Postseason ending 'fuel' to Utah's drive for success


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SALT LAKE CITY — The only thing certain about next season for the University of Utah basketball team is change.

Seniors Delon Wright and Dallin Bachynski played their last game as a Runnin' Ute and will look to further their basketball careers wherever possible. New players will be infused into the culture and commitment to Utah basketball, while others may move on to the NBA or another team entirely. The coaching staff may include some new faces as jobs are filled locally or around the country.

All of the hard work, commitment, sleepless nights, team camaraderie, doubts, excitement, game preps, blowout victories, gut-wrenching buzzer beaters and the literal makeup of the team will change.

But change doesn't have to be a negative for a team that fought its way into the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade. Change brings growth, a new beginning; an opportunity to improve, become more polished, a new mindset.

The future of the basketball program has the potential to be bright, with expectations for success raised to an all new level. No longer will getting to the NCAA tournament satisfy a team that has tasted success and the euphoria of winning in the postseason, particularly as a so-called underdog despite its high seeding.

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Losing one of its best all-around point guards will certainly hurt, but the cupboards aren’t bare at the U. Head coach Larry Krystkowiak and the coaching staff have in waiting several talented athletes ready and capable to step up to meet the raised expectations of the program next season.

“Of course it’s going to be tough without Delon and Dallin. They brought a lot to this team, but we’ll regroup and everyone will get better over the summer,” Jordan Loveridge said. “We’ll come back and we’ll be hungry and try to make it to the same stage.”

Already, freshman Brekkott Chapman is eager to get back on the court in preparation for next season.

“It’s been a great season for me and I’m looking forward to getting back in the gym,” Chapman said.

Chapman is one of several younger athletes on the team that have showed high-level promise moving forward. With a young core group of players who have already been a part of a deep run in the postseason, the message and culture of the team doesn’t have to change much at the beginning of the next season and shouldn’t for some time — the potential for success could continue for years to come.

“It’s huge for us; we haven’t been here for a long time,” Chapman added. “It’s great to start this roll that Coach K has put this program on.”


We're going to get back out here. We're going to get back out here and it's going to be a lot of fun. But it's definitely good to get a taste of it, and it's one hell of a taste — Sweet 16. I promise you we'll be back here.

–Brandon Taylor


“We’re going to get back out here,” guard Brandon Taylor said. “We’re going to get back out here and it’s going to be a lot of fun. But it’s definitely good to get a taste of it, and it’s one hell of a taste — Sweet 16. I promise you we’ll be back here.”

“I know that they’ve got more,” Bachynski said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see them back here. There’s a couple of good players and I know that they’re not satisfied with how we ended.”

Krystkowiak’s No. 1 goal, as well as that of his players, coming into the 2014-15 season was winning a Pac-12 championship — an accomplishment that will take a determination and drive likely stronger than all prior season’s under Krystkowiak.

“You get a taste of the stage, you get a taste of everything,” Taylor said. “It’s only fuel until next year.”

For Utah, though, change can’t breed complacency or settling for good enough. And it shouldn’t, based on Krystkowiak’s approach to practice each season. As he recounted several times this season: “If you came into our practice you wouldn’t be able to tell if it was three years ago and we were winning six games or if it’s right now and we’re in a little different of a position than where we’re used to being.”

The only difference: Utah now has some winning experience to back up its approach.

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