Laundry List, 2/28/2013

Tyler, I do believe WCC refs are very biased towards home teams.  BYU gets plenty of calls at home and gets none of them on the road.  Particularly, I think Gonzaga and St. Mary's get more calls than anyone, regardless of venue.  BYU definitely got hosed a bit at St. Mary's.  Gaels initiated way more contact on both ends of the floor, and if not for a Davies drawing 5 or 6 fouls in 5 minutes on SMC in the 2nd half, BYU would have been called for WAY more fouls in the game...

Boomer, Haws is amazing.  However, he has yet to have a GREAT game against anything resembling a good defensive team.  I think he is having a similar season to what Jimmer did as a Junior, maybe not quite there, but certainly better than Jimmer's sophomore season.  If that trajectory continues, that could mean great things.  The biggest difference I see (besides Jimmer's range and ability to create off the dribble) is that Jimmer had better post players, so teams couldn't double and triple team him outside as easily.  Haws, especially next year, is going to have to do a lot more with a lot less space.

Also, I am not sure how Rose plays it next season with his roster.  He has no true C, so I guess Nate Austin or Eric Mika start at the 5.  Kyle Collinsworth and Tyler Haws are probably the starting 3-4 spots.  Sharp and Winder play 3-4 when one needs a rest.  PG...man, I don't know where to go with that.  I think Carlino starts, but if he's playing 30+ minutes he needs to get better.  [I don't see why Rose dislikes Delgado.  I think if he played in WCC as much as he played in non-conference, BYU wins 2-3 more games...I really do.]  Regardless, that looks like a zone defense kind of team.  BUT...it looks like a better offensive team.  Losing Davies will be a big blow, but with Haws scoring inside and (hopefully) outside, Carlino with less pressure on him to score, Collinsworth, Austin, and Sharp on the offensive boards, and more experienced bench players like Delgado, Ambrosino, and Winder, BYU should see a dramatic increase in scoring.

Nice artice about Lone Peak High can be found here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/sports/utahs-lone-peak-high-school-surprisingly-climbs-to-top-of-pack.html?_r=0
Eric Mika dunk contest video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd-E2NBMULo

I'm trying to figure out why BYU didn't just recruit the top 6 players from Lone Peak this year.  Lone Peak is 23-1 this season with the lone loss coming to the #1 team from Florida, with the game played in Florida.  They beat the #1 HS teams from NC (by 4), TN (by 15), MS (by 18), CO (by 19), and PA (by 23), the #4 team from IL (by 42), and the #5 team from NV (by 38).  That doesn't count beating #2 and #4 from the state of UT (by 20 and 22, respectively).  They won the state semifinal by 34 without any of the starters playing a single minute in the 4th quarter.  This is absolutely unprecedented by any team in the state of Utah.  BYU only got 3 of these guys to play basketball for them?  I recognize Bronco took one of them to play WR, but still...

IF YOU LIVE IN UTAH, GO WATCH THEM PLAY IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON SATURDAY!  This is a feat that will never be duplicated by any Utah team in our lifetime: 24-1, #1 High School Team IN THE NATION, with 4 of the kids going to BYU to pursue collegiate athletics.  Some things in sports, you just make sacrifices for.  I left my wife in a time of need and flew to New Orleans to watch Jimmer play in the Sweet 16 (a debt I still repay at times), but watching Jimmer's last collegiate game live, watching BYU in the Sweet 16, those are things you don't forget and never regret.  Go to this game!  I beg you.  Do it for me.

Side note: BYU hosts Gonzaga tonight.  It should be fun.  BYU hosting a scrimmage against the future #1 CBB team in America just 4 days before they get to wear that crown.