WCC Preview by Realgm

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BYU: The formula for BYU is very simple. Basketball teams only need five players on the floor at once, and when you have one of the best scorers in the nation, in Tyler Haws, your odds of winning are very good. Matt Carlino’s transfer hurts, but it helps that Kyle Collinsworth became a tremendous facilitator last season, and that Skyler Halford was an aggressive efficient scorer in the limited minutes he played. The team also adds Wake Forest transfer Chase Fischer and elite recruit TJ Haws, the younger brother of Tyler. Those four players should be able to replace Carlino’s production.



Eric Mika also left on an LDS mission, and UNLV transfer Jamal Aytes will try to help fill in for his size and athleticism. But the reality is that it doesn’t really matter who plays in the post for BYU. Players like Nate Austin and Josh Sharp aren’t stars. They barely ever touch the ball. But because they are only needed to put-back lay-ups, they are incredibly efficient. The story of BYU is really about how Tyler Haws impressive scoring makes everyone on BYU an efficient player.

Also the article considers Gonzaga a top 10 team with 5 legit starters and a decent bench.

And I thought TJ Haws went straight out on a mission

This article is dumb. TJ Haws isn't even on the roster. And Haws clearly doesn't make everyone around him better hence our shooting woes last season. Now, if Haws learned to recognize a double and pass than yes, he'd be making the others around him more efficient.



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I am confused about Haws now that we are already seeing negative posts about him. Some informed people think he was the best player on the team last season and many even thought he was the best player in the WCC. Is he? Or just a ball hog.



Gonzaga probably is better than BYU. They almost always are.



Rebuilding year with a roster overflowing with new and unproven players is the best description of BYU. Hopefully some new talent will emerge.

Haws is a tremendous shooter. One of the best to play the game. We're lucky to have him on our team. If your definition of making others around you better is shooting the ball really well, then yes Haws' makes others around him better. But, if your definition of making others around you better is facilitating and creating for others, then Haws is lacking on that front. It's like saying Mika was a great ball handler...



Haws can still be the best player in the WCC and not be a good facilitator. One of Haws' holes is his passing/facilitating. He averaged 1.5 assists last season and 1.9 turnovers (Carlino averaged 2 - so Haws turned the ball over as often as Carlino).



Haws is usually the end target on plays, not the one creating plays. Plays are drawn up to get him open so he can shoot it.



On the defensive side of the court, Haws isn't really renowned for defensive stops.

This is what you are missing. Teams have to focus on defending Haws by:



Putting their best defender on Haws

Double teaming Haws at times

Having other defenders cheat a foot or 2 towards Haws and pull off their man to close down at times.



That is how Haws makes others (look) better.



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Cougarbib wrote:
This is what you are missing. Teams have to focus on defending Haws by:



Putting their best defender on Haws

Double teaming Haws at times

Having other defenders cheat a foot or 2 towards Haws and pull off their man to close down at times.



That is how Haws makes others (look) better.



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I am not missing that.



So Halford looks better because he's standing wide open while a team doubles Haws? Halford only looks better and Haws only makes Halford better in that scenario when Haws recognizes the double, passes the ball out to a wide open Halford and Halford makes his shot.



Haws would get doubled. He'd rarely find the open man and given our shooting woes the open man missed more often than not or didn't bother to take the shot.



Jimmer suffered the same problem.



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Gunk

Pay attention to yourself. You are on the right trail. Haws is the shooter. It is not his role to dump it off to someone less likely to make a shot. But, the point guard might get it to a slashing Collins worth or when CC is the point guard, he might find a little more room to slash and dish when the best defender us on Haws and 2 other players are cheating a foot or two in Haw's direction. It might even open things up for the 5 this year if we have one because defenses can't collapse on the big guy as quickly if they are cheating away from him.



Haw's has a role as did Jimmer. They both have limitations. Of course, Jimmer, NPOY, in spite of said limitations. Haw's will fall short of what Jimmer accomplished, but he is better than what we usually get at BYU. Appreciate that as much as you can. This team will have liabilities - Way more than Haws.

I hope KC and TH are full strength. Every other spot will be a big ?



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Cougarbib wrote:
Gunk

Pay attention to yourself. You are on the right trail. Haws is the shooter. It is not his role to dump it off to someone less likely to make a shot. But, the point guard might get it to a slashing Collins worth or when CC is the point guard, he might find a little more room to slash and dish when the best defender us on Haws and 2 other players are cheating a foot or two in Haw's direction. It might even open things up for the 5 this year if we have one because defenses can't collapse on the big guy as quickly if they are cheating away from him.



Haw's has a role as did Jimmer. They both have limitations. Of course, Jimmer, NPOY, in spite of said limitations. Haw's will fall short of what Jimmer accomplished, but he is better than what we usually get at BYU. Appreciate that as much as you can. This team will have liabilities - Way more than Haws.

I hope KC and TH are full strength. Every other spot will be a big ?



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Bib, you're reading way too much into my comments.



The article says, "...Haws impressive scoring makes everyone on BYU an efficient player." That just isn't true and doesn't make much sense. If such were true, you'd see a statistical bump in everyone's performance when Haws is on the court. I highly doubt such a bump exists, particularly in the case of Winder where his best performance on the season came with Haws riding the bench.



It's a dumb, poorly written article.

Gunk wrote:

Gunk

Pay attention to yourself. You are on the right trail. Haws is the shooter. It is not his role to dump it off to someone less likely to make a shot. But, the point guard might get it to a slashing Collins worth or when CC is the point guard, he might find a little more room to slash and dish when the best defender us on Haws and 2 other players are cheating a foot or two in Haw's direction. It might even open things up for the 5 this year if we have one because defenses can't collapse on the big guy as quickly if they are cheating away from him.



Haw's has a role as did Jimmer. They both have limitations. Of course, Jimmer, NPOY, in spite of said limitations. Haw's will fall short of what Jimmer accomplished, but he is better than what we usually get at BYU. Appreciate that as much as you can. This team will have liabilities - Way more than Haws.

I hope KC and TH are full strength. Every other spot will be a big ?



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Bib, you're reading way too much into my comments.



The article says, "...Haws impressive scoring makes everyone on BYU an efficient player." That just isn't true and doesn't make much sense. If such were true, you'd see a statistical bump in everyone's performance when Haws is on the court. I highly doubt such a bump exists, particularly in the case of Winder where his best performance on the season came with Haws riding the bench.



It's a dumb, poorly written article.

I wonder if Haws got hurt and missed the year if all our returning players efficiencies would fall? My gut says yes.

Coaches poll just was released. As expected the zags in first place with 9 of 10 first place votes. BYU #2, with 1 vote. I'm just wondering who voted for BYU.



http://www.wccsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/102714aaa.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

looking at the point totals, I'd guess that each coach ranks the other 9 teams and doesn't include his own team when he votes. Gonzaga's coach must of voted for us.

coachK wrote:
looking at the point totals, I'd guess that each coach ranks the other 9 teams and doesn't include his own team when he votes. Gonzaga's coach must of voted for us.

Makes sense, he has to vote for someone, and everybody hates SMC. :D