Your Canadian rotation...

[longislandcuse]

So 2 minutes into the game, it's Grant in to replace Xmas. Or Xmas moves to center and DC2 moves to the bench. Can't wait to see which way it goes. One thing I know is that forwards have to score in JB's system so Grant and Roberson will be playing a lot because Xmas has shown no ability to score more than 2 feet from the rim. I don't love the token starter thing much though.

I LOATHE the token starter. I really hope that's not what this is.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Ennis
Cooney
Fair
Xmas
Coleman

Grant
Gbinje
Baye

Buss
BJ

Eh.

pretty much expected

 

[realorange]

Don't understand all this Cooney shock. Returning letterman, played well in the zone, didn't make a lot of foolish mistakes. Only real downside was he didn't shoot well. Silent G will have to prove he's better but he should still get meaningful time on the court.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Don't understand all this Cooney shock. Returning letterman, played well in the zone, didn't make a lot of foolish mistakes. Only real downside was he didn't shoot well. Silent G will have to prove he's better but he should still get meaningful time on the court.

Cooney had his moments so it wouldn't surprise me. Plus, we all know it's not who starts but who finishes.

 

[jarandle9]

The fact that Cooney beat out Mike G for the starting two spot gives me more confidence that Cooney will have a good season this year. I think the two spot won't be as big of an issue as previously discussed.

 

[Rocco]

Happy for Cooney. He needs as much floor time as anyone. Just because he's starting doesn't mean he will get nice PT though as evidenced alot over the years with JB.

I feel like Cooney will be a bipolar-type of scorer... Hit one early, score 15+. Start cold, struggle for awhile.

 

[orangefan13]

I see it differently. I think JB knew Rak was starting all offseason if he came back. With the seniority of Keita Rak and DC2, two of our bigs were starting. Rak has one year on everyone else but Fair in the frontcourt, and started the last two years (Grant and Roberson haven't). And Keita has 2 years on everyone but Fair and Rak. JB plans to give them both atleast around 15mpg with DC2 geting the same. That translates to Rak playing the first 5 minutes not 2 of both halfs at PF unless its unservicable. Thets hope its not as that could lead to some headaches.

I think JB has no choice but to start DC2 because he needs a true second scoring option out there next to Fair. Cooney was nowhere near that last year, and JB probably doesn't want Ennis trying to be that at PG early on.

Plus Cooney was a spot up shooter. JB is raving about him so that bodes well maybe Cooney can start pulling up off a dribble or two. Until that is proven though having a true PG like Ennis to find him spotting up and Dajuan to kick out to him on the perimeter when the defense is overplaying him is a plus for Cooney. And Gbinije isn't a isolation threat, having him come in to utilize his speed, his motion game(which you won't see at the beginning of games), Transition game, and working with Kieta off the pick and role the game he worked on in practice last year, brings energy off the bench.

Cooney favors the right side of the court shooting. I wonder if we will see Ennis on the left some.

 

[AlaskaSU]

It just didn't work, for whatever reason. It was somewhat of a bizarre Duke team and, like you said, I think Gbinije just didn't fit. The talent was always there, though, you saw it in the limited game action he got. I loved his game coming out of high school, I hated losing him, but I was happy to see him land in Syracuse.

He can do a lot and is extremely versatile, as I'm sure you guys know. So, actually, if Cooney appears to be getting the nod for a starting role, that's one of the best signs, IMO. I have to imagine it would be an indication the staff expects the "practice" Cooney to start translating to games.

Starting does not mean much. JB typically has token starters that get the quick hook. His record is under 60 seconds. Cooney's PT will depend on his production. Silent G will have the opportunity to get more PT than Cooney even if he does not start.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Don't understand all this Cooney shock. Returning letterman, played well in the zone, didn't make a lot of foolish mistakes. Only real downside was he didn't shoot well. Silent G will have to prove he's better but he should still get meaningful time on the court.

"Only real downside was he didn't shoot well." Why would you expect a shooting guard to be able to shoot? He shot 30% from the floor and 20% from 3. Since he is a shooting guard I guess its no big deal?

