Should Cope Be Starting ????

[alphaorange]

The problem with Copeland is when the ACC starts, they aren’t going to guard him on the perimeter, so driving lands might not be there. His three point shot looked not good last night.

I don't believe he needs a lane. He can get to the basket without one against about anyone because of his handle and strength.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I don't believe he needs a lane. He can get to the basket without one against about anyone because of his handle and strength.

Not true.

 

[two3zone]

Not saying Cuffee isn’t good. I just think he’s a year away. He’s one of our least versatile players (doesn’t mean he’s not good) just his size and skill set limits him to being strictly a SG. Whose minutes is he eating into? Definitely not Judah and JJ, Copeland is a better all round player and play maker than Cuffee right now, you need Taylor’s shooting. I think the backcourt next year will be a rotation of Westry, Cuffee, Copeland and Moore. He’ll likely see a lot more minutes next year.

I was more impressed with Cuff than anyone honestly, I don’t see how he’s a year away, he consistently made great things happen.

 

[tbonezone]

taylor was 4-8 deep . 4-10 from the field. 1 assist in 35 minutes. seems 1 dimensional.

 

[two3zone]

I like Cuffe too, but he can’t play forward and he isn’t playing in front of the other guards. Next year is his year.

Why can’t he play the 3? I can see if you put Taylor or Cope ahead of him there but if you’re going to put Bell there you could put anyone there.

A lot of teams play three guards, we can too.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I don’t think Bell should start. He’s looking like the 9th or 10th best guy on the roster right now.

Here's the thing - word from the off-season was Bell was one of the guys that really took the work he put into his body and game to another level. Not to say other guys didn't work hard, but he went an additional mile.

I don't think you can that aside on one bad exhibition game.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Why can’t he play the 3? I can see if you put Taylor or Cope ahead of him there but if you’re going to put Bell there you could put anyone there.

A lot of teams play three guards, we can too.

Probably can play guard with Copeland or Taylor in the game. Playing Judah/JJ/Cuffe together is a really small lineup. Might be able to get away with it if McLeod and Benny are the other two guys.

 

[two3zone]

Probably can play guard with Copeland or Taylor in the game. Playing Judah/JJ/Cuffe together is a really small lineup. Might be able to get away with it if McLeod and Benny are the other two guys.

Would Judah/JJ/Cuff be worse defense than Judah/JJ/Bell? I don’t think so.

 

[Niastri]

Could very well be true. Wouldn’t be shocked though if he’s able to give bigger guards/forwards fits with his quickness and athleticism. He also is very involved when he’s in there. An active bell/Taylor play over him this year m, I would agree. A passive Taylor or bell struggling defensively could lose minutes. Way too early to tell but that is my thinking

If you play Cuffe, Starling and Mintz with McLeod and Brown, somebody more accustomed to guarding a small forward is going to have to try and stay in front of a guy who is much quicker.
If McLeod and Brown can handle the boards and interior defense, it could be a game changing lineup against some teams.

Clemson, for instance, might need to take Girard entirely out of the game, rather than having him guard one of those three.

 

[Sbucketball]

Why can’t he play the 3? I can see if you put Taylor or Cope ahead of him there but if you’re going to put Bell there you could put anyone there.

A lot of teams play three guards, we can too.

Cuffe almost hit his head on the Dome roof on that one rebound. 6-4 205lb JJ can defend a lot of 3s, and Cuffe and Judah could pick up the 1 and 2 on defense. Like everything it depends on matchups, but why not.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Would Judah/JJ/Cuff be worse defense than Judah/JJ/Bell? I don’t think so.

Fair point.

 

[rrlbees]

One thing on Bell fwiw. He did play solid defense for the first 4-5 minutes. Forced a turnover and was active. Then he got foul happy and his offense wasn't good. On the rewatch it's clear to see. He was hustling late in the game too.

Dove for a couple balls too.

 

[AlaskaSU]

I have very little to go on, perhaps JJ is best suited as a 1, and Cope / Cuffe better suited as 2's.

 

[Cuse44]

Q was best player on the court for last yrs first scrimmage (maybe 2nd not sure) and I’ve been very high on him after watching him dominate a practice and driving Judah and Joe nuts defensively BUT I think his greatest asset is bringing that crazy energy off the bench after seeing who may need a wake up call.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Yeah if we want a shooter on the floor with the starters then I'm not sure why it can't be Taylor. He does everything else better than Bell and I don't think Bell is that much better of a shooter.

It seems like it might be a mental thing for Bell keeping him in the starting lineup but at some point he has to stop getting the benefit of the doubt.

Maybe bell doesn’t miss in practice and at pop a shot in Chuck e Cheeses , but in actual games I’m not sure what hes done to deserve the reputation of being a dead eye shooter

 

[NorSyr66]

Q was best player on the court for last yrs first scrimmage (maybe 2nd not sure) and I’ve been very high on him after watching him dominate a practice and driving Judah and Joe nuts defensively BUT I think his greatest asset is bringing that crazy energy off the bench after seeing who may need a wake up call.

