This isn't on Cooney

[xc84]

nced defender but we'll never really know.

The other three - Gbinjie, Richardson and yes even Roberson - are all either running down the court or trying to free himself from his defender.

No sense of urgency by any of them except Cooney.

 

[orangenirvana]

No sense of urgency by any of them except Cooney.

Obviously it's a broken play but Roberson sprinted right toward the basket and would have been wide open for a game-winning alley-oop. Gbinije was doubled. Lydon saw a fifth-year senior guard with the ball and wasn't going to take it from him. Richardson was holding back for a possible kick-out.

What are you expecting?

 

[xc84]

Obviously it's a broken play but Roberson sprinted right toward the basket and would have been wide open for a game-winning alley-oop. Gbinije was doubled. Lydon saw a fifth-year senior guard with the ball and wasn't going to take it from him. Richardson was holding back for a possible kick-out.

What are you expecting?

Roberson didn't sprint but he did get underneath for a rebound so partial credit to him. Richardson is behind Cooney and not in any spot to receive a pass with 2 seconds left. His position is baffling. He could have went to the corner if he wanted or went toward the hoop to get the rebound (gasp). Gbinije was guarded closely but no move to shake anyone. Lydon was a deer in the headlights from before the pass was even in-bounded. He could have been to the basket well before anyone else...even if on a fly pattern.

 

[two3zone]

Obviously it's a broken play but Roberson sprinted right toward the basket and would have been wide open for a game-winning alley-oop. Gbinije was doubled. Lydon saw a fifth-year senior guard with the ball and wasn't going to take it from him. Richardson was holding back for a possible kick-out.

What are you expecting?

Expecting somebody to be open. You're expecting a LOT in 6.6 seconds down the court. He goes for the ally-oop, time probably expires sans the fact that Roberson wasn't even in position for it.

 

[orangenirvana]

Expecting somebody to be open. You're expecting a LOT in 6.6 seconds down the court. He goes for the ally-oop, time probably expires sans the fact that Roberson wasn't even in position for it.

And if Cooney had dribbled to the basket like he should have, guys would have become open because one or more defenders would have had to leave their man.

 

[RF2044]

And if Cooney had dribbled to the basket like he should have, guys would have become open because one or more defenders would have had to leave their man.

I suggest you go rewatch that clip. #1, Artis didn't take himself out of the play as much as people suggest to give Cooney a driving lane [he recovered nicely to contest the jump shot]. #2, Cooney took the shot with only about 2 seconds left -- not 3.5 as some have suggested.

If G or Mal had the ball in that same spot, I think they would have barrelled in for a drive. That's not Cooney's game, which is why he pulled up. Would he have had time to dish the ball and the other player receive the ball and convert? Who knows--but 2 seconds isn't a very large window to make a play for a teammate.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I suggest you go rewatch that clip. #1, Artis didn't take himself out of the play as much as people suggest to give Cooney a driving lane [he recovered nicely to contest the jump shot]. #2, Cooney took the shot with only about 2 seconds left -- not 3.5 as some have suggested.

If G or Mal had the ball in that same spot, I think they would have barrelled in. That's not Cooney's game, which is why he pulled up. Would he have had time to dish the ball and the other player receive the ball and convert? Who knows--but 2 seconds isn't a very large window to make a play for a teammate.

Agree with all of this. But I do think it's enough time, if you're fully committed. Unfortunately cooney 's dribbling has always been robotic. Been saying that for years. The entire play sucked. And a fitting likely end to the season, in all
Honesty.

 

[two3zone]

And if Cooney had dribbled to the basket like he should have, guys would have become open because one or more defenders would have had to leave their man.

lol, what driving lane? There were literally 3 guys he would have had to go through to get to the basket in 3 seconds.

 

[CorduroyG]

Cooneys game isnt driving and dishing. How many times do we see him drive and dish? Hardly ever. Once cooney had a full head of steam he wasnt looking to pass. Yea the other guys didnt help him out by getting open but lydon could have been standing alone under the basket and cooney would have done the same thing. He has tunnel vision in those situations and plays 1000 mph

If he was a more capable player a drive and bounce pass to lydon or roberson for a game winning layup was there but hes not. Again, once he got the ball i had zero doubt he was chucking up a 3, and im sure most people felt the same way.

