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Men's Basketball

Syracuse players begin rigorous Olympic curling training after practice

Jerami Grant and B.J. Johnson channeled their inner Haavard Vad Petersson and Christoffer Svae. Grant rolled a basketball forward, flaunting the same silky touch he’s developed around the basket. Johnson used a broom to brush away the imaginary ice as the ball trickled toward midcourt.

This wasn’t a weird drill. It wasn’t a secret Boeheimian tactic. It was simply toomfoolery.

The duo imitated curling, a sport Vad Petersson and Svae play for team Norway, which disposed of the United States 7-4 on Monday. Graduate assistant Nick Resavy Instagrammed a video that rivaled the skill level of that in the Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Michael Gbinije and C.J. Fair watched and laughed inside the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center as Johnson bobbed his head and swerved the broom. He did everything in his power to will the ball to stop at midcourt. He even busted out a much slower rendition of the defensive slides he’s practiced for years.



It looked like the perfect roll by Grant. The ultimate form of champion-caliber marksmanship. But the ball had other ideas. It kept rolling past the line and onto the other half of the floor.

It wasn’t a bad effort by Johnson and Grant, but they’re probably better off sticking with basketball.





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