Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
The two best players on the team were Cummard and Plaisted.
So, the weaknesses on the team are at the 1, 2, and 4 positions.
Fredette has proved himself a heady player and will be the starting PG next season. What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in decision making and cojones.
The real killer this season was not having a serviceable 4. A not-very-athletic Tavernari at 6'6" does not cut it. Few offensive boards, gives up offensive boards. No put backs. Big defensive liability. BYU has to have a springy athletic 4 that clean the glass on both ends, that is a stopper on the defensive end.
Burgess was our best defensive guard, and so we will need a good defender at the 2, esp. with slow-footed Fredette at the 1. A stopper who can put the ball on the floor and go to the rim and hit the open 3.
So what about a lineup as follows
1-fredette
2-cummard
3-tavernari
4-?
5-plaisted
(btw, the idea of plaisted playing the 4, when he has zero face up game is ridiculous)
If we have the above lineup, who is at the 4?
One thing I've noticed in the tourney is that ALL of the good teams are excellent on defense. BYU's defense was good, but not at the level to win games in the tourney. We need better defense.
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This is the reason I wished and commented that perhaps Chris Collinsworth not going on a mission could have been a huge boon to BYU. He is the anti-Tavernari and I thought that starting CC at the 3 or 4 could have been huge for BYU. CC's shot is uhhhhh developing and as it improves he becomes pretty dynamic on offense as his ballhandling skills and athleticism are far better than most 4's BYU has. I doubt he is ever a back to basket type of player, but as pointed out BYU's offense can be successful with only 1 of those. If Collinsworth became a decent threat behind the arc he also seems far more capable and able to penetrate. Certainly his free throw shooting would have to improve but he strikes me as the type that he would improve. He doesn't appear to have mental issues other than nerves and a lack of familiarity.
But what really makes me moist for CC is the defensive versatility he would bring. Rose could put Tavernari on the opposing 3 or 4 who is less of an offensive threat. If the opposing 3 is an athletic slasher, CC covers him. If the 3 is a jumpshooter with limited athleticism, put Tav on the guy. If the 4 is athletic cover him with CC if the 4 is a post player and sationary put JT on him. There would still be matchup issues if the opponent has a good scorer at both the 3 and 4, but with Lee there are more options in how to combat that. There would be few teams that BYU will play that have serious athletes at 2-4, so somewhere there would be smaller threat to throw JT on.
But alas CC is off to do sickle thrusters.......