BYU hoops team.

[Goatnapper'96]

I am in the camp that thinks the starting 4 to start the season will be:

Murdock
Burgess
Cummard
Tavernari
Plaisted

The backups will be:
Morgan
Fredette
Rose
Collinsworth
Vuk/McGregor

I think the keys to BYU being a good team are the extent to which Cummard can become BYU's best perimeter scorer and whether or not Tavernari can become BYU's go to guy. I doubt Plaisted can become that go to guy as he is more an athlete than a basketball player. Tavernari is a basketball player and IMO has the mentality of a go-to player. He is fearless and cocky. Trent is neither of those. By all means I think Trent should improve and score more, but the slumpbuster and the PTPer has got to be Tavernari.

I like Burgess in the starting lineup. I always think BYU is better when they have an experienced older RM who grew up wanting nothing more in life than to play for BYU as a leader on the court. He doesn't need to be the best player, but a steadying influence a rugged defender who leads by example and the ability to hit the open 3. Kind of a Nate Cooper save being a steadying influence a rugged defender who leads by example and demonstrating the ability to hit the open 3. I like the reserve wing players in that Rose is athletic who is fairly decent shooter I understand, and Fredette is a pure scorer.

I am nervous about the point guard position and I am in the camp that thinks by conference play Lamont Morgan is the starter. He doesn't need to be a surperstar but to not turn the ball over, get the ball to the other scorers and play good defense. I expect a Kevin Woodberryesque level of performance. He may have some strengths over Woodberry, but my guess is he will have some weaknesses in comparison. I don't see PG being any sort of strength this year but I am hopefull it is not such a liability that it becomes an impediment.

Jimmer Fredette's brother in law posts about hoops pretty regularly now on Cougarboard. He indicated that he thinks Miles will play this year. I figured Miles will redshirt, but I really don't know. I figured we would see Trent exclusively as a 5 with Gavin and Vuk as his backups. I figured Tavernari would play the 4 with Collinsworth backing him up and if both Tavernari and Collinsworth were out we would see Trent in spot 4 minutes. Now I have no idea what we will see. If Miles does play, my guess is he will play at least 15-20mpg and if that is the case Trent will play at the 4 a bit this year.

The player I am most excited to watch this year is Tavernari. I really like that kid and think he is going to be a star the next 3 years.

[MikeWaters]

Tavernari has great awareness, and can really slow the game down (not literally).

However, he is also slow, and somewhat deficient on defense.

That backcourt doesn't scare anyone, and Cummard is not going to reinvent himself into a scorer. He may take a few more shots, but I've never seen anyone break out suddenly into a different type of player. He won't.

Murdock, Burgess, Tavernari, and Plaisted with 4 fouls. Can those 4 play D?

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I am in the camp that thinks the starting 4 to start the season will be:

Murdock
Burgess
Cummard
Tavernari
Plaisted

The backups will be:
Morgan
Fredette
Rose
Collinsworth
Vuk/McGregor

I think the keys to BYU being a good team are the extent to which Cummard can become BYU's best perimeter scorer and whether or not Tavernari can become BYU's go to guy. I doubt Plaisted can become that go to guy as he is more an athlete than a basketball player. Tavernari is a basketball player and IMO has the mentality of a go-to player. He is fearless and cocky. Trent is neither of those. By all means I think Trent should improve and score more, but the slumpbuster and the PTPer has got to be Tavernari.

I like Burgess in the starting lineup. I always think BYU is better when they have an experienced older RM who grew up wanting nothing more in life than to play for BYU as a leader on the court. He doesn't need to be the best player, but a steadying influence a rugged defender who leads by example and the ability to hit the open 3. Kind of a Nate Cooper save being a steadying influence a rugged defender who leads by example and demonstrating the ability to hit the open 3. I like the reserve wing players in that Rose is athletic who is fairly decent shooter I understand, and Fredette is a pure scorer.

I am nervous about the point guard position and I am in the camp that thinks by conference play Lamont Morgan is the starter. He doesn't need to be a surperstar but to not turn the ball over, get the ball to the other scorers and play good defense. I expect a Kevin Woodberryesque level of performance. He may have some strengths over Woodberry, but my guess is he will have some weaknesses in comparison. I don't see PG being any sort of strength this year but I am hopefull it is not such a liability that it becomes an impediment.

