Siena, Italy – Jalen Carey drove the ball early in Saturday’s game here against the Siena Select team.

The Syracuse point guard breezed to the rim, but missed the resulting layup.

For Carey, the sophomore from New Jersey, that miss was motivation for the rest of the game. Nobody could guard him. That meant easy trips into the lane, when he put his defender on his hip and raced to the rim. And most of the time, that meant easy scoring opportunities.

“I had to lock in. I went in there, it was an easy layup that I missed and I know what I’m capable of,” Carey said. “I just got into the rhythm of the game, was able to just finish my layups when I was able to attack the rim.”

Carey scored 11 points in the first quarter on 5-of-6 shooting, that early miss the sole shot he did not convert. The Orange went on to handily defeat Siena Select 115-56. Carey finished with 15 points in fewer than 20 minutes.

“Jalen got off to a great start, as he did the other night,” SU coach Jim Boeheim said. “He really is a big key. When he gets off to that start and gets in the lane, they’re playing the shooters and it gives him the opportunity to get in the lane. If they do help, we’re gonna make 3s. So, he played really, really well.”

The pace with which Syracuse played Saturday was remarkable, especially for a team that has spent the last couple seasons walking the ball up the court and using the vast allotment of the shot clock. Granted, the teams are playing with the international 24-second shot clock here. But SU is actively looking to run on every possession.

Carey started the game pushing the pace. And Brycen Goodine continued when Boeheim inserted him into the game.

“Coach loves when I get out in transition – he loves when anybody gets out in transition,” Carey said. “Just run. That’s how we want to play this year. So it’s just learning how to get to that and get comfortable with that. With the pace of the game, I’m learning with each game we play, each practice. I’m getting more accustomed to it.”

Carey, too, looked for his teammates Saturday, another theme of this Italian trip. He left the ball for Jesse Edwards on the fast break. He found teammates in the corners. He finished the game with a team-high five assists. It helped that SU shot 54 percent from the field Saturday.

Carey described his thought process when he’s leading the break:

“I’m first looking at whether I’m able to get to the basket,” he said. “Coach always tells me to play foul line to foul line. So once I get there, either I have a short jump shot or layup. If not, there’s always going to be somebody open if they’re keying in on me.”

Quincy Guerrier dominates physically

Syracuse forward Quincy Guerrier has 10 rebounds in less than 25 minutes on Saturday. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com

Quincy Guerrier scored 14 points Saturday. He made all five of the 2-pointers he attempted and went 1-for-2 from the 3-point line.

But what he did best against the Siena Select team was dominate physically. At a sculpted 6-foot-7, he just outmuscles and overpowers defenders. And he gets after it on the glass.

On one particular play, Guerrier caught the ball on the low block. He felt his defender on his back, then spun into the lane and finished the play. He is so strong, so powerful even through his legs, that these Italian defenders have been no match for him.

“I had a conversation with Coach Boeheim before the game,” Guerrier said. “He told me to use more of my physicality. Grab the ball with two hands. So that’s what I did today. I think I did pretty well.”

“Quincy showed his physical strength today,” Elijah Hughes said. “He was overpowering guys. He was a man-child today. That’s what we need him to be. He was just amazing.”

Guerrier, too, plays with a never-ceasing motor. He covers ground in SU’s zone. He pursues rebounds. He grabbed 10 boards in 24 minutes and 46 seconds of game action.

“That’s what Coach Boeheim need me to do,” Guerrier said. “If I want to play I think I need to be physical, play with a lot of energy on defense.”

A lucky coincidence

This is Marco D’Aniello and his girlfriend Mackenzie Golden. He’s an Syracuse season-ticket holder. He’s coincidentally here, in Cortona, visiting his cousins Felice and Eugenio Guerrini. Donna Ditota | dditota@syracuse.com

Marco D’Aniello visits his cousins in Cortona, Italy, every two years. He and his girlfriend, Mackenzie Golden, planned to make the trip again this August.

At that point, D’Aniello had no idea the Syracuse basketball team would be playing in Siena, about a 40-minute drive from Cortona. D’Aniello is a Syracuse basketball season-ticket holder. His seats are located in Section 305, Row B.

But here, in Palazzetto Men’s Sana, the site of SU’s third game of its four-game Italy tour, D’Aniello, Golden and D’Aniello’s cousins Felice and Eugenio Guerrini sat directly behind the Orange bench, approximately 10 feet behind SU coach Jim Boeheim.

“I love it,” D’Aniello said. “I love SU basketball. Italy – this is my second home. It couldn’t be any better.”

The envoy drove early Saturday morning to reach the game site. They got here about two hours before the game between SU and the Siena Summer Team. D’Aniello wore his replica Pearl Washington jersey for the occasion.

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