Transfer additions:
Aly Khalifa
Dawson Baker
Ques Glover
We will start with the no brainers
6’11 Aly Khalifa at the 5, 6’10 Atiki is the backup.
6’6 Foos at the 4, Atiki is the backup.
6’5 Johnson at the 2 or 6’5 Dawson Baker, 6.5 Richie Saunders backup.
6’7 Robinson at the 3 or 6’6 Trevin Knell, 6’11 Noah Waterman.
6’0 Ques Glover as the starter, or 6’2 Hall at the point, 6’2 Trey Stewart backup.
Here’s where I am not sure;
Glover is a 5th year senior should get the nod over So. Hall as the team leader.
How does Dawson Baker fit in? Is he the starter at the 2 or 3. Johnson and Robinson have been both starters and backups depending on the team needs. Either way, all three guys will see major minutes. What about Sr. Trevin Knell and Sr. Waterman?
lastly, BYU needs one more big man. 3 is not enough.
Match ups also play into considerations. A big front line may require waterman at the 3. Although, Saunders came in and really played well at the 3 and 4 too. The talent is really going to make it difficult to decide. So, practice will be the decider. How well do you practice. How much effort do you put in. What a nice problem to have for a coach. I agree we need another 5 even if not super great. Take up space. Get some rebounds and make 3 or 4 baskets.
I believe they can take them away. We do need one more big man. Although, most don’t like Waterman, perhaps he’s added some muscle and weight. You can’t teach 6’11”
Ya, I don’t know about that. There are some high power players and shooters you left out. This is possibly the best and deepest team Pope has had. The record will be in question because of being in the Big 12 this year.
I’m sure he was listening. But, being 6’11” and 150 pounds won’t matter what he learned when playing inside on defense or offense. The bulk will help him use what he was taught. And, if it does, we will see him on the court more.
Waterman looks like he has some skills. He shoots well and handles the ball well but hasn’t produced much yet. He definitely needs to bulk up a bit and develop some post moves. He blocks a few shots just by virtue of his height. He needs to learn how to play inside. BYU doesn’t need a 6’11” wing. They have plenty of quicker wings. He needs to be a power forward or center. He has enough quickness to be a post player but is a slow wing.
I saw potential I guess… but I didn’t see him shooting well. What I did see was a liability on defense and not enough production on offense to warrant the minutes he got. He didn’t produce much yet he started much of the time. Do I think he can do better? Absolutely he can and I hope he does.
Well, he shoots well in practice. I know you don’t want to hear this but what players do in practice has a lot of weight on who starts and plays a lot. In games, Waterman didn’t shoot well. I hope the muscle he’s supposed to have put on will make a difference.
I would agree. His shooting form is excellent, he handles the ball extremely well for a big man, but he didn’t produce much except in one or two games. I think Pope played him a lot based on his potential hoping he would play up to his potential. He also got a lot of playing time because of a lack of height on the team.
You know why I don’t want to hear it? Because it’s a bunch of nonsense. At some point during the season a coach has to realize that some guys might look great in practice (if that is even true in his case) but if they can’t translate that practice greatness into game greatness it’s pointless.
If a guy isn’t doing anything in the games he is playing then he probably shouldn’t be getting a lot of game playing time because your team isn’t winning games.
Oh wait, that’s the REALITY of what happened last season.
This isn’t rocket science… it’s basketball 101. I know you don’t want to hear that but it’s truth.
