NEW YORK — Coming into this season, Syracuse was prepared to live and die by the play of C.J. Fair. So far, the Orange has lived.

After a remarkable MVP performance at the Maui Invitational to end November, Fair replicated his late-game heroics with three near-identical jumpers to propel Syracuse past St. John’s on Sunday.

“The way our team’s set up, I know I’m going to get the ball and need to deliver,” Fair said. “I want to be there for my team, so if there comes a situation like today where we need a couple buckets down the stretch, I want to provide.

“And I think that boosted myself and the team.”

Fair scored 21 points in total, but six crucial ones in the final seven minutes, as the No. 2 Orange (10-0) staved off a gritty St. John’s (6-3) team 68-63 at Madison Square Garden. Fair’s takeover performance occurred in little more than a three-square-foot area as the Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Player of the Year drained a trio of jumpers from the right baseline — negating the Red Storm’s 14-point comeback and claiming the unofficial title of “New York’s College Team” for SU.

But really, Fair’s takeover as leader of the Orange has spanned four full seasons. Hours of studying film and getting shots up have accrued to create the superstar forward that leads Syracuse in scoring.

“Last year we had four options. C.J. Fair was our fourth option,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “This year he’s the first option. We don’t have the third or fourth options yet.”

In a sport centered around immediate contributions and freakishly talented freshmen, Fair has become what he is today the hard way.

Fair gained that “sweet spot” on the right baseline with repetitions in games and practices throughout his career. It’s where he wants the ball to go at the end of games, and where Boeheim directed it go in the under-four minute timeout on Sunday.

After freshman Rysheed Jordan made two free throws to pull the Red Storm ahead 58-56 with 7:21 left, Syracuse point guard Tyler Ennis hit the flashing Fair in stride 15 feet from the basket.

Fair aligned his blue, Nike shoes to the hoop, cocked the ball back above his forehead and fired. The ball rotated backward toward the rim before dropping squarely through it.

“It’s all about being in the right position and taking your time late in the games,” Fair said. “You don’t want to rush things. You want to get a good shot up there.”

With three minutes left, Fair followed four Tyler Ennis points when he replicated the long jumper. And after a D’Angelo Harrison free throw, he all but sealed the Orange victory with his third straight swish to push SU’s cushion to 66-61 with 1:38 left.

Three identical plays. Three identical shots. Three identical results.

“He gets overlooked no matter what he does, but he’s been really good,” Boeheim said. “He made three today down there down the stretch that had to be made.”

The performance was further proof that Fair can succeed as Syracuse’s closer. He scored 14 second-half points against Baylor in the Maui Invitational championship game on Nov. 27, two days after picking up a double-double and vicious gash under his right cheek in a win over Minnesota.

“We definitely expect C.J. to win ACC Player of the Year,” Syracuse forward Jerami Grant said before the season. “He definitely deserves it.”

Duke’s Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood may have something to say about that, but Syracuse doesn’t need Fair to garner any postseason accolades.

The Orange just needs its superstar to continue playing like one down the stretch.

Said Fair: “I know coming into games that I’m going to be on the scouting report, so I just want to make my job to bring my game up to another level where I can make plays for myself and the team.”

Published on December 15, 2013 at 2:28 pm

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