Trevor Cooney was expected to be a dominant shooter. The one who would come off the bench and knock down a flurry of 3-pointers and push Syracuse closer to wins. Early-season struggles rendered Cooney cold from the arc, but it gave him the chance to prove something else.

There are many more parts to Cooney’s game than his 3-point shot.

While Cooney struggled from the perimeter through the early part of the Orange’s season, he helped Syracuse with intense defense and finishes around the rim. Cooney’s started to settle down from the arc, having knocked down five 3s in his last two games. He’ll look to keep it going in No. 4 Syracuse’s (7-0) game against Monmouth (5-4) at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Carrier Dome.

“He’s just got to keep getting in his spots and get his shot up there,” head coach Jim Boeheim said. “ … His defense has been good. He’s just got to keep plugging away and we’ll get him some shots. I think he’ll make some this year.”

After hitting two 3s in Syracuse’s game against Wagner, Cooney went about as cold as can be. In the Orange’s next three games, he went 0-for-11 from the arc. James Southerland picked him up, going 17-for-28 from deep in that span, including a 9-of-13 performance at Arkansas. Cooney missed some preseason practices after a tonsillectomy, though Boeheim said Thursday he wasn’t sure if that held Cooney back.

Cooney’s shooting might have been off but his defense was solid. He’s been active at the top of the zone, accumulating 11 steals through seven games. He had six against Wagner, and kept up his strong defense when Syracuse started employing a full-court press against Eastern Michigan.

“I feel like I’ve just been active, really. In the 2-3 zone like that, it’s a lot different than man-to-man,” Cooney said. “You’re not covering just one person. You’re really covering the zone really and the people around you. The only way to be good at it is to stay active.”

On Thursday against Long Beach State, he deflected the ball away from guard Deng Deng. Michael Carter-Williams caught the deflection and passed it back to Cooney for a fast-break slam. He did it on a night where he also drained three 3s.

Cooney redshirted last season because his playing time would’ve been limited. The Orange had a long line of guards ahead of him, including Dion Waiters, who was one of the best sixth men in the country. Cooney said he benefitted from the redshirt season, and worked a lot with assistant coach Gerry McNamara, one of the better shooters to ever wear a Syracuse uniform.

During that time, Cooney said he learned a lot on and off the court. All of it’s made his transition to a regular off the bench that much easier.

“It helped me so much. Gerry’s a guy who was not only a great player, but has been through everything here,” Cooney said. “Just learning from his experiences, past experiences, just talking with him, I’ve just learned so much.”

Cooney’s shots might not have been falling early on in the year, but now that they are, the Orange has a weapon off the bench. He’s also become a fan favorite. The crowd’s anticipation and excitement builds when he takes the court as it waits for him to get hot and light up the arc.

Cooney’s role on the team is critical, especially when Syracuse starts its Big East schedule where the majority of its games will be close. When Cooney comes off the bench, he has the ability to give the Orange some separation. Plus, if he’s knocking down shots on the arc it’ll open up the inside for Syracuse’s big men to go to work.

Brandon Triche said the Orange has been a balanced offensive team every year he’s been here. Syracuse spreads the ball around. Cooney will get his shots.

“That’s the way our team’s been the last few years, actually,” Triche said. “It hasn’t been one guy averaging 20 points or shooting a bunch of shots, nothing like that.”

Cooney’s proved that he’s a strong shooter. So when he was missing frequently in recent games, Boeheim never expressed concern. He kept on saying Cooney will make his shots.

Turns out Boeheim was exactly right.

“He’s a good shooter,” Boeheim said. “He’s going to make some.”

Published on December 7, 2012 at 8:36 pm

Contact Chris: cjiseman@syr.edu | @chris_iseman