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J.J. Starling said he was himself today. It started when he was hitting shots in warmups. The ball felt good in his hands. He knew it was going to be great.

Syracuse’s new shooting guard, a sophomore transfer from Notre Dame, was a former McDonald’s All-American. He’s a local kid, who grew up in Baldwinsville, New York, less than a 20-minute drive from campus. Dreams of donning Orange and White became reality.

Head coach Adrian Autry immediately inserted Starling into the starting lineup alongside Judah Mintz. He hasn’t left since. Discouraging single-digit scoring games came and went. More was expected of the once-consensus 5-star recruit. But Tuesday at Pittsburgh, Starling showed why he belonged.

Notching a game-high 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers, Starling led Syracuse (12-5, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) to a 69-58 victory over Pitt (10-7, 1-5 ACC). The win gave SU a Quad 1 win and temporarily muted memories of a shocking 103-67 defeat to North Carolina. Defensively, the Orange’s two-way guard held Pitt’s freshman star Carlton Carrington to zero points but brushed off compliments from reporters postgame.

“J.J., he came to play today,” Autry said. “That was his best game in a (Syracuse) uniform. He defended. He made big shots. I thought he was aggressive and attacked.”

There have been flashes this season. Three consecutive double-digit scoring games to begin the year. Fifteen points against then-ranked Gonzaga at the Allstate Maui Invitational. Sixteen versus Virginia as SU’s lone bright spot in a 22-point loss on Dec. 2, 2023.

Most notably, Starling tallied a season-high 21 on over 50% shooting in an away victory over once-Big East rivals Georgetown. A similar air of immeasurable confidence, shown tonight, was displayed at Capital One Arena on Dec. 9, 2023. He called his own number and trusted himself with contested pull-ups in late-game situations. A stepback mid-range jumper went down for a 63-56 Syracuse lead. An and-one floater finish deep in the Hoyas’ paint iced affairs.

But the other mediocre showings from such a high-caliber talent have been frustrating. Three points against LSU. Just seven in a win over lowly Niagara. Most recently, a two-point outing on just three shot attempts facing Boston College.

To the untrained eye, quality performances are judged by point total. But score or not, win or lose, Starling has always possessed a floor-general ability. He resets the offense instead of pushing the issue. He’s often the first back on defense. He communicates. His 33.3 minutes per game leads Syracuse and ranks fifth in the ACC. Tuesday, Starling’s offensive prowess shined through.

Jabbing left then ripping right, Starling caught Pitt guard Jaland Lowe off-balance before rising for a comfortable jumper for his first basket and a quick 4-0 SU lead. Then, a stop-and-pop make over 7-foot Guillermo Diaz Graham. Coming out of halftime, Starling’s first 3 was a fluid catch-and-shoot from the right wing to give the Orange a 40-26 advantage — their largest of the evening.

“When you’re a good player you get in your head sometimes and having a game like this makes that over for you,” Starling said. “Really after a couple shots I pointed up to God. (It) just felt good.”

Arguably just as important as his clutch baskets down the stretch, Starling clamped down on 6-foot-7 Carrington. The guard entered Petersen Events Center averaging 14.3 points but left 0-for-10 with seven missed 3’s — a career-low. Starling forced Pittsburgh’s prolific scorer into tough looks and chased him over screens throughout. He cited staying in front of the ball as the key to defending Carrington.

On one play, as Carrington attempted a sweeping lefty drive, Starling kept up the entire way. He timed his jump perfectly — a much-needed bonus against the lankier opposition — and met Carrington at the apex to palm the effort away.

Offensively, confident isolation moves were prevalent. He executed a left-to-right crossover shot before canning a shot opposite forward Blake Hinson. With under eight minutes left, he spun Lowe inside out on the low block before a perfect fadeaway. The entire Orange bench rose to their feet in response.

Starling’s most impressive maneuver came at the 5:14 mark. He waved off Quadir Copeland, who arrived to set a screen at the left corner. Penetrating middle on Pittsburgh’s Zack Austin, Starling reached the left corner and stopped on a dime. The contest came late and Starling’s shot ran true. SU’s 10-point cushion increased to 62-50.

“I feel like if you look at the other games, (J.J.) wasn’t even shooting as much to get this kind of performance,” Copeland said. “I just kept telling him to be aggressive, be himself, be the person we know he is and the person we see everyday at practice.”

Autry’s recognized that it takes time for incoming players to adjust. Starling is one of four transfers on this year’s team.

However, growing comfortability between Starling and his teammates is surfacing. Clearly. He agrees with Autry’s sentiment that being a newcomer takes time. But he has a lot more to give.

“I’m still looking forward to improving because I know I have a lot more to give offensively and defensively,” Starling said. “I’m just looking to my guys to keep my head on straight.”

Published on January 17, 2024 at 12:38 am

Contact Tyler: trschiff@syr.edu | @theTylerSchiff