PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Dajuan Coleman walked off the court to a rousing ovation. More than eight minutes had come off the clock before his first substitution. His stat sheet was littered with two points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal. He’d only played 10 minutes against Elon on Saturday. He’d averaged just 12 through Syracuse’s first three games.

On Wednesday, he was aggressive. After a steal, he drew a foul. After a block, he collected a rebound.

“I thought Dajuan was good,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “It’s the most active he’s been. He had a good start, good opportunity … a lot of minutes down and I think he was very productive.”

Coleman’s night was cut short by foul trouble, but he had his best game since returning from a knee injury that kept him out for the better part of two seasons. He played 21 minutes, seven more than his previous season-high, and had seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

He helped provide defense in a 17-0 run that spanned nearly seven minutes early in the first half as the Orange (4-0) went on to win 83-70 over Charlotte (1-3) at the Imperial Arena.

“It felt good. It felt like I definitely had my legs,” Coleman said. “Maybe it’s the heat or something. I just felt real good out there.”

On the first play of the second half, he blocked a Bernard Sullivan shot in the lane and immediately picked up the ball to get Syracuse possession. His defense sagged a bit to start the second half and he picked up the ticky-tack fouls that he said he’s trying to eliminate from his game.

He was called for his fourth with 14:25 left in the game. But with Syracuse in control and a lengthy afternoon already logged, the big man wasn’t needed.

After the game, he sat in SU’s makeshift locker room, content with how SU’s opening game in the Bahamas had gone.

“I feel good,” Coleman said. “I think there’s still some things I need to work on, but I definitely feel like I’m on pace.”

Published on November 25, 2015 at 6:33 pm

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3