Jimmer Fredette's brother in law posts about hoops pretty regularly now on Cougarboard. He indicated that he thinks Miles will play this year. I figured Miles will redshirt, but I really don't know. I figured we would see Trent exclusively as a 5 with Gavin and Vuk as his backups. I figured Tavernari would play the 4 with Collinsworth backing him up and if both Tavernari and Collinsworth were out we would see Trent in spot 4 minutes. Now I have no idea what we will see. If Miles does play, my guess is he will play at least 15-20mpg and if that is the case Trent will play at the 4 a bit this year.

The player I am most excited to watch this year is Tavernari. I really like that kid and think he is going to be a star the next 3 years.

See my post at same time for my lineup. I forgot about Collinsworth, he will likely get some backup minutes at the 4, and may turn into a solid contributor. BB is a sport that frosh can make major impact right away and there's not as much improvement year to year as you see in football. If they're good, they're usually good right away.

I agree Tav will be a major contributor and very well could lead the team in scoring. But he doesn't strike me as a superstar yet. He'll knock down three's and pick up garbage in the paint but he's not a low post scorer and won't be able to put the team on his back down the stretch in a tough game. That guy's got to be Plaisted. How far we go, IMHO, depends on Plaisted.

I agree Burgess will be a solid player. He's been in the making for a long time, and with some confidence and extended PT he should make his shots and together with his D and hustle will be a good glue player, ala Riechner.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Tavernari has great awareness, and can really slow the game down (not literally).

However, he is also slow, and somewhat deficient on defense.

That backcourt doesn't scare anyone, and Cummard is not going to reinvent himself into a scorer. He may take a few more shots, but I've never seen anyone break out suddenly into a different type of player. He won't.

Murdock, Burgess, Tavernari, and Plaisted with 4 fouls. Can those 4 play D?

Tavernari has been a perimeter player his whole life, at BYU was his 1st experience playing the 4 his defense will improve. His lack of quickness will be less exposed playing 4's versus his time on the perimeter covering 3's.

You kill me with the reinvent/breakout stuff. You really do. I am going to go on a limb and say that most guys who are leading scorers of their teams were not the leading scorers their first couple of years. Keena Young is a prime example. I doubt Lee scores like Hansen or Lyday, but I think it is reasonable to expect him to score 13-15ppg next year. Lee is not a go to guy but that won't be his role, his role is to be the most prominent offensive threat on the wing.

Burgess is actually a solid defender. Plaisted is not real great and Murdock will not a good job on any other pgs other than BYUs.

[MikeWaters]

I see Cummard as a utility player--sort of like the ultimate teammate. But not someone takes command. He doesn't have a shooter's mentalilty, and I doubt he will suddenly develop one.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I see Cummard as a utility player--sort of like the ultimate teammate. But not someone takes command. He doesn't have a shooter's mentalilty, and I doubt he will suddenly develop one.

We shall see. I don't think a guy needs to be a score first type to be the teams most prominent perimeter scorer. I think he scored 9ppg last year, expecting him to get to 14 ppg requires him to shoot roughly 5 more times per game.

[MikeWaters]

The person most likely to take up the scoring slack is Tavernari. Or at least teh shooting attempts slack.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The person most likely to take up the scoring slack is Tavernari. Or at least teh shooting attempts slack.

I agree. I think Tavernari will be BYU's leading scorer, or if BYU is going to be real good I think Tavernari needs to be BYU's leading scorer. He also needs to be the go to guy on the team. He has the moxy, confidence and desire to have the ball in crunch time.

[MikeWaters]

Based on the lineup, I have to say, I don't see this as a team that makes a run in the Dance.

However, it could very well make it to the Dance. Really dont' know enough about the rest of the MWC to say anything about chances in the MWC.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Based on the lineup, I have to say, I don't see this as a team that makes a run in the Dance.

However, it could very well make it to the Dance. Really dont' know enough about the rest of the MWC to say anything about chances in the MWC.

I would be pretty impressed if this squad gets one win in the dance. I think it is likely to get into the NCAA Tourney, but I don't see it being seeded very well and thus being yet another one and done...aaarggh!