BYU Basketball 2016-2017

[jay santos]

The ceiling for this team is high because of the talent level, but the maturity level is not very high. But in 40 years of watching BYU basketball I have never actually seen a BYU team that had 90% freshman and sophomores, except maybe the 1-25 team, and we know what happened there. So how do we know how realistic it is for this team to hit their ceiling this season? They can be pretty good and for the most part they have improved over time. But then they hit a setback like the last game.

Yes. But. Four of our top six guys all have a year of D1 starting experience under their belt. In the world of college basketball today where freshman are routinely impact players, the youth of this team is probably a bit overstated.

[BlueK]

Yes. But. Four of our top six guys all have a year of D1 starting experience under their belt. In the world of college basketball today where freshman are routinely impact players, the youth of this team is probably a bit overstated.

It's hard to say how much it's overstated because this premise has never been tested at BYU before, or at least not since the 1-25 year. 1 year of D-1 experience is still not the same as 3 years.

[Goatnapper'96]

Yes. But. Four of our top six guys all have a year of D1 starting experience under their belt. In the world of college basketball today where freshman are routinely impact players, the youth of this team is probably a bit overstated.

But four starters are playing college basketball for either the first time or the first time in 2 years or so. LJ Rose has been hurt for pretty much the past two years, Mika and Haws were on missions and the big Yo-LEE is a true freshman.

That is not to say that this team is not underachieving because they are but in reality it is not as if the setbacks are unreasonable given the youth and inexperience.

Next year BYU will return all starters, assuming that it is LJ Rose who exits the starting lineup when Elijah enters it, and almost all of its primary backups. My guess is the only guy who might play significant minutes for BYU's rotation who is not on the team this year will be Popoola - if he actually makes it to Provo. It will be interesting to see how much BYU genuinely improves next year. If that player is not Popoola it will be whomever replaces him either a JC transfer or Grad transfer, and it will be much easier for Rose to manage a far lower number of new faces being asked to contribute. Our book next year will have far fewer pages.

Personally, I think a kid like Payton Dastrup will be more ready to go next year than Eric Mika was this year. I think continuity between years is a bigger advantage than the increased playing time Mika got as a freshman. That is not to say I think Dastrup will be as good next year as Mika was this year or even ever as natural ability is not something experience can overcome entirely, just that I think he will be more experienced and ready to contribute in his role next year than I think Mika was going into this year.

[Blueintheface]

Personally, I think a kid like Payton Dastrup will be more ready to go next year than Eric Mika was this year. I think continuity between years is a bigger advantage than the increased playing time Mika got as a freshman. That is not to say I think Dastrup will be as good next year as Mika was this year or even ever as natural ability is not something experience can overcome entirely, just that I think he will be more experienced and ready to contribute in his role next year than I think Mika was going into this year.

I'm not following this at all. I know you qualified your statement but Eric went for 26 and 18 in his first game back.

[Jeff Lebowski]

But four starters are playing college basketball for either the first time or the first time in 2 years or so. LJ Rose has been hurt for pretty much the past two years, Mika and Haws were on missions and the big Yo-LEE is a true freshman.

That is not to say that this team is not underachieving because they are but in reality it is not as if the setbacks are unreasonable given the youth and inexperience.

Next year BYU will return all starters, assuming that it is LJ Rose who exits the starting lineup when Elijah enters it, and almost all of its primary backups. My guess is the only guy who might play significant minutes for BYU's rotation who is not on the team this year will be Popoola - if he actually makes it to Provo. It will be interesting to see how much BYU genuinely improves next year. If that player is not Popoola it will be whomever replaces him either a JC transfer or Grad transfer, and it will be much easier for Rose to manage a far lower number of new faces being asked to contribute. Our book next year will have far fewer pages.

