You can tell that Byu has caught their second wind here close to midway through the conference season. Johnson is so important to this team. He is by far the best defender, best decision maker, and that really is our big problem. It’s just really poor decisions made by players who do not an understand how important possessions are. so far tonight Johnson has two steals, another deflection
Basketball is such a game of momentum. Pepperdine hits a couple long threes and all the sudden they are just confident.
Molette goes out and Byu goes on a nine point run
Did I say that I can’t stand George’s game? It’s not that he’s a bad player is just that he just makes the worst decisions out there.
And here’s how you lose a game. And mark it down at the 417 mark Coach Pope subs out Johnson, Saunders, and subs in Waterman.
On the time out, he gets the right personnel in and BYU wins going away by 10
Why do some of our players wear long sleeve shirts? No reason or logic for that. Is it some kind of fashion trned for basketball players in Utah? It makes no sense at all.
Anyhow, good win but against a better team (and there are several in the WCC) I don’t know if BYU finishes off that win.
[quote=“JCoug, post:6, topic:9704”]
Why do some of our players wear long sleeve shirts? No reason or logic for that. Is it some kind of fashion trned for basketball players in Utah? It makes no sense at all.
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you wear long sleeve shirts to keep your arms and core warm. It helps in your shooting. I have worn long sleeve shirts while playing.
They call them long John’s up in cold country. Coldest time of the year. Keep those elbows warm. Down here, I wear a copper sleeve while at the gym lifting weights.
Had a couple of nice passes to Foos. Every game is a guess who comes and plays. Now Williams disappeared in this game too. Maybe he needs glasses to see a defender in front of him. He’s been up and down too. Hall had a decent game.
First, I love this team as individuals. They play hard and conduct themselves well off the court.
Second, I wish they–and that means all of them to one degree or another–would stop making boneheaded decisions. I couldn’t believe the one play where Williams was trying to pass the ball to Robinson, I believe, in the right corner and instead threw chest high it to a Pepperdine player standing at the top of the key.
Third, I keep telling myself to enjoy this year because next year could be abysmal given that every conference game will be a Gonzaga-type of matchup.
Fourth, I don’t know enough about coaching basketball to discuss Mark Pope and his staff. But like the players, they’re great individuals but I sometimes question the decisionmaking. What’s the old saying, “A team is a reflection of its coach.”
I would say that givin the talent on this team pope is doing an amazing job
Good example would be Robinson. He may have been a highly rated player, but he had no experience pretty much just stands around on the three-point line until recently. Only now is he starting to play up to a fraction of his potential. When we say our best player is Johnson. On any good team in the big 12 he would be a substitute.
Totally agree fish. I think Pope is doing an amazing job, considering what he has to work with. While many other teams, particularly the ones we will be competing against next season, have experienced players with more talent, I think he gets the most out of what he has.
Johnson is a sub and so is everyone else on this team. I hope he will be able to get some portal transfers who want to play instead of sitting on the bench of other Big 12 teams. That is what BYU will need to compete next season.
Careful what we ask for. We got Waterman. I’m sure he’s a great young man but he needs to put on about 50 pounds of muscle. On reason Johnson has been more successful is he put on about 20 pounds of muscle since last year. Robinson needs to do more muscle building as well.
By next year, Foos will be well deserved as a starter on other Big 12 teams. He’s s forward and we do need to have more big men so we have true center and Foos out there at the same time.
Waters, prop, Watermans problem has mental. He doesn’t want to go inside. He has lost all his manners to Johnson. As has Stewart.
I have been impressed with atiki development in the last few weeks. He really is starting to figure out the pick and roll and if he gets his fouling figured out that guy is a true starter in the middle.
Agreed. Waterman has no confidence, you can see it when he walks on to the court. He needs to start acting like he belongs and figure out his role. He looked lost against Gonzaga on both ends and it cost BYU the game along with other miscues.
Stand up tall, put on some muscle and get after it. You only have one shot at being a D-1 player. Be grateful and make it count.
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I thought Saunders and Atiki had their best games as cougars on Saturday. I also thought that BYU handled the press for the 1st time this season.
It is good as we go on the road to a red hot Santa Clara and San Fransisco, then play SMC, ranked #1 in the WCC.
Foos was interviewed live on BYUSN today. It sounds like he agrees that if we can get another true center, then we will see Atiki and Foos playing at the same time. That’s something I was hoping for at the beginning of the season. I still think they need to think about it when playing Gonzaga, St. Mary’s and even LMU. Maybe this week as well.
The coaches were also working on Foos’s defense so that he can get outside some and switch even with the smaller guards. He’s 6’6" and if he works on his quickness, he can also switch more. I saw him start doing that with Gonzaga and definitely against Pepperdine.
Saunders’ game vs GU was ridiculous. 18 pts on 11 shots and SIX—count ‘em, SIX—steals, against a true national superpower. 6 steals—Nobody does that. Then he gets 4 more vs Pepp. What a kid.
Did Hall turn the corner vs Pepp? 13 pts on FOUR shot attempts? Oh……kaaay. 7 Asst with ZERO TO’s? That’s a relief.
I love Rudi but a guy can’t run the team if he has as many TOs as assists.
Robinson is getting better and better.
In conference play, Atiki is shooting 92% (11/12 ) from the line and 74% (14/19) from the field. This is a guy who came in with ZERO offensive game.
In conference play Fouss is shooting 80% (20/24) from the line and 61% (26/43) from the field.
I’m hoping o see us feeding those big men more and passing up some of the quick 3s.
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If the guy can get that confidence he could be real good. Not many 6’11” guys have the mobility and ball handling skills he has. He has a great stroke from outside. He needs to learn to use his height inside. He is thin but very skilled. I hope he figures it out. How much eligibility does he have left?
I thought Waterman was on his way about 10 games ago. Pope had challenged him to get after it inside, go to the hoop aggressively and be a presence on D. Then, like that, he is back to standing around beyond the 3.
I see Knell is about ready to play again. With the season past 1/2 way, I would sit him for next year. It depends on Knell, he may be wanting to get on with his life. Knell has been a 3 point specialist, we have 2 already, Robinson and Waterman. are you going to try to take minutes from these 2? Both guys are longer, Robinson is a much better defender. Waterman is much longer.
Will Knell try to take minutes from Rudi W.? There are nights when Rudi can get red hot, none of these guys can do what Rudi does when he is in the zone. 27 points in the Utah and I think the Craighton game.