Syracuse basketball heads to Brooklyn with three NYC guards looking to establish themselves in their roles with the Orange.
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team returns to action against the Texas Longhorns tonight in the 18th annual Legends Classic. With Syracuse competing at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn it represents a homecoming of sorts for three players in orange.
Before transferring to Syracuse this past summer, Jaquan Carlos played at Hofstra for three seasons. The point guard returns home to his native Brooklyn tonight. He acknowledges the thrill of playing at home but without losing focus on the task at hand.
“It’s definitely going to be exciting I think coming back home playing (in front of) a lot of people where I’m from,” Carlos said. “But it’s just another game. Same approach and we’re going to have to come out on top.”
Elijah “Choppa” Moore, Syracuse’s freshman sharpshooter from the Bronx, shared a similar sentiment.
“It definitely means a lot knowing that I’m going to be back at home, knowing that I’m going to have a lot family and people come support. I’ll make sure I do whatever I can to help my team come out victorious,” Moore said.
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The third member of the New York City group is second year Syracuse player Kyle Cuffe. A native of Harlem, Cuffe transferred in from Kansas two seasons ago to play closer to home. He and Carlos have known each other since their early teenage years as the two played on the same New Heights AAU team in middle school. Cuffe and Carlos have been on road trips in AAU often spending time in each other’s rooms.
“I grew up with Jaquan and I got to know Choppa a little bit these past two years,” Cuffe said. “Just being able to know Jaquan personally to knowing Elijah is important to me.”
The three have long known each other before playing at Syracuse and often talking about New York culture amongst themselves, proudly representing where they’re from.
“We definitely always have the city on our back,” Carlos said.
The trio of guards from the city share a background with the Syracuse coaching staff. Adrian Autry was born in North Carolina, but his family moved to Harlem when he was five years old. Now in his eighth year as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Syracuse assistant Allen Griffin is from Brooklyn.
New York City, once known for producing the best basketball talent by giving center stage to tough, physical and gritty guards, has sought to restore that reputation in recent years. While much has changed in grassroots basketball, the same NYC mentality remains for many players. Moore explained that mindset.
“Never having it easy. Always having to work for whatever you have. We’re in a situation where Jaquan is coming from Hofstra, Kyle’s coming off a National Championship team [Kansas] but still just having to continue working while being hurt. The mindset to keep going forward is what we have,” Moore said.
The three city guards each bring a something different to the table. Carlos plays under control, runs the offense and prefers to get teammates involved. Moore is a shooter by every definition. Cuffe rounds out a bench contingent with his defense and if he’s to earn time, he’ll do it by guarding the opposing team’s best offensive player.
Although all three city guards have different skillsets and come from different boroughs, the three inherently share common ground with similar backgrounds.
“It’s a different type of mentality, different way of growing up. Knowing we got a couple guys from the city,” Moore continued, “it’s a good feeling knowing you’ve got a brother with you.”