PITTSBURGH – As the media descended on the Syracuse locker room, the biggest throng of reporters huddled around one player who didn’t have much influence on the Orange’s successes throughout the year.

But before Rakeem Christmas took his seat up against a wall and the media started their interrogation, his teammates showed how unusual a sight it was for the freshman to be the center of attention.

‘They’re coming for you today big Rak,’ Dion Waiters yelled on his way to the showers. ‘They’re coming for you.’

The soft-spoken Christmas was the first focal point of reporters after scoring eight points and hauling in 11 rebounds in top-seeded Syracuse’s 75-59 win over No. 8 seed Kansas State on Saturday in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. The freshman center played perhaps his best game of the season against the Wildcats and was a key factor in helping the Orange advance to the Sweet 16. He played a season-high 34 minutes and sat for just 18 seconds in the second half.

More importantly, he showed Syracuse still has someone who can hold down the center position without Big East Defensive Player of the Year Fab Melo.

‘He was tremendous,’ head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘He’s a very athletic big guy. I think the last probably five or six weeks, he’s been playing more at center in practice, working more inside game, inside drill work. I think he’s getting better all the time.’

Without Melo, many felt the Orange would struggle to compete with good rebounding teams or against dominant post players. Kansas State boasts 6-foot-11 forward Jordan Henriquez, and Christmas still played one of his best games of the season.

In the first half Christmas didn’t take a shot and only grabbed four rebounds, but he came to life in the second half.

It started with his effort on the glass. On one SU possession, Kris Joseph took a step-back, fadeaway jumper from the baseline that clanged off the rim, but Christmas was there to grab the rebound and give SU a second chance.

Joseph then got fouled on a drive, made the first free throw and then missed the second. Once again, Christmas was there for the board. He missed the putback, but James Southerland laid it back in.

‘I think he did awesome,’ Brandon Triche said. ‘He played really big. He has a lot of practices like that where he’s just on. He’s good around the basket. I felt like he could have had a few more points if he could have converted on the easy ones. But 11 rebounds is incredible.’

Once Christmas got going, he said all of his teammates started pouring on words of encouragement. Senior Scoop Jardine said this was the hardest he has ever seen the freshman play.

And that eventually led to his scoring.

Triche found the center all alone under the basket after Christmas hustled downcourt in transition and finished with an easy layup. On the Orange’s next possession, Jardine drew

Henriquez off the freshman on a drive and shoveled a pass to him under the basket. Christmas capitalized there with a dunk. Two possessions later, he caught a pass under the basket and used the rim to protect his shot from Henriquez on a reverse layup.

‘We look for him to do this every game next season,’ Triche said. ‘But he’s capable of doing it now.’

Christmas said his confidence was down earlier this season, but it’s now on the rise. At one point, he was tired of the Wildcats converting floaters over the top of him and swatted an Angel Rodriguez floater into the Kansas State bench.

And although he was admittedly a little worn after playing the most minutes yet of his young career, he was happy he contributed to the win.

‘When I get going, I get going sometimes,’ Christmas said. ‘It’s good to stay in knowing I don’t have to come back out for making a mistake.’

zjbrown@syr.edu

Published on March 17, 2012 at 12:00 pm