Thoughts

[NineOneSeven]

If recent years tell me anything, Chris Mc will ride pine because he's not ready to play.

 

[CiceroCuse]

If recent years tell me anything, Chris Mc will ride pine because he's not ready to play.

Wasn't he at one point annointed as the closest thing to Melo that we have recruited? For us to stay any where near our current level, he is going to have to get minutes next year even if JG comes back.

 

[Francis03]

Francis has stated in another thread that the staff views him as a pg in the MCW mold. Francis would no more than me at what our chances are with him.

I would be surprised if Frankie didn't choose Orange on the 14th.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

Something about our offense has to change if Cooney is to make the leap you expect. He just doesn't seem to be able to get the separation he needs in order to take and make the number of shots it will take to turn people's opinion around on him. I think he needs to extend his range even farther this off-season but he also needs to work on the dribble drive so teams don't know what to actually expect from him. And maybe the latter is kind of what you are getting at.

It's called floor spacing. At the end of the year floor spacing was a big issue. Further, with the way our team was constructed, it was never going to be a positive. Additional threats from the outside open up additional lanes to the basket. When you are the only "consistent" threat from the outside, the lane will be very clogged even if you beat your immediate defender. Just compare Michigan's floor spacing with ours. Night and day.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

Completely agree about Cooney. This his best role would be off the bench because right now all he offers is a streaky shot. No handle, no dribble drive and average defense. The ability to spark the offense could be huge off the bench however. If he struggles, then it wouldn't force us to play a guy who doesn't offer anything.

If Grant and Ennis come back we will have a similar squad to this year. I think we'd be better defensively because McCullogh and Grant would be nasty wings and Rak is a great shot blocker. BUT still have similar issue of not being able to shoot. I think we'd have a five man bench: Coleman, Joseph, G, Roberson, Johnson. Big IFs will be if Roberson can make the sophomore jump a la Joseph/Fair/Grant and can McCullough make an impact from day one or will he be a 5min and pull guy like Rak/Fab/Coleman. We will need Johnson's shooting at times. He looks pure. If shooting comes together and team hits it's stride has FF potential.
Line-Up:
Ennis ~35
Cooney ~25
Grant ~35
McCullough ~20
Rak ~30

Joesph (1/2) ~10 /Roberson (3/4) ~20 / G (2/3) ~20 /Johnson (2/3) ~10 /Coleman (5) ~10

If they leave, we will NEED to take a JUCO/5th year at guard. Joesph will need someone to split minutes with. This team will have NIT written all over it.
Line-Up:
Joseph ~32
Cooney ~30
G ~35
McCullough ~20
Rak ~30

Transfer/Buss (1/2) ~10
Roberson (4/5) -20
Johnson (2/3) ~15
Coleman (5) -10

As an aside, Cooney is as good a ball handler as Gbinije. They used Cooney to alleviate full court pressure whenever Gbinije was in the game. Heck, against Duke, they used Cooney to allow Ennis an opportunity to play off the ball (rest) versus their pressure defense.

 

[Cusefan0307]

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...yracuse_basketball_teams_guard_situation.html

Interesting take from JB on the guard situation for next year. He seems to think with another year G and Cooney should be much better. Talks highly of Joseph's mid range game and believes Patterson will improve. Article seems to imply he thought Ennis and Cj would of been better from outside this year than they actually were.

 

[SoBeCuse]

It's called floor spacing. At the end of the year floor spacing was a big issue. Further, with the way our team was constructed, it was never going to be a positive. Additional threats from the outside open up additional lanes to the basket. When you are the only "consistent" threat from the outside, the lane will be very clogged even if you beat your immediate defender. Just compare Michigan's floor spacing with ours. Night and day.

I get this but look at UNC and Arizona. Limited outside shooting. They both improved and were scoring lots of points. This has been discussed ad nauseam but we just did not have enough ball handlers and PASSERS to create things. Cooney and Silent G were used occasionally yes to alleviate pressure but they couldn't handle the ball well enough in the halfcourt sets to do positive things consistently. Same with the forwards. We all know they didn't feed Rak enough as well. Jefferson, Gordon, Johnson, Ashley (when playing), Tokoto, McDonald, McAdoo, could all handle the ball and make plays better than our options other than Ennis. UNC and Arizona had those abilities and improved while SU did not.

 

[orangejunkie]

Despite the discussions on this board, it doesn't look like Boeheim is looking for a 5th guard. Should end that conversation.