 

[CorduroyG]

lol, what driving lane? There were literally 3 guys he would have had to go through to get to the basket in 3 seconds.

No there wasnt. He had a step on his man and there was only 1 defender between him and the basket and roberson and lydon to his right. The defender by the basket would have come up on trevor leaving roberson or lydon open for a layup. Drive, draw defender, dish, it was there and even cooney admits it.

 

[orangenirvana]

I suggest you go rewatch that clip. #1, Artis didn't take himself out of the play as much as people suggest to give Cooney a driving lane [he recovered nicely to contest the jump shot]. #2, Cooney took the shot with only about 2 seconds left -- not 3.5 as some have suggested.

If G or Mal had the ball in that same spot, I think they would have barrelled in. That's not Cooney's game, which is why he pulled up. Would he have had time to dish the ball and the other player receive the ball and convert? Who knows--but 2 seconds isn't a very large window to make a play for a teammate.

Cooney definitely had the angle on his defender to dribble-drive if he wanted. And he had time to do so. But he already had it in his head that he was going to attempt the three.

It's fine - Cooney is what he is. Soon to be was what he was.

 

[RF2044]

Agree with all of this. But I do think it's enough time, if you're fully committed. Unfortunately cooney 's dribbling has always been robotic. Been saying that for years. The entire play sucked. And a fitting likely end to the season, in all
Honesty.

Right. He's a jump shooter [albeit a wildly inconsistent one], not a drive to the hole guy. Doesn't mean he shouldn't have driven, but in the heat of play you do what you're most comfortable doing. For him, that was pulling up for a shot once he got a flash of separation from Artis.

The ball never should have been in his hands to begin with, frankly.

 

[two3zone]

No there wasnt. He had a step on his man and there was only 1 defender between him and the basket and roberson and lydon to his right. The defender by the basket would have come up on trevor leaving roberson or lydon open for a layup. Drive, draw defender, dish, it was there and even cooney admits it.

Dish to who? There was not one player he could have passed it to without a Pitt player in the way except Richardson who was 5 feet behind him.

 

[RF2044]

Cooney definitely had the angle on his defender to dribble-drive if he wanted. And he had time to do so. But he already had it in his head that he was going to attempt the three.

It's fine - Cooney is what he is. Soon to be was what he was.

Are you a mind reader? Because you keep stating your opinon about what he was thinking as fact instead of realizing that it is just your completely unsubstantiated opinion.

 

[orangenirvana]

lol, what driving lane? There were literally 3 guys he would have had to go through to get to the basket in 3 seconds.

No.

 

[CorduroyG]

Are you a mind reader? Because you keep stating your opinon about what he was thinking as fact instead of realizing that it is just your opinion.

Its based on watching him for 4 years. When he got the ball and was racing up court did u expect him to do anything other than jack up a 3??

 

[orangenirvana]

Dish to who? There was not one player he could have passed it to without a Pitt player in the way except Richardson who was 5 feet behind him.

http://syracusefan.com/threads/this-isnt-on-cooney.101520/page-6#post-1684173

 

[RF2044]

Its based on watching him for 4 years. When he got the ball and was racing up court did u expect him to do anything other than jack up a 3??

Right. So it is an unsubstatiated opinion that you share. Got it.

To answer your question, I cursed to myself when the ball came into Cooney, because it was obvious to me that Pitt's defensive strategy was to get the ball into the hands of the guy who'd just sat on the bench for 20 minutes. You could see the play break down on the inbounds, if you know what you're watching. And I knew he was going to shoot not because there was some preordained decision on his part like you and orangenirvana are suggesting, but rather because there was no other play for him to make in that limited time, such as a pass to a teammate that wasn't open.

And I also cursed that we'd squandered our timeouts with lousy play earlier in the 2nd half, because one would have been really handy to utilize right there. That's what flashed through my mind when Cooney got the ball and was racing upcourt.

We needed to get the ball to Gbinije, with someone other than Richardson inbounding the ball.

