Should Cope Be Starting ????

[newmexicuse]

I know it is early and there has only been a scrimmage and an exhibition game, both of which I was only able to read about, but he seems to be breaking out.

I loved this kids style and attitude last year, he was just a bit too out of control, but it sounds like under Coach A this kids abilities are starting to shine.

IF he can hit 30% from 3 range that starting him should be a no-brainer. Even if he cant do that, his other skills still may be enough to earn him that role.

He creates, he rebounds, he defends, he can penetrate. A lot to be said......plus an over the top positive attitude.

 

[Trueblue25]

Like him off the bench. Need two halves of energy and effort for our team to take a next step, and he’s got plenty to plug and jump start any gaps.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Fans get caught up with who’s starting. He will play big minutes as the 6th man. We need someone out there who’s a ringer from deep if JJ isn’t going to be able to knock them down. Fine if that’s Taylor.

 

[Orangezoo]

Fans get caught up with who’s starting. He will play big minutes as the 6th man. We need someone out there who’s a ringer from deep if JJ isn’t going to be able to knock them down. Fine if that’s Taylor.

Hopefully Judah can hit a couple per game at a 35 pct or better clip if JJ cant as well

 

[CuseMan4]

Negative. This team is built well. Think back to when Scoop and Kjo came off the bench. They were great assets and punch off the bench that teams had to game plan around outside of our starters. Makes it difficult for opposing teams. Copeland is a potential triple double any night he plays well. Taylor is a potential 15-20 point scoring night if he is hitting his shots, Brown is basically a starter coming off the bench. I would not be surprised if Brown averages close to a double double this year. Think back to our good Syracuse teams from ‘09-‘17ish…we always had good bench scoring. I think that returns this year and not many teams are gonna be able to stop the backcourt of Mintz and Starling. If McLeod is a defensive presence and if Benny averages even just 10-12 ppg and 8 rpg…this team will make some noise come March

You start:
Judah
Starling
Bell
Benny
McLeod

Top 3 off the bench:
Copeland
Taylor
Brown

Give Cuffee some spot minutes
Carey and Hima only in a pinch
Work Westry into the line up when he gets back
Patterson redshirts

 

[newmexicuse]

Hopefully Judah can hit a couple per game at a 35 pct or better clip if JJ cant as well

Judah will have to hit at least 35% if he wants to get drafted high.

Bell and Taylor seem to take turns being hot from three, never know which one it might be.

Benny improved last year from afar, but his shot looks funky to me, so I am guessing he will be erratic.

Trey shooting may be a problem, so for me, I would takes Cope’s all around game.

Some say starting is overrated, but it often goes to whether a team is playing from ahead or from behind, but I think we can all agree who finishes is the most important.

 

[Tango32]

Dudes a leader. Always talking and oozes positive vibes.

 

[billsin01]

Dudes a leader. Always talking and oozes positive vibes.

Yeah his attitude is a major plus. It was last year even while he was parked on the bench most of the time.

 

[two3zone]

Fans get caught up with who’s starting. He will play big minutes as the 6th man. We need someone out there who’s a ringer from deep if JJ isn’t going to be able to knock them down. Fine if that’s Taylor.

It absolutely matters who starts, it’s been seemingly forever we get stomped early on, it’s tiring seeing the best players sit on the bench and we’re down 14-6 before they come in.

If I’m Cope, Westry, Cuff, or Taylor and Bell is starting over me I’d be in the portal tomorrow.

Why can’t we just bring the heat right at tip-off?

 

[billsin01]

Negative. This team is built well. Think back to when Scoop and Kjo came off the bench. They were great assets and punch off the bench that teams had to game plan around outside of our starters. Makes it difficult for opposing teams. Copeland is a potential triple double any night he plays well. Taylor is a potential 15-20 point scoring night if he is hitting his shots, Brown is basically a starter coming off the bench. I would not be surprised if Brown averages close to a double double this year. Think back to our good Syracuse teams from ‘09-‘17ish…we always had good bench scoring. I think that returns this year and not many teams are gonna be able to stop the backcourt of Mintz and Starling. If McLeod is a defensive presence and if Benny averages even just 10-12 ppg and 8 rpg…this team will make some noise come March

You start:
Judah
Starling
Bell
Benny
McLeod

Top 3 off the bench:
Copeland
Taylor
Brown

Give Cuffee some spot minutes
Carey and Hima only in a pinch
Work Westry into the line up when he gets back
Patterson redshirts

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.

