Starting Line-up in the Fall | Page 2 | Syracusefan.com
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Starting Line-up in the Fall

moqui said:
what I find comical is those who say Cooney was terrible, no way he can start next year. . . but he would be an excellent 6th man

I pick Cooney in a narrow nod over MG because I think the latter will be better used off the bench because he can play both guard spots. I also happen to think that overall Cooney played pretty well last year, especially at the defensive end. With two full years in the system, he is by far the most experienced guard on the team. There is no way to overlook how disappointing his shooting was, and there are those who can't forget or forgive his season-ending play. Maybe in the end he doesn't get the nod, but it is far from the foregone conclusion that many MG backers claim it to be.
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Shooting was supposed to be Cooney's forte. The three-point sniper. I don't consider him an ideal 6th man. Perhaps a few minutes here or there, but nothing more.

I've followed him since his Delaware days. Must confess that I was surprised that we recruited him, although I DO root for him.

I think that what we've seen is what we're gonna get. Nothing more.
 
o'sully33 said:
Maybe it's because they've seen Cooney play.
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ooh.png
 
G Ennis
G MikeG
Fair
Grant
C Rak

(In order of minutes played at backup position. Yes I am aware I have Rak, BJ and DC2 in multiple spots)
C Keita, DC2
Roberson, Rak, DC2, BJ
G Cooney, BJ, Buss
RS Chino

I really do think this gets hammered out later than sooner, as although the staff knows they have a ton of talent, some of these questions don't get answered right away, and they are important ones.
  • Can DC2 play defense at the wing? If he can't, we play 3 centers, because we need Rak and Keita's defense at this position, and I haven't seen DC2 prove he can contest shots at the back of the zone. I'm sorry, I love his post game and I believe he will get us valuable points in the paint. But he has to do a better job there if he can't play the 4.
  • Who is the second ball handler? Because of this uncertainty, I believe JB plays 4 guards this year. More so the case if Cooney struggles early.
Still. Have no fear! This will all work itself out. Just too talented a team not to have these tough questions answered down the road time. Of BJ, Buss and MikeG...one or more of these dudes step up in a huge way.

And Roberson might get the most minutes of any bench player if he doesn't end up starting. I said it before, but I still contest. This kid is good enough to start if Grant becomes super sixth man.
 
Ennis
MikeG
CJ
Grant
DC2

I think Cooney/BJ and Ron are in a dog fight for 3rd guard and Ron has a chance to be the back-up PG if MikeG can't handle it.

I think Roberson and BJ battle for back up forward minutes with Rak getting a few when we want to go big but that being abandoned as we get later into the schedule.

Center is the hardest to read if like me you feel we have too many skilled forwards for one of the bigs to get legit minutes there. I have DC2 starting because I;d love to have an offensive threat down low who converts and draws fouls. That being said I could see Rak starting and Baye will play how much depends on how well DC2 and Rak play IMO.
 
jordoo said:
Ennis
MikeG
CJ
Grant
DC2

I think Cooney/BJ and Ron are in a dog fight for 3rd guard and Ron has a chance to be the back-up PG if MikeG can't handle it.

I think Roberson and BJ battle for back up forward minutes with Rak getting a few when we want to go big but that being abandoned as we get later into the schedule.

Center is the hardest to read if like me you feel we have too many skilled forwards for one of the bigs to get legit minutes there. I have DC2 starting because I;d love to have an offensive threat down low who converts and draws fouls. That being said I could see Rak starting and Baye will play how much depends on how well DC2 and Rak play IMO.
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This is spot on to me
 
I think it's more likely BJ plays at most 5 minutes a game when ACC play starts than any significant role. While he won't redshirt, I wish he would. With CJ playing huge minutes at the 3 and Grant being able to slide over, the only chance BJ has to see any significant minutes is if JB feels he can help from 3 point range. And no way does he play over MG and Cooney at the 2 and Patterson is more suited to play there physically in their frosh years. All IMHO of course.

And none of my comments should be construed as negative towards BJ. I think he has a bright future but he needs additional physical development to compete most effectively at the next level. Not to mention the basketball development he'd receive during a redshirt year. Imagine a 5th year BJ vs a first year frosh BJ. But from all reports and the rarity with which JB redshirts players, it's a moot point.