 

[CorduroyG]

Right. So it is an unsubstatiated opinion that you share. Got it.

Oh please. So you were expecting him to pass there? That was the most predictable ending possible once he got the ball.

 

[two3zone]

No.

So he makes a cut to the basket, he has the guy who recovered quick back on him, the guy in front of G on him, and the guy in the paint who moves on him. That would close any passing lane to Lydon and zero time to give it up somewhere else for a CLEANER look than Cooney actually got.

For the awful play call, for the awful positioning by the other players, I have no problem with the shot he took even with his bad shooting percentage. He attempts to dish with 3 guys on him and turns it over people would be complaining that he should have shot it when he's open.

 

[RF2044]

Oh please. So you were expecting him to pass there? That was the most predictable ending possible once he got the ball.

Want to know what's really predictable? That someone like you who is and has been down on Cooney the entire season is venting in the aftermath of him missing a potentially game winning shot. And in so doing, because it suits your agenda against a particular player, failing to see the forest through the trees.

Do you have any clue how long it takes to bring the ball upcourt? About half the time that we had left in the game. We needed to get the ball upcourt fast and get a fast shot. That's what Cooney did. All of this "he should have done this" or "he should have done that' is armchair quarterbacking at it's finest.

I wish he would have driven to the hole, too. But that isn't Cooney's game. The ball was not in the hands of the guy [or second guy] that we needed it to be in that end of the game situation. The reason it wasn't was because a player--in the heat of the moment--missed a screening assignment, we had no timeouts, and Pitt intentionally left Cooney open to receive the inbounds pass.

 

[CorduroyG]

Right. So it is an unsubstatiated opinion that you share. Got it.

To answer your question, I cursed to myself when the ball came into Cooney, because it was obvious to me that Pitt's defensive strategy was to get the ball into the hands of the guy who'd just sat on the bench for 20 minutes. You could see the play break down on the inbounds, if you know what you're watching. And I knew he was going to shoot not because there was some preordained decision on his part like you and orangenirvana are suggesting, but rather because there was no other play for him to make in that limited time, such as a pass to a teammate that wasn't open.

And I also cursed that we'd squandered our timeouts with lousy play earlier in the 2nd half, because one would have been really handy to utilize right there. That's what flashed through my mind when Cooney got the ball and was racing upcourt.

We needed to get the ball to Gbinije, with someone other than Richardson inbounding the ball.

But thats what cooney does in similar clutch situations! Hes never calm, he rushes, he never passes, and jacks up 3s that usually arent close. This isnt based on just 1 play from yesterday, its based on 4 years of watching him in late game situations. I remember acc tourny game 2 years ago against nc state he rushed a ridiculous 3 that had no shot of going in. The final 4 game he rushed an awful shot. The bc game when we were 25-0 another shot not even close.

 

[RF2044]

But thats what cooney does in similar clutch situations! Hes never calm, he rushes, he never passes, and jacks up 3s that usually arent close. This isnt based on just 1 play from yesterday, its based on 4 years of watching him in late game situations. I remember acc tourny game 2 years ago against nc state he rushed a ridiculous 3 that had no shot of going in. The final 4 game he rushed an awful shot. The bc game when we were 25-0 another shot not even close.

I will grant you that he has never hit a game winning shot [at least not an end-of-game situation]. That's precisely the reason we wanted the ball to be in the hands of Gbinije or Richardson. The decision to have Richardson inbound the ball is mind-boggling, as was putting Cooney in cold there, or having Roberson in instead of Howard.

But the outrage over Cooney pushing the ball upcourt and taking a three is misguided, IMO. Especially given that the shot clock wasn't readily visible.

 

[EnnisEnvy]

No.

If he drives to the hoop here, he has already beaten his defender and the man at the top of the key cannot get there in time to get in front. This forces the man in the paint to either come to cooney or stay home to defend the pass. Either way we get an 8 footer, max. That being said, the shot clock placement and time left is a factor in shooting when he did.

 

[Alsacs]

No.

This picture is pretty damming. I don't blame the kid for missing the shot but he could have gotten to the elbow easily and had an easier shot.
To pull up from 3 after this is the frustration pure and simple.