Glad to see the discussion get back to Q. He will be a player Coach can deploy in many different roles but in all roles his high energy level will up the level of Orange play. As many indicate in this thread, Red has a tool chest with numerous options available as dictated by the opponent and flow of the game. Q is nearly an Army utility belt by himself! No need to start him but he may play more minutes than some starters.

 

[Niastri]

Q was best player on the court for last yrs first scrimmage (maybe 2nd not sure) and I’ve been very high on him after watching him dominate a practice and driving Judah and Joe nuts defensively BUT I think his greatest asset is bringing that crazy energy off the bench after seeing who may need a wake up call.

I love the idea of Copeland coming in for a lackluster Bell or Williams (or even McLeod) at the 4 minute mark and the other team's small forward having to figure out how to stay in front of him.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Maybe bell doesn’t miss in practice and at pop a shot in Chuck e Cheeses , but in actual games I’m not sure what hes done to deserve the reputation of being a dead eye shooter

I don't know about dead eye, but for a true freshman to make 35% on the volume he took is pretty promising.

And I know people will get all hot and bothered that Taylor shot a better percentage, which is true, and also prettty promising, but it probably doesn't project as cleanly since it was on just over half as many attempts. Sample size could matter a bit.

 

[Dcuse]

Agree with most of this. I’m a bit higher on cuffe. He has a scorer’s mentality and I think can be a tough defender. I’m not as high ok Taylor. Agree he ‘could’ go for 15 any night but we just haven’t seen him do that outside of Bryant. Ability is there but I’m not sure.

Totally agree on Cuffe. Gonna be tough with all the backcourt talent but this guy needs minutes. Disagree on Taylor…..his shooting is critical to this team and his overall game is better than Bell’s.

 

[billsin01]

Totally agree on Cuffe. Gonna be tough with all the backcour talent but this guy needs minutes. Disagree on Taylor…..his shooting is critical to this team and his overall game is better than Bell’s.

Agree. Not questioning Taylor’s talent. And he seems like a good kid who works hard. He can also hang defensively and we desperately need some shooting.

My only question is can he translate all that to being an impactful, winning player. We saw nearly 600 mins last year and it didn’t happen. We’re only 40 mins in this year and he’s had one good half and one meh half.

I think the best thing for the team is if it works out that he’s a key piece for us. Im just not totally sure. Cuffe was out of control but the one thing I know about him is that he at least believes he’s going to be one of the best players on the floor. You can see it in the way he plays. Taylor needs to have some of that run off on him.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Here's the thing - word from the off-season was Bell was one of the guys that really took the work he put into his body and game to another level. Not to say other guys didn't work hard, but he went an additional mile.

I don't think you can that aside on one bad exhibition game.

I hope he proves me wrong. He was definitely off last night. Hopefully it was just rust

 

[Zelda Zonk]

We will already have two playmakers starting. I think Copeland as a sub ensures we can always have at least two on the floor if/when JM or JJ are out.

QC can also be the ‘bandaid’ to fix whatever might be wrong—if Chris isn’t hitting early, if JM or JJ start hunting shots, if the energy isn’t high.

I like the idea of having 3+ long range shooters on the floor—assuming Judah starts like he finished last year, JJ comes up to his HS rep, and Chris is on (or Justin subs for him). QC seems like an ideal second unit guy, getting shots for Taylor, feeding the post—doing more half court stuff and facilitating if one of the burner guards is resting.

 

[AngryOtto]

With the style Red wants to play we are going to need to play 10 guys and spread the minutes. No more 6 or 7 player rotations or you will see a repeat of the second half in more games. These players are all athletic and talented. No reason anyone needs to play more that 22 to 25 minutes other than Mintz and I would limit him to 28 to 30 for now. Towards the end increase possibly. We need to have everyone to still have their legs underneath them at the end of the season unlike the past number of years.

 

[Giants1973]

With the style Red wants to play we are going to need to play 10 guys and spread the minutes. No more 6 or 7 player rotations or you will see a repeat of the second half in more games. These players are all athletic and talented. No reason anyone needs to play more that 22 to 25 minutes other than Mintz and I would limit him to 28 to 30 for now. Towards the end increase possibly. We need to have everyone to still have their legs underneath them at the end of the season unlike the past number of years.

JJ and Judah will play most minutes

 

[JustPherU]

Maybe bell doesn’t miss in practice and at pop a shot in Chuck e Cheeses , but in actual games I’m not sure what hes done to deserve the reputation of being a dead eye shooter

Reminds me of Hal Cohen and how he made like 500 free throws in a row in practice , but I think he was like a 70% free throw shooter in games.