What BYU needs to be successful

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Spaz

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Lee missed two pull-up jumpers from 18 in the last two minutes of play.

Lee attempting a single digit number of field goal attempts against UNLV and Texas A&M is an indictment of Lee and Rose.

[K-dog]

I've been thinking this through all year. I like where you're going but I don't like how you get there. I think Cummard is a classic wing. He can play either the 2 or the 3. The problem with your plan is that JT can't guard 3s. He is barely quick enough to guard 4s. His main problem is that his defensive game is lacking in both technique and athleticism. I don't think he is an option at 3.

Unfortunately, like you, I see him playing the 4 as a serious rebounding liability. I think we see a little different future than you anticipate. I expect we will see Lloyd and Jimmer both at the 1. Jimmer can also play the 2. Lloyd has the defensive ability we are lacking and is long enough to play either spot. Jimmer has greater scoring ability and control. Both can penetrate. This makes us a little small but Lloyd has long arms. Anther guy who fits in here is Emery. He can guard and play some offense.

The real wild card in the back court is Morgan. He looked so bad early this year but he could be a player. If he isn't, why redshirt him? Is it possible that Mighty Mouse becomes a pass first PG that allows Jimmer to play 2 and combo at the 1? Lloyd could redshirt. We would have a better back court this coming year than last year by a lot.

I think Cummard plays the 3 and we see Anderson, Hartsock, and JT all play the 4 depending on who can give us the most. Hartsock is an unbelievable scorer, or he was in highschool. His senior year he was putting up high 20s (27ppg iirc) and low teens on the boards. Many believe he is actually a 3 in college. He has range, midrange, and post moves. Anderson has size and supposedly some skill but lacks bulk. Many have opined that he also lacks coordination. I'm withholding judgment for a bit on him. JT is small and lacks athleticism.

I think the 5 will be Plaisted with Miles as back-up and MacGregor providing depth. Anderson could see time here too. Kid can block shots. Defensively, MacGregor, Miles and Anderson are all better than Plaisted.

The other possibility is to play Hartsock or another large wing with Cummard. We could rebound effectively if we had good size at the 2 and 3 and our 4 would quit releasing when the shot goes up without boxing out.

I'm not sure how it all turns out or where the late signings, that Rose always brings, will fit in but I think we have better athletes for next year than we had this year.

[Indy Coug]

Frankly, in BYU's offensive system, does it really matter that much who the 1 through 4 are? It seems that the only relevance about who plays these positions are the defensive matchups, and perhaps who carries the bulk of the responsibility getting the ball up the first 60 feet of the court.

[smokymountainrain]

What BYU needs to be successful is a PG who can make plays.

Collison, Rose, Lawson, Collins/Robinson/Chalmers....Those are the PGs for the tournament's number 1 seeds. All guys who can get in the lane and create, making the game easier for teammates.

BYU is never going to get a player of their caliber, but unless they get a PG who can do some of those things - albeit on a lower level than the guys I mentioned above - they will continue to lose against top competition.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by Spaz

To be fair, that shot was not very characteristic of JT's recent shot selection.

On the other hand (and just as fair), that shot at the very least cost BYU a shot at the win. Even if it'd gone down, I'd have been pretty upset with the shot.

True, recently he has fallen in love with scoop shots that barely draw iron and fade away turn arounds where he turns away from the correct direction. Why shoot a turn around that brings the ball to the defender?

[Spaz]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Lee attempting a single digit number of field goal attempts against UNLV and Texas A&M is an indictment of Lee and Rose.

Fair enough. Given his FG%, he should be taking more shots than JT for sure. But then, so should Trent...

[cougjunkie]

Originally Posted by K-dog

I've been thinking this through all year. I like where you're going but I don't like how you get there. I think Cummard is a classic wing. He can play either the 2 or the 3. The problem with your plan is that JT can't guard 3s. He is barely quick enough to guard 4s. His main problem is that his defensive game is lacking in both technique and athleticism. I don't think he is an option at 3.

Unfortunately, like you, I see him playing the 4 as a serious rebounding liability. I think we see a little different future than you anticipate. I expect we will see Lloyd and Jimmer both at the 1. Jimmer can also play the 2. Lloyd has the defensive ability we are lacking and is long enough to play either spot. Jimmer has greater scoring ability and control. Both can penetrate. This makes us a little small but Lloyd has long arms. Anther guy who fits in here is Emery. He can guard and play some offense.

The real wild card in the back court is Morgan. He looked so bad early this year but he could be a player. If he isn't, why redshirt him? Is it possible that Mighty Mouse becomes a pass first PG that allows Jimmer to play 2 and combo at the 1? Lloyd could redshirt. We would have a better back court this coming year than last year by a lot.

I think Cummard plays the 3 and we see Anderson, Hartsock, and JT all play the 4 depending on who can give us the most. Hartsock is an unbelievable scorer, or he was in highschool. His senior year he was putting up high 20s (27ppg iirc) and low teens on the boards. Many believe he is actually a 3 in college. He has range, midrange, and post moves. Anderson has size and supposedly some skill but lacks bulk. Many have opined that he also lacks coordination. I'm withholding judgment for a bit on him. JT is small and lacks athleticism.

I think the 5 will be Plaisted with Miles as back-up and MacGregor providing depth. Anderson could see time here too. Kid can block shots. Defensively, MacGregor, Miles and Anderson are all better than Plaisted.

The other possibility is to play Hartsock or another large wing with Cummard. We could rebound effectively if we had good size at the 2 and 3 and our 4 would quit releasing when the shot goes up without boxing out.

I'm not sure how it all turns out or where the late signings, that Rose always brings, will fit in but I think we have better athletes for next year than we had this year.

The sad thing is that JT averaged more boards than Trent over the last 10 games of the season. What about JT coming off the bench and providing instant offense, he can back up the 3 and the 4.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Frankly, in BYU's offensive system, does it really matter that much who the 1 through 4 are? It seems that the only relevance about who plays these positions are the defensive matchups, and perhaps who carries the bulk of the responsibility getting the ball up the first 60 feet of the court.

Increasingly we are moving toward set plays and away from pure motion. I think our system is helped by a 4 that can bomb from 3 but recall KT last year and how often he got touches in the low block with only 3 men out. Coach has shown the ability to be flexible with his offense.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by cougjunkie

The sad thing is that JT averaged more boards than Trent over the last 10 games of the season. What about JT coming off the bench and providing instant offense, he can back up the 3 and the 4.

I think the most likely situation is to see JT as a bench player or to see he and Hartsock on the floor at the same time. Hartsock can guard the most athletic opposing forward and JT can guard the slug.

[Spaz]

Originally Posted by K-dog

True, recently he has fallen in love with scoop shots that barely draw iron and fade away turn arounds where he turns away from the correct direction. Why shoot a turn around that brings the ball to the defender?

He's been fairly effective recently with those driving scoop-shots. I don't have any problem at all with that shot.

I cringe every time he shoots a fade-away. When he's on, he's pretty good with it, but he's not on often enough right now. He's shooting 42% on 2-pt FG's I believe.

I would love to see him take 6-8 shots a game instead of 12-15, with those shots going to Lee & Trent.