 

[Jake]

There's only three guards, there will be plenty of minutes to go around. Might even see some CJ at the two if we get into foul trouble.

 

[cap2nine]

Ennis
Cooney
Fair
Xmas
Coleman

Grant
Gbinje
Baye

Buss
BJ

Eh.

So, is this thread asking what we believe the starters and rotation should or will be? Or, is it a statement of what the coaching staff has decided? Either way, the lineup here is what I've been expecting since May with the exception of thinking Roberson would be available, pushing BJ down one seat on the bench.

Also, I see a lot of surprised responses to Cooney getting the start and I'm not sure why. If this is indeed the official rotation, there are 3 very reasonable explanations that I can see for Cooney's starting spot.
1) Last year Cooney wanted nothing more than to prove himself and he had an entire extra year's worth of anticipation and expectations adding pressure to what he already knew were going to be very limited minutes. This year much of that pressure is off and he can relax and just play. Plus a lot of 2 guards need minutes to get into the flow of the game and even into a groove for the season. Now he'll get that chance.
2) If you want to earn minutes on a Boeheim coached team, you'd better bring the D. Although Trevor rarely found a spark on the offensive end last year it's tough to argue that he didn't hustle his butt off and play well at the top of the zone on defense.
3) Our extraordinary 6th man for the 2013-14 season is out there somewhere. Everything seems to point to Grant being that guy this year, but could it be Mike G? Even if TC has worked hard enough to prove himself worthy of the starting job, maybe JB is molding Gbinije to be our game-changer off the bench for this year.
Regardless, we have some solid options at guard even if there are questions to be answered from each of them on the floor. My attention though will be on Coleman. He's the one we truly need to step up (yes, even more so than Ennis in my view). If he's ready to go all Hulk mode, and has figured out how to anchor the D, then we will have an amazing year. Coleman SMASH!

 

[Garbs]

I love it, could be just like 2009 where Triche and Jackson started with Scoop and KJo (Mike G and Grant) coming in to play lots of meaningful minutes

 

[normaliswear]

I wouldn't read too much into starters on the Canadien trip. I'd have been shocked if Cooney didn't start. For one thing he's the returning player, JB will make MikeG prove he's better in games, and probably not just preseason, to take away that starting spot. And 2nd Cooney's shooting problem seemed to be based on confidence troubles last year. No better way to stomp on his confidence than tell him he's lost his role 6 practices into August. The rest I expect to be extremely experimental. And we may continue to see the token starts for someone this year. My "starters" based on who's in the tie game against UNC and Duke with 5 to go... Ennis, MikeG, CJ, DC2, Grant... Cooney, Roberson, Rak, Kieta see regular minutes... Buss and BJ mopup duty... Obokoh Redshirts.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I wouldn't read too much into starters on the Canadien trip. I'd have been shocked if Cooney didn't start. For one thing he's the returning player, JB will make MikeG prove he's better in games, and probably not just preseason, to take away that starting spot. And 2nd Cooney's shooting problem seemed to be based on confidence troubles last year. No better way to stomp on his confidence than tell him he's lost his role 6 practices into August. The rest I expect to be extremely experimental. And we may continue to see the token starts for someone this year. My "starters" based on who's in the tie game against UNC and Duke with 5 to go... Ennis, MikeG, CJ, DC2, Grant... Cooney, Roberson, Rak, Kieta see regular minutes... Buss and BJ mopup duty... Obokoh Redshirts.

I agree with this. This could be a way to get Cooney going by JB. Maybe JB is confident in what MikeG will give him and wants to get Cooney's confidence going. If Cooney struggles against this upcoming competition then they'll swap. Long season ahead and like you say it's the cats on the floor vs Duke/UNC in the last 5 min of a game who are the real starters.

 

[llandz]

All I can say is that any player should be very happy being the 6th man on our team. That has worked out pretty well the past couple of years!!!

