete Institute Basketball Academy outside Toronto. “The numbers that he’s putting up are more than I expected coming into that league and that competition. For a freshman, he’s playing above and beyond his years.”
Brissett didn’t take long to demonstrate his potential, registering a doubledouble with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Cornell in his first college start. He continued his rise with back-to-back 25-point performances in wins over Georgetown and Buffalo and closed the nonconference portion of the schedule averaging a double-double — 15.2 points and 10 rebounds.
“Obviously, he’s a very good recruit,” said Tony Bennett, coach of secondranked Virginia. “His versatility and his strength are very good, and his numbers are showing that. He’s in that line of next really good forwards, a guy that looks like he can get it going.”