PG - Ennis
SG - MG
SF- CJ
PF - Grant
C-Rak although I'd love to see DC take it

Let's Go Orange!
 
thebigeast44 said:
I think it's more likely BJ plays at most 5 minutes a game when ACC play starts than any significant role. While he won't redshirt, I wish he would. With CJ playing huge minutes at the 3 and Grant being able to slide over, the only chance BJ has to see any significant minutes is if JB feels he can help from 3 point range. And no way does he play over MG and Cooney at the 2 and Patterson is more suited to play there physically in their frosh years. All IMHO of course.

And none of my comments should be construed as negative towards BJ. I think he has a bright future but he needs additional physical development to compete most effectively at the next level. Not to mention the basketball development he'd receive during a redshirt year. Imagine a 5th year BJ vs a first year frosh BJ. But from all reports and the rarity with which JB redshirts players, it's a moot point.

PG - Ennis
SG - MG
SF- CJ
PF - Grant
C-Rak although I'd love to see DC take it

Let's Go Orange!
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I agree 100% with this. Problem is, it is impossible for me to not envision Obokoh redshirting [given that we'll have Keita, Coleman, Rak, Grant, CJ, and Roberson ahead of him].

We don't redshirt often, and it is impossible to envision having two redshirts in a year. But I agree with your premise. BJ is going to be a fantastic player for us. All he needs is for his physical maturity to catch up to the level of his skill. Not a knock--he's a young'un.
 
Coleman had a very poor season particularly based on what was expected. Cooney didn't come off very well from a shooting standpoint, but played quite well otherwise. Logic might say that Cooney would have a better chance of starting next year than Coleman at their respective positions.
But No! Coleman will improve by leaps and bounds and start and by some estimations will be a key to our success. Cooney, on the other hand, will not be better than last year and will fight to get time on the court.
Some of you sound like analysts that lost your last job making decisions by the seat of your pants.
 
Ennis, Gbinije, Fair, Rak, Coleman.

The second forward slot is the real question. Early in the season JB will go with the taller stronger Jr who started the last 2 seasons early in the year at pf. Typically JB has changed midseason in recent years, but his hopes are he won't have to. :D

I think Cooney will come off the bench and play some pg. But I base that on the expectation that Gbiinije will drive quite a bit even though he sees himself as a jumpshooter.
1. Cooney won't look to drive as much as Gbinije will. Which will help swing the ball around instead of rushing shots early.
2. Trevor won't shoot 12 shots like gbinije 6-7 instead. Keep Gbinije at SG.
3. Trevor likes the right side of the court to shoot from the PG's side for syracuse.
4. This team doesn't need a second penetrating pg behind ennis. With Gbinije(my expectation) and Fairs driving game they actually don't need a driving pg at all. But adding ennis to that will be nice.
5. This team has the inside post up presence in Dajuan and Fair, Roberson Grant Keita will aid that. Cooney is a spot up shooter. Its priceless to have a spot up shooting PG that post up guys can kick out to.
6.Cooney did better in spot up situations where he can lose the defender then he did in roll around set plays at SG. The differce was night and day. Hes more likely to get those spot ups at point.
7. Cooney at PG becomes stronger physically and goes up against smaller guards. He had more drive then given credit for last year.
 
I have no idea who will start since I have seen so few of next year's roster play NCAA basketball. I also find it amusing that so many on this thread are essential calling out others when everyone is in the same boat as I am.

With that being said based on the NCAA action I have witnessed, roster depth and some high school highlight films, here is my GUESS (since that is all any of us are doing right now):

PG- Ennis
SG- Gbinjie
SF- Fair
PF- Christmas
C- Coleman

BENCH
Grant
Keita
Cooney

I don't see three guys who started a lot of games last year suddenly becoming bench players, however I can see Coleman and/or Christmas getting the quick hook unless they show improved consistency. Some have argued back and forth whether JB likes to have a "starter" as 6th man. I think based on the last few years which have included two #1 seeds and a Final Four appearance I do think he likes to have a "starter" as 6th man. That's why my guess includes Grant as the sixth man.
 
Ennis, MG, CJ, Rak, and DC2.