 

[AZOrange]

Starting doesn't mean much at Cuse...G will play alot

 

[AZOrange]

There's only three guards, there will be plenty of minutes to go around. Might even see some CJ at the two if we get into foul trouble.

Over BJ/Patterson?

 

[cuseattle]

All I can say is that any player should be very happy being the 6th man on our team. That has worked out pretty well the past couple of years!!!

Being an NBA lottery pick is a good thing. (is Grant next? Draft boards have him pretty high already.) We would all feel OK if Jerami only leaves with one championship, though.

Edit- extra like but no button!

 

[sutomcat]

Ennis
Cooney
Fair
Xmas
Coleman

Grant
Gbinje
Baye

Buss
BJ

Eh.

I take it this means that the missing two have no chance of being reinstated before the end of the week.

Pretty tough to hold back a couple of kids from playing some hosers in some friendlys in the Great White North, eh?

 

[MCC]

There's only three guards, there will be plenty of minutes to go around. Might even see some CJ at the two if we get into foul trouble.

Any veracity to the dialogue RE: BJ at the 2? I've seen several reports on this board that the staff sees him as a 2 and has been working him at the top of the zone. BJ's dad has also indicated staff has him working at the 2 much of the time.

Thanks for your insight.

 

[cuseincincy]

Not shocked about Cooney though I also expected Gbinje. I think many people need to remember that Cooney was the 5th leading scorer on a USA basketball team that had Kyrie Irving, Austin Rivers, Lebryan Nash, Vander Blue, Abdul Gaddy, Quincy Miller, Patrick Young etc. Cooney is used to top competition and used to ecellign with and against it. I'm hoping last year was an aberration. As I've said before, if we get the Trevor Cooney many expected the rest of the country better watch out for this team.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

kind of shocked cooney over gbinje. I take that to mean cooney really is stepping up.

I'm constantly amazed by the people who thought that the G would just step in and start. He couldn't play on a Duke that was not as good as our team last year; a Final Four team to which Trevor Cooney made contributions.

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Tapatalk 2

 

[cuseincincy]

Hey, guys. I just wanted to say, as you can see, I just joined up. Anyway, I'm actually a Duke fan, however, I grew up in the Southern Tier and have always been an Orange fan. And for the record, no, I'm not the stereotypical New York Duke fan, I actually have some familial ties to the University, I care a great deal about the school and I'm not some March-Exclusive Duke fan.

So, I don't claim to be a hardened Duke "insider" or anything, but I did just want to mention that Gbinije's playing time at Duke was not a result of him not having talent, I just don't think the two situations ever meshed 100%, and having the relationship they do, I'm sure K gave Jimmy B solid information of Gbinije's character and attitude.

So, in short, I just wanted to say that, in my opinion, Syracuse got a really good one in Gbinije, and if Cooney really is getting the nod over G, I'd interpret that as an excellent sign in regard to Cooney, not a slight on G. I just wanted to pass that along, I realize that Duke fans often carry somewhat of a leper effect with them, but I just wanted to pass that along, as someone who has always loved 'Cuse and actively roots for them(Although, admittedly, 2X less this year). Like you guys, I'm excited to see the fellas in action tomorrow, and hope for great things. Take all of this for what it's worth, but for my two cents, I wouldn't worry about the 2 spot.

To the Board: What pi$$e$ me off is that this blathering post about Duke got 14 likes (so far) from you guys! Don't worry, I'm making a note of all your names and will not forget.

To SpiedieGon: Welcome aboard! Its always nice (though rare) when we get true insight from an opposing team's supporters. I look forward to a continued diatribe thoughout the upcoming season.

 

[reedny]

kind of shocked cooney over gbinje. I take that to mean cooney really is stepping up.

You and me both. Maybe Trevor's thinking about his game instead of flashing the "two in the pink ... " hand signal all the time.

 

[reedny]

He's way better than Rak.

And that would enable JB to continue the trend of bringing a potent scorer [Grant] off of the bench.

Lol. Point taken, but not happening. He's backing up C, while Rak/Grant have the 4 locked down (unless we're playing a M-team).