Is BYU any good or are we playing stiffs?

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by jay santos

I concur.

When I said Plaisted and Cummard same as last year, I meant that as a good thing. But really I expect them both to be a little improved.

The two guys to watch are JT and Jimmer.

JT owns this team. He's the man in charge out there. He's going to take the big shot. He'll take the team on his back when we need it. He'll even get a big steal on defense or haul down the big rebound. Plaisted and Cummard are great college players, but they're complimentary players and neither feel comfortable taking the lead. JT will do that. And to lesser extent Burgess will too.

Jimmer will take until next year but he will be THE guy along with JT very shortly. He hit a couple big three's back to back last night. He has 19 pts, 4 assists, 1 TO, 2 steals in 42 minutes. He had three steals in the last exhibition game. He took the ball at the wing three point line last night faked to the middle, took his man on the baseline, took a dribble and two steps and floated a running 15 footer off the backboard. Ainge had this shot but never took it that deep and never off the backboard. Jimmer looks like he's taken that shot a million times. The guy's game as a frosh is more advanced than anyone I've seen at BYU for quite a while.

Burgess will hold him off for the starting position but that's more a sign of how good he's playing. Both of them would have started last year the way they're playing this year.

One guy BYU lost that I thought could have made a huge difference in those two teams with Raffa was Jake Chrisman. It sounds to me like Collinsworth is a very similar type of player. I also like that he is already vocal that his role this year is to rebound and defend.

[Ace Tomato Co.]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I don't think of myself as a homer, but when the dust settles the only thing BYU will miss from last year, IMO, is Keena Young. However, he was the POY and dominating so that is kinda a big thing. I like Ainge's IQ, gritty effort, leadership and experience but I think Burgess can provide that and to be honest Austin was limited by his lack of athletic ability. Balderson was MIA last year.

I hope you're right - remember, those three seniors (plus Rose) helped take us to the first outright MWC title in years (in one of the strongest MWC years ever). We have two of last year's major players back (cummard & plaisted). Assuming JT replaces KY's scoring and leadership, it will be interesting to see how the supporting cast performs this year...

[Ace Tomato Co.]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Classic. I also like that Rose let it go. Gave him a little growl but that was about it. A guy working as hard as Lee and playing unselfishly and having fun, you can overlook that kind of stuff.

Agreed - Rose seems to have a lot of confidence in Cummard, which is great.

I wonder if the rotation will shrink when we get to MWC play (will we see Vuk & Martineau in a close conference game)?

[Indy Coug]

I apologize to Archaea. I'll give him the answer he was really looking for.

BYU isn't any good AND we are playing stiffs.



While I'm at it, here's my opinion for Judge Smails.

BYU isn't any good BECAUSE we are playing stiffs.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by Ace Tomato Co.

Agreed - Rose seems to have a lot of confidence in Cummard, which is great.

I wonder if the rotation will shrink when we get to MWC play (will we see Vuk & Martineau in a close conference game)?

The only reason why Martineau is slightly ahead of Loyd, Jr in the rotation is Loyd has turnover issues and mostly played Shooting Guard in high school, so he's still learning the nuances of that position in a Coach Rose system.

Athletically isn't even close between the 2.

Once Loyd, Jr figures everything out, I think he can be a dynamic player.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Ace Tomato Co.

Agreed - Rose seems to have a lot of confidence in Cummard, which is great.

I wonder if the rotation will shrink when we get to MWC play (will we see Vuk & Martineau in a close conference game)?

My opinion keeps evolving the more I see them play, but right now I think Martineau is going to become Murdock's primary backup and Loyd is the guy that will be sqeezed out of the rotation.

[cougjunkie]

I was at the game and my take is that this team is very good, I dont if you are playing against chairs, when you shoot 50% from the 3 pt line you are doing something right. Also the fact that Plaisted was constantly double and triple teamed all night yet he still managed 17 points. This team is very balanced, on any given night any one of our starters (minus murdock) can score 20+ points. I am not worried about the point guard play as much as I was before because the PG in this offense is not expected to do a whole lot.

I really like this team and I am excited to watch them play against some stiffer competition, but overall you could not have asked for a better start.

[Indy Coug]

I wonder if at some point teams are going to be forced to stop collapsing on Plaisted because we can kill teams from the outside. If so, it would be a lot of fun to see how Plaisted does with single coverage.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

I wonder if at some point teams are going to be forced to stop collapsing on Plaisted because we can kill teams from the outside. If so, it would be a lot of fun to see how Plaisted does with single coverage.

With four three point shooters in the game at all times, we will be an impossible team to zone. Idaho State runs a decent zone, I understand, but we just shot over it. That's one thing I really like about Rose is that he likes recruiting and playing guys that can shoot.

The problem with Plaisted is that he's not a good passer and has no concept of what the defense is doing to him. So teams will double him with probably not much consequence. They'll bring an offside defender to him when he gets the ball on the block and he won't recognize it or know how to exploit it. But he'll still probably score over it because of his athleticism.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by jay santos

With four three point shooters in the game at all times, we will be an impossible team to zone. Idaho State runs a decent zone, I understand, but we just shot over it. That's one thing I really like about Rose is that he likes recruiting and playing guys that can shoot.

The problem with Plaisted is that he's not a good passer and has no concept of what the defense is doing to him. So teams will double him with probably not much consequence. They'll bring an offside defender to him when he gets the ball on the block and he won't recognize it or know how to exploit it. But he'll still probably score over it because of his athleticism.

That is a very spot on analysis of Plaisted. I have always hoped that one day he will just "get it." Maybe this year he will. At some point, it needs to become clear that passing is an option for TP.