 

[Cusefan0307]

It absolutely matters who starts, it’s been seemingly forever we get stomped early on, it’s tiring seeing the best players sit on the bench and we’re down 14-6 before they come in.

If I’m Cope, Westry, Cuff, or Taylor and Bell is starting over me I’d be in the portal tomorrow.

Why can’t we just bring the heat right at tip-off?

In most cases I agree, but we need some sort of complimentary pieces out there or else other teams are going to pack the lane because I don’t think JJ is going to be able to shoot. Keep in mine I don’t think Bell should be the guy, but he’s going to get the first crack it appears.

 

[tbonezone]

looked to be the best player on the court last night.

 

[two3zone]

In most cases I agree, but we need some sort of complimentary pieces out there or else other teams are going to pack the lane because I don’t think JJ is going to be able to shoot. Keep in mine I don’t think Bell should be the guy, but he’s going to get the first crack it appears.

I will say, with Judah on the floor he brings the energy that Cope would bring, if Cope is playing when Judah isn’t then that is 40 minutes of pure energy that a lot of teams can’t keep up with.

This is going to be an exciting year, not willing to say 20 wins yet but what a heck of a start with a ton of young guys.

 

[Orangezoo]

I will say, with Judah on the floor he brings the energy that Cope would bring, if Cope is playing when Judah isn’t then that is 40 minutes of pure energy that a lot of teams can’t keep up with.

This is going to be an exciting year, not willing to say 20 wins yet but what a heck of a start with a ton of young guys.

If we had last year's schedule 20 wins easy. This year while I've got them pegged for 22 it's a tough slate. That said good signs early on.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

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.

Taylor enjoys a major halo effect from his big game, and probably looking a lot like Buddy.

I'll take every half he wants to hit 4 threes in this season, for sure.

 

[Orangezoo]

Taylor enjoys a major halo effect from his big game, and probably looking a lot like Buddy.

I'll take every half he wants to hit 4 threes in this season, for sure.

As well as Cuffe being the heady athletic freak with a knack for making veteran like plays. For a kid that's hardly played his presence was like that of a sr.

 

[CuseMan4]

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.

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.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Negative. This team is built well. Think back to when Scoop and Kjo came off the bench. They were great assets and punch off the bench that teams had to game plan around outside of our starters. Makes it difficult for opposing teams. Copeland is a potential triple double any night he plays well. Taylor is a potential 15-20 point scoring night if he is hitting his shots, Brown is basically a starter coming off the bench. I would not be surprised if Brown averages close to a double double this year. Think back to our good Syracuse teams from ‘09-‘17ish…we always had good bench scoring. I think that returns this year and not many teams are gonna be able to stop the backcourt of Mintz and Starling. If McLeod is a defensive presence and if Benny averages even just 10-12 ppg and 8 rpg…this team will make some noise come March

You start:
Judah
Starling
Bell
Benny
McLeod

Top 3 off the bench:
Copeland
Taylor
Brown

Give Cuffee some spot minutes
Carey and Hima only in a pinch
Work Westry into the line up when he gets back
Patterson redshirts

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

 

[Cusefan0307]

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.

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.

 

[UpstateSM]

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

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.

 

[Orangezoo]

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 yearSr.

Trying to remind myself that as solid as he looked, it was because he got more time with Judah out. We likely look even better with Judah and don't see as much of a lull in energy.

 

[Todoubled23]

I'm just happy to be having this conversation at the beginning of the season. Backcourt has a lot of depth even without Chance back yet.

As others have mentioned if JJ and Judah can just be decent outside shooters the backcourt can carry us this year I think.

Add in Brown/Naheem at C, and one of JT/Bell/Benny having a decent game we could have some fun.

Not expecting us to win Maui but I don't feel like we'll be blown out of any game either as I feel last years team could have.

 

[Orangezoo]

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.

 

[hoopsupstate]

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

 

[billsin01]

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.

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