Am I the only one here that thinks

[SoBristol]

...

Then the second bit...not so much. Maybe there can be some quibble about "great strides" as far the degree to which he improved. Did he improve? I think so.

More minutes for a veteran? Unless Cooney has some Josh Wright-level difficulties, yeah. He's getting more minutes than any freshman off-guard, guaranteed. That's how it's been for 95% of the time that Boeheim's been at Syracuse, and he's only gotten more serious about that since we've exclusively played zone. Freshman guards are some degree of dreadful at the top of the zone; we're certainly starting one of them, and Boeheim won't want another up there.

Gbinije's a different story, but we'll have to see some combination of him overachieving and Cooney underachieving for Cooney to get beat out for that spot.

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Well, for sure there is room for a range of opinions on how the guards will line up. Gbinije isn't anyone's typical newbie -- he has size, top 30 athletic ability, practice time at Duke, and a year in the SU program practicing the Boeheim zone. He and Ennis will start. Patterson has a PG year under his belt and is known for his defense.

Bottom line -- how much time Cooney can get depends on the progress he makes -- shot selection, distributing the ball to set up his teammates, helping to beat pressure, beating someone off his dribble. Boeheim isn't going to blindly follow any past pattern -- some newbie guards have stepped right in. The top 7 or 8 who can help him win will play. Cooney has to improve to stay in that top bunch -- I hope he will, but Patterson will have a shot as well.

 

[OttoMets]

Well, for sure there is room for a range of opinions on how the guards will line up. Gbinije isn't anyone's typical newbie -- he has size, top 30 athletic ability, practice time at Duke, and a year in the SU program practicing the Boeheim zone. He and Ennis will start. Patterson has a PG year under his belt and is known for his defense.

Bottom line -- how much time Cooney can get depends on the progress he makes -- shot selection, distributing the ball to set up his teammates, helping to beat pressure, beating someone off his dribble. Boeheim isn't going to blindly follow any past pattern -- some newbie guards have stepped right in. The top 7 or 8 who can help him win will play. Cooney has to improve to stay in that top bunch -- I hope he will, but Patterson will have a shot as well.

To an extent, sure.

But Cooney's probably going to get some default minutes - he's the only guy who's played a game minute of zone before. That matters hugely to Boeheim. Patterson's got an uphill battle because he's going to play defense like every other freshman guard has: poorly. Since he's not the true point, he's not the more experienced (though by no means experienced) and more talented Gbinije, and he's not Cooney, Patterson would have to execute unusually well to earn heavy minutes.

 

[CaliCuse]

To an extent, sure.

But Cooney's probably going to get some default minutes - he's the only guy who's played a game minute of zone before. That matters hugely to Boeheim. Patterson's got an uphill battle because he's going to play defense like every other freshman guard has: poorly. Since he's not the true point, he's not the more experienced (though by no means experienced) and more talented Gbinije, and he's not Cooney, Patterson would have to execute unusually well to earn heavy minutes.

I read somewhere that Patterson's handle isn't what we hope it will be. I'm guessing the same as Trevor's Holdyour breath and hope he can complete a pass to someone who can pass it again or dribble for a shot. Just how well Gbinije and handle the "Wilson remains to be seen. If CJ comes back our team will have some teeth and will bite a few butts in the ACC. The whole thing should be fun.

 

[Francis03]

I read somewhere that Patterson's handle isn't what we hope it will be. I'm guessing the same as Trevor's Holdyour breath and hope he can complete a pass to someone who can pass it again or dribble for a shot. Just how well Gbinije and handle the "Wilson remains to be seen. If CJ comes back our team will have some teeth and will bite a few butts in the ACC. The whole thing should be fun.

He's not Waiters with the rock displaying a bunch of ankle breakers but his ball handling is much better now. From the last few Brewster games that I've watched, he has been a play maker with the rock. Whether it's scoring or passing, I love the fact that he doesn't seem to lose confidence if he has a couple of bad plays and is always in attack mode. Real different from other guards that we have had before, so I'm intrigued by how he'll fit in and compete.