Starting Rak at pf, gives the centers more minutes and allows BMK to get some time. It also allows JB to sub in some scorers (Grant, Cooney, Roberson). And it keeps his new development going of starting McD bigs. Allows for easy and more substitutions.

"Boeheiming" Grant could have the added benefit of helping to keep the 2014 NC contenders together.
 
Just looking at these variations of lineups makes me worried about this team's ability to put the ball in the basket.
 
Symphony Steve said:
Shooting was supposed to be Cooney's forte. The three-point sniper. I don't consider him an ideal 6th man. Perhaps a few minutes here or there, but nothing more.

I've followed him since his Delaware days. Must confess that I was surprised that we recruited him, although I DO root for him.

I think that what we've seen is what we're gonna get. Nothing more.
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I would shocked if this ends up being the case with Cooney. But then again, I'm not living in a world of instant gratification, like so many on this board seem to be.
 
Ennis
Cooney
Fair
Grant
Christmas

I don't see playing Christmas and Coleman at the same time as a good thing. Our offense would struggle big time. Also, I think Gbinije becomes our quintessential 6th man. Cooney will start but his minutes will rely heavily on whether he is hot, on a game-to-game basis.

As for other backups, Patterson will get minutes if Cooney is off, to rest Gbinije or Ennis. We could also see a lineup with Gbinije at the 3 and Patterson at the 2, IMO. Something will have to give with Roberson and BJ. One of them will get insignificant playing time for most games or just redshirt. And finally, I see us starting games with a 3 man rotation at center and dropping it to a 2 man rotation when Boeheim identifies which one is off his game that particular day. Some scenarios could warrant playing Coleman and one of the other big men together, but I think it will be rare.
 
Lots of different perspectives in this thread. Lots of different combinations, which can be viewed as both a negative [several new starters] and a positive [lots of roster flexibility].

At the end of the day, a lot is going to come down to the improvement shown by the four sophomores next year. Do any or multiple of these guys make the proverbial sophomore jump, and if so--how much will they improve? Gbinije and Cooney are third year guys--are they up to the challenge of taking on unprecedentedly bigger roles? Will Gbinije and Coleman--former McD's All Americans--live up to that billing? How good will Grant be?

Ultimately, a lot is riding on those four.
 
thebigeast44 said:
I think it's more likely BJ plays at most 5 minutes a game when ACC play starts than any significant role. While he won't redshirt, I wish he would. With CJ playing huge minutes at the 3 and Grant being able to slide over, the only chance BJ has to see any significant minutes is if JB feels he can help from 3 point range. And no way does he play over MG and Cooney at the 2 and Patterson is more suited to play there physically in their frosh years. All IMHO of course.

And none of my comments should be construed as negative towards BJ. I think he has a bright future but he needs additional physical development to compete most effectively at the next level. Not to mention the basketball development he'd receive during a redshirt year. Imagine a 5th year BJ vs a first year frosh BJ. But from all reports and the rarity with which JB redshirts players, it's a moot point.

PG - Ennis
SG - MG
SF- CJ
PF - Grant
C-Rak although I'd love to see DC take it

Let's Go Orange!
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BJ's going to be a good player, but I agree that he has guys ahead of him at small forward and at the 2G. Personally, nothing against TC (who's going to be a good player when he stops thinking and starts playing), but I think the 2G is Silent's to loose. TC's going to have a fight on his hands (with BJ) for backup minutes at the 2, which will be there because there's no backup point. So the most able ball handler (TC/MG) will probably have to play point for 3-5 minutes ... opening up more backup minutes at the 2 guard for a young guy like BJ.

The other possibility is the 3 -- but that is loaded with CJ and Roberson. The 4 has Rak and Grant, the 5 DC2 and Keita. Obviously there are some interchangeable parts in both the backcourt and frontline rotations. But that's the way it looks right now.
 
RF2044 said:
Will Gbinije and Coleman--former McD's All Americans--live up to that billing?
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slight correction - MG was not a Burger Boy.
 
realorange said:
I find it amazing that people are so sure MG will start over Cooney when they've never seen him play.
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The guy who couldn't play at Duke
will beat iut a rotation guy.
Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk 2
 
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