Personally, I think a kid like Payton Dastrup will be more ready to go next year than Eric Mika was this year. I think continuity between years is a bigger advantage than the increased playing time Mika got as a freshman. That is not to say I think Dastrup will be as good next year as Mika was this year or even ever as natural ability is not something experience can overcome entirely, just that I think he will be more experienced and ready to contribute in his role next year than I think Mika was going into this year.

I am going on record here saying that no way, no how is Dastrup going to compare to Mika at the beginning of next season.

[Topper]

I am going on record here saying that no way, no how is Dastrup going to compare to Mika at the beginning of next season.

I read him to state Dastrup of 2017 will compare to Mika of 2016.

[The_Tick]

We could have had Frank Jackson right now, and he could be helping, but he chose to go elsewhere, and only a moron would blame that decision on Rose.

Even with FJ...we may beat St Mary's, but we aren't beating Gonzaga. Yes...we probably would have beaten San Diego with FJ, but he chose elsewhere.

And to be honest...I would choose Duke or Kentucky over BYU myself. For obvious reasons.

[tooblue]

The biggest problem with this team is Haws. I understand he’s everyone’s great white hope. I just don’t see it. Not yet. He belongs on the bench. He needs more practice time to learn to play defense, rebound and understand the no-look behind the head pass is never effective, except maybe in all-star or street-ball games.

Until Rose finds a different rotation that does not include Haw’s in the starting line-up, many of the issues that produce the inconsistent play will continue. It's almost like it's four on five when Haws is on the floor.

[Blueintheface]

Nice game for Bryant and Mika. Best part of this season, aside from Mika coming back from his mission as a polished big, is Steve Cleveland doing the color commentating. Tender mercies.

[Non Sequitur]

The biggest problem with this team is Haws. I understand he’s everyone’s great white hope. I just don’t see it. Not yet. He belongs on the bench. He needs more practice time to learn to play defense, rebound and understand the no-look behind the head pass is never effective, except maybe in all-star or street-ball games.

Until Rose finds a different rotation that does not include Haw’s in the starting line-up, many of the issues that produce the inconsistent play will continue. It's almost like it's four on five when Haws is on the floor.

Haws isn't a problem. He has the best basketball instincts of anyone on the team, and aside from Mika and Childs he has the most upside. Who do you want to give his minutes to, Beo or Leifson?

[Clark Addison]

The biggest problem with this team is Haws. I understand he’s everyone’s great white hope. I just don’t see it. Not yet. He belongs on the bench. He needs more practice time to learn to play defense, rebound and understand the no-look behind the head pass is never effective, except maybe in all-star or street-ball games.

Until Rose finds a different rotation that does not include Haw’s in the starting line-up, many of the issues that produce the inconsistent play will continue. It's almost like it's four on five when Haws is on the floor.

Disagree

[tooblue]

Haws isn't a problem. He has the best basketball instincts of anyone on the team, and aside from Mika and Childs he has the most upside. Who do you want to give his minutes to, Beo or Leifson?

That's great white hope talk. But the evidence found in his play suggests otherwise. He should've gone to the bench early in the season after his great "basketball instincts" got him that technical foul that cost BYU big. It's time to start Bryant. Beo is playing well enough to continue to get the minutes he gets. Haws can come off the bench, and should go right back with every ill-advised rushed 3-pointer and every incomprehensible forced turnover, where his "instincts" let him and his team mates down.

[tooblue]

Disagree

I understand. He's the great white hope ... unfortunately, it's a fools hope at this point.

[CardiacCoug]

The biggest problem with this team is Haws. I understand he’s everyone’s great white hope. I just don’t see it. Not yet. He belongs on the bench. He needs more practice time to learn to play defense, rebound and understand the no-look behind the head pass is never effective, except maybe in all-star or street-ball games.

Until Rose finds a different rotation that does not include Haw’s in the starting line-up, many of the issues that produce the inconsistent play will continue. It's almost like it's four on five when Haws is on the floor.

[tooblue]

Let me guess. You are in the fire Rose camp?!