BYU Basketball 2016-2017

[Green Monstah]

Folks, we have a new double-down champion contender!

No. We don't.

Still #1.

[KillerDog]

I'm less intrigued by Bryant than I am by Childs. He was used in HS as a big but I don't think that is his primary skill set. I think he will be contending to start next year at the wing. I know I'm going out on an edge with that.

I think Emery and Haws are combo guards who will be able to split time as pg or sg. I also think we have a guy in Davis who can be a stretch 4 and likes to play off the bounce but was pressed into service by our lack offensive post players. With Mika in the post we will be able to play Davis at the stretch 4. Childs is easily athletic enough to guard the 3, can shoot from range and is comfortable off the bounce. Also, we don't really need another deep threat with TJ and Emery consuming all the perimeter shots. What do you guys think?

Starting 5 of Emery, Haws, Childs, Davis and Mika with Kaufusi, Bryant and Chatman as the rest of the rotation. Spot minutes for everyone else with a possible redshirt for Dastrup if he has continued eating.

[KillerDog]

One other thought I've been mulling is regarding our defense. We are at our best with an up tempo game. You can create an uptempo game through full or 3/4 court pressure. Full or 3/4 court pressure are best when you have a shot blocker or two under the hoop behind you and quick guards. I wish one of our coaches would install the old 2-2-1 full court with Nick and TJ at the front, Mika or Kaufusi underneath and long-armed or athletic 3/4 as the run and jump segment. We could force a tempo in games against teams trying to slow us down.

[Jeff Lebowski]

The year Bryant played for Elon, CAA was ranked 20th and the WCC was ranked 11th. Plus, Elon was not a good team. I think the future looks bright for Bryant, but it's fair to discount his freshman stats.

lol. Double-down!

Let's look a little more closely at those numbers. You have to factor out the BYU and Elon numbers from the RPI because it has to be based on opponents. BYU's RPI in that season was 36. Elon was 259. Here are median RPI values for the two conferences for that season:

CAA (non-Elon): 174
WCC (non-BYU): 159

Factor out one more team (Gonzaga) and the numbers are almost identical.

Don't kid yourself. There is not much difference between the conferences.

[Green Monstah]

lol. Double-down!

Let's look a little more closely at those numbers. You have to factor out the BYU and Elon numbers from the RPI because it has to be based on opponents. BYU's RPI in that season was 36. Elon was 259. Here are median RPI values for the two conferences for that season:

CAA (non-Elon): 174
WCC (non-BYU): 159

Factor out one more team (Gonzaga) and the numbers are almost identical.

Don't kid yourself. There is not much difference between the conferences.

Although my statement was that the stats should be discounted on both quality of the team and quality of the conference, so whatever ground you gain on conference parity, you just pissed away with comparative RPI.

Still #1.

[jay santos]

I'm less intrigued by Bryant than I am by Childs. He was used in HS as a big but I don't think that is his primary skill set. I think he will be contending to start next year at the wing. I know I'm going out on an edge with that.

I think Emery and Haws are combo guards who will be able to split time as pg or sg. I also think we have a guy in Davis who can be a stretch 4 and likes to play off the bounce but was pressed into service by our lack offensive post players. With Mika in the post we will be able to play Davis at the stretch 4. Childs is easily athletic enough to guard the 3, can shoot from range and is comfortable off the bounce. Also, we don't really need another deep threat with TJ and Emery consuming all the perimeter shots. What do you guys think?

Starting 5 of Emery, Haws, Childs, Davis and Mika with Kaufusi, Bryant and Chatman as the rest of the rotation. Spot minutes for everyone else with a possible redshirt for Dastrup if he has continued eating.

This might be how I would look at configuring a team, but I guarantee Rose will not do this. He will almost always go smaller than you think he will. Childs will play the 4 at BYU. If he improves his offensive skill and quickness considerably, there's a possibility he could play some wing later in his career. But I would say that's doubtful, and with zero chance next year.

[jay santos]

I'm less intrigued by Bryant than I am by Childs. He was used in HS as a big but I don't think that is his primary skill set. I think he will be contending to start next year at the wing. I know I'm going out on an edge with that.

I think Emery and Haws are combo guards who will be able to split time as pg or sg. I also think we have a guy in Davis who can be a stretch 4 and likes to play off the bounce but was pressed into service by our lack offensive post players. With Mika in the post we will be able to play Davis at the stretch 4. Childs is easily athletic enough to guard the 3, can shoot from range and is comfortable off the bounce. Also, we don't really need another deep threat with TJ and Emery consuming all the perimeter shots. What do you guys think?

Starting 5 of Emery, Haws, Childs, Davis and Mika with Kaufusi, Bryant and Chatman as the rest of the rotation. Spot minutes for everyone else with a possible redshirt for Dastrup if he has continued eating.

Also, who are you kidding, Davis plays well off the bounce? Are you laughing as you type trying to get a reaction? Come on, KD. You're better than that.

[jay santos]

This might be how I would look at configuring a team, but I guarantee Rose will not do this. He will almost always go smaller than you think he will. Childs will play the 4 at BYU. If he improves his offensive skill and quickness considerably, there's a possibility he could play some wing later in his career. But I would say that's doubtful, and with zero chance next year.

Follow up on this, because I'm going for the triple post. Gavin Baxter is sneaky athletic (white guy with freakish athleticism). Childs is sneaky unathletic (black guy who can't move his feet laterally). Childs is going to be a very good BYU player, but he's not going to be a guy that can guard a perimeter player, or take anyone off the dribble--except for a larger 4.

[KillerDog]

[KillerDog]

Next I'm going to convince you all that Bryant is already as good as KC.

[Bo Diddley]

I'd love to see full court pressure.

[KillerDog]

In all seriousness though, I think we spend a lot of time next year looking at Chatman and Bryant battling for the 3rd wing spot while Davis and Childs battle for the 4 spot. I think Aytes is a less athletic version of Childs and spends a lot of time on the bench. I also think Kaufusi gets beat out by Mika and maybe even Dastrup (depending on his weight). I think the Hamson kid plays a total of 7 minutes and 30 seconds.

[KillerDog]

Me too, if we had any athletic 3/4 guys.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Although my statement was that the stats should be discounted on both quality of the team and quality of the conference, so whatever ground you gain on conference parity, you just pissed away with comparative RPI.

Still #1.

Easier to score on a crappy team. Gotcha.

BTW, the BYU players in question played in a Dave Rose offense built on high-scoring games. That should more than offset your fudge factor.

[jay santos]

In all seriousness though, I think we spend a lot of time next year looking at Chatman and Bryant battling for the 3rd wing spot while Davis and Childs battle for the 4 spot. I think Aytes is a less athletic version of Childs and spends a lot of time on the bench. I also think Kaufusi gets beat out by Mika and maybe even Dastrup (depending on his weight). I think the Hamson kid plays a total of 7 minutes and 30 seconds.

I'm kind of mourning for Kaufusi, because I really thought he was an NBA guy in the making. But his progress didn't come as fast as it needed to. And Rose probably isn't going to go out of his way to play Mika and Kaufusi side by side unless Kaufusi's play demands that kind of accommodation, which it probably isn't.