Syracuse, N.Y. - It's been an interesting week for the Syracuse men's basketball program.
The Orange won another squeaker, this time a 104-95 double-overtime victory over Youngstown State on Saturday, to go to 3-0 on the season.
And on Friday, Syracuse learned that Kiyan Anthony, a top-40 prospect in the 2025 recruiting class who also happens to be Carmelo Anthony's son, had decided to play for the Orange next season.
Both events sparked a lot of questions for the Mailbox, so let's get started.
(If you have a question for the Mailbox, email it to [email protected]).
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Q: With JJ Starling's 38-point performance, I was wondering if any other Syracuse player from the 315 has ever scored that amount?
Dave S.
Mike: This was a really interesting question following Syracuse's game on Saturday.
Syracuse has had a lot of really good players who grew up in the 315 area code, including Danny Schayes, Andy Rautins, Buddy and Jimmy Boeheim, Howard and Brandon Triche and Lazarus Sims.
After going through SU's record book, it turns out that JJ Starling's 38 points are the most ever scored by a Syracuse player from the 315. Starling eclipsed Danny Schayes' 33-point performance in a win over Detroit in the 1980-81 season.
Buddy Boeheim scored 31 points in a loss to Virginia in the 2021 ACC tournament. Dale Shackleford, a native of Utica, which is still in the 315 area code, scored 30 points on three separate occasions. Brandon Triche and Andy Rautins both had 29-point games as their career-highs.
Q: When was the last time a Syracuse player played 49 minutes?
Bill N.
Mike: Another question about Starling, who played 49 of the 50 possible minutes in the Orange's 104-95 double-overtime victory over Youngstown State on Saturday.
The Orange needed Starling's presence on the floor. Syracuse simply would not have managed to win the game without Starling's career-high 38-point effort. He went to the bench only briefly in the first half. He sat out exactly 53 seconds.
The 6-foot-4 junior made 14 of his 23 field-goal attempts. He also picked up seven key rebounds and dished out three assists.
The last Syracuse player to log more minutes in a game was Buddy Boeheim in a double-overtime win over Indiana on Nov. 30, 2021.
Boeheim played every second of the Orange's 112-110 win over the Hoosiers. He scored 27 points on 10-for-23 shooting. He also had eight assists, five steals and three rebounds.
Q: This may be a really tough one, but has Syracuse ever started the year playing three straight single-digit games?
Austin
Mike: At first, I didn't think this question would be all that tough. I was certain that Syracuse had opened a season with three straight games decided by nine points or less fairly recently.
I was wrong. And if you narrow the question to three straight wins by single-digits, then I was really wrong.
So far this season Syracuse has beaten Le Moyne by two points, Colgate by four and Youngstown State by nine (and that was in double-overtime).
The last time Syracuse started the year with three consecutive games with single-figure margins was in 2003-04. The year after winning the NCAA title, Syracuse opened the season with a 96-92 loss to Charlotte.
The Orange then beat Rhode Island 69-65 and St. Bonaventure 87-78 in its next two games. Syracuse would win its next 11 games for a 13-1 start to the year, finish the season with a 23-8 record and lose to Alabama in the Sweet 16.
However, the last time Syracuse opened a season with three straight wins of nine points or less took place over 100 years ago.
In 1922-23, Syracuse beat Clarkson 21-20 in the season opener. SU then edged Hobart 12-8 and Maine 17-13. Syracuse finished the year 8-12, but three years later the Orange went 19-1 and was named the national champion by the Helms Foundation.
Q: My wife wants to know how he can play college if he has an agent?
Duane M.
Mike: This question came in after Luke Fennell, a 6-6 guard from Australia, committed to Syracuse. Fennell plays with a pro club as a developmental player and, like most international players, he has representation.
The question is even more pertinent now after Kiyan Anthony, the son of former Syracuse star Carmelo Anthony, announced his decision to play for the Orange next year. Anthony is widely popular on social media. He has millions of followers and endorsement deals with several companies. He is represented by the WME Sports Agency.
For years, college athletes were not allowed to sign any agreements with agents, but the NCAA has relaxed those restrictions.
Student-athletes are now permitted to hire agents to negotiate name, image, and likeness (NIL) contracts and assist with other NIL activities on their behalf.
College basketball players are also allowed to use agents when considering whether to enter, and/or remain in, the NBA draft.
Q: It may be way too early to tell, but what might be a good comparison for Petar Majstorovic?
John H.
Mike: After two exhibitions and three regular-season games, I haven't come up with a perfect comparison for Petar Majstorovic.
I've heard some fans say Marek Dolezaj, but I don't see it. Dolezaj was more athletic, while Majstorovic is much stronger than Dolezaj was at the same stage. Majstorovic also looks to have a smoother shot from the 3-point line.
If anybody has a comparison that they like, please email me at [email protected]