Trevor Cooney talks playing professionally, TNIAAM and previews the upcoming Syracuse basketball season

After last night’s win over Team Fancy in The Basketball Tournament, we had a chance to grab two-time Final Four player Trevor Cooney for some Q&A. You know how we like our Q&A over here.

Let’s dive in!

James Szuba: How do you think you guys played and what could you have done better?

Trevor Cooney: I mean it was just one of those games. It was just a grind it out game. When I first checked in I looked up at the scoreboard and it was 6-6 and I was like ‘wait, that can’t be right,’ it was just one of those games and it seemed like it was going back and forth but it was just a battle. You just gotta grind it out at the end and make foul shots and we were able to do that.

JS: For you personally, is it hard to go out there and play zone again or do you fall back into old habits?

TC: No no it’s just kind of something that you just know. Especially me, I had five years on it. But it feels great to play again and play our way.

JS: How much do you miss playing with these guys?

TC: A lot. A lot. Everything about this tournament is great. I mean a lot of us played overseas so when you’re playing and people are saying stuff you have no idea what they’re saying. So I mean it feels good to hear the ‘Let’s go Orange’ again and to be cheering again. It just feels good.

JS: To build off that, how different is it playing professionally versus playing college ball?

TC: It’s a lot different. It’s a different style game and you’re getting paid to play. It’s just a lot different but it is fun and because of my experience at Syracuse it’s helped so much.

JS: When you were in college did you ever read Nunes Magician?

TC: I actually did. He’s (SEAN!) a pretty funny guy, had some good tweets.

JS: Are you aware of the Cooney brothers?

Yeah I’m aware of it. I never actually saw it but everyone told me about it.

JS: So what do you do in the meantime to prep for Sunday?

It’s interesting to have a couple days off but I mean we’re Syracuse and were New York City so we’ll be able to find a gym pretty easily and get in the gym these next two days and get ready for Sunday.

JS: Last question, have you seen any of the guys on the upcoming Syracuse team this year and what’s your expectation? Can they get back to the tournament?

TC: We were up there for that week where I was able to workout with some of the guys and see the guys play. That class that’s coming in is a lot better than what people think. Some of those guys are really really good. I think they’ll be a good team next year. They have a tough schedule but they’ll be good and they’ll get good. I definitely see good things happening with them.

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Thanks, Trev. Long live the Cooney face.