 

[Francis03]

Despite the discussions on this board, it doesn't look like Boeheim is looking for a 5th guard. Should end that conversation.

That's unfortunate.

 

[cuseguy]

That's unfortunate.

He's playing with fire again.

Sigh.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Going to roll the dice with G at the point again according to the article.

 

[Francis03]

Going to roll the dice with G at the point again according to the article.

Dude was so uncomfortable running point this season but hey the old man knows more about his personnel than me.

 

[cuseguy]

Dude was so uncomfortable running point this season but hey the old man knows more about his personnel than me.

The story finished with him saying, "We couldn't shoot this year, period."

He should have added, "If you thought last year was bad..."

 

[Papadakis]

Every year players who stay in the program get better. You will be suprised how much better Cooney and MBG will be next year. Patterson and BJ also. I would say currently SU may have two to three NBA players. You will be suprised how my progress Christmas and Roberson make also.

 

[EastCoast2]

No thanks.

Would you have traded Cooney for Waiters this past season?

 

[kcsu]

Every year players who stay in the program get better. You will be suprised how much better Cooney and MBG will be next year. Patterson and BJ also. I would say currently SU may have two to three NBA players. You will be suprised how my progress Christmas and Roberson make also.

Cooney was worst this year he didnt improve

 

[rrlbees]

Cooney was worst this year he didnt improve

When JB retires I nominate you to take over.

 

[orangejunkie]

Kc, very unfair judgement on Cooney. His lack of production was at least partially the result of the teams overall poor ball movement and lack of interior options. As has been stated many times, teams totally keyed on Cooney knowing he was really their only outside shooting threat. If you are going to criticize Cooney, where was Gbinije on the offensive end? Cooney rarely got good looks at the basket and had to take long/contested shots which are lower percentage.

 

[Orangezoo]

I dont get it. Take the pressure off mike g to play the point and bring in a 5th yr guy.

 

[SoBeCuse]

What's even more strange is, all season, minutes supposedly weren't an issue. Boeheim now in the article says, "We never wanted to play Tyler and Trevor 38 minutes. That's not something we want."

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

Yes.

However that's misleading, as he was not quite the defensive talent we're used to at the guard position in the zone.

Neither Cooney or Gbinije were the problem at the top of the zone. Ennis consistently refused to move his feet defensively to keep simple dribble drives from getting into the lane. I realize both guards often have to fight over/around/under screens, but Ennis really struggled with this - especially late. Of course, Ennis made up for this in other ways.

It is a mistake to believe Cooney wasn't a good defender at the top of the zone.

 

[CU44SE]

What's even more strange is, all season, minutes supposedly weren't an issue. Boeheim now in the article says, "We never wanted to play Tyler and Trevor 38 minutes. That's not something we want."

That caught my attention, if its not what you want then why do you continue to do it? And we wonder why a bench was never established.

 

[SoBeCuse]

That caught my attention, if its not what you want then why do you continue to do it? And we wonder why a bench was never established.

Precisely. I don't get it.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

I get this but look at UNC and Arizona. Limited outside shooting. They both improved and were scoring lots of points. This has been discussed ad nauseam but we just did not have enough ball handlers and PASSERS to create things. Cooney and Silent G were used occasionally yes to alleviate pressure but they couldn't handle the ball well enough in the halfcourt sets to do positive things consistently. Same with the forwards. We all know they didn't feed Rak enough as well. Jefferson, Gordon, Johnson, Ashley (when playing), Tokoto, McDonald, McAdoo, could all handle the ball and make plays better than our options other than Ennis. UNC and Arizona had those abilities and improved while SU did not.

Both UNC and Arizona had back to the basket scoters that could take pressure off the offense and, more than not, required double teaming.

Didn't see a ton of Zona, but for UNC their run at all costs style assisted with point production but also cost them on defense. Also, and I forget his name, in the games they played well, they had a second outside shooter step up.

The reason the Arinze team was so successful was because of their ability to put a minimum of two good shooters on the court at any time (and often three). This year's version only had one on the court.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

What's even more strange is, all season, minutes supposedly weren't an issue. Boeheim now in the article says, "We never wanted to play Tyler and Trevor 38 minutes. That's not something we want."

Yes!! Very frustrating and somewhat Orwellian. Boeheim was telling folks preseason that Ennis would definitely play 35+ a game. I guess the real question is why did they have to play so much? Isn't the coaching staff's job to get kids on the bench ready to contribute? Do you think Pitino has game ready kids sitting in his bench 1 thru 9 every year in November? I do know that every year by March he does.