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PROVO — The old gang is reunited, together again for the first time in three years, ready to capture another round of championships.
After graduating high school and serving church missions at different times, former Lone Peak High basketball stars Eric Mika, T.J. Haws and Nick Emery finally are set to play on the same team at BYU. And if they come anywhere close to re-creating their high school success, the trio will achieve legend status in college.
Collectively, playing for current BYU assistant coach Quincy Lewis, the three combined to be a part of eight state championship teams in high school. Enjoying perhaps the most celebrated high school career, Haws won state titles all four years, followed by Emery with three and one for Mika in the only season the three played together at Lone Peak.
The three high-profile recruits, combined with other newcomers, are expected to make a significant difference for BYU, which has yet to win a regular season or tournament championship during its five years in the West Coast Conference. Dave Rose might begin next season with the most talent he’s had during 12 years as BYU’s head coach.
“When you give Dave Rose the talent to go along with the kind of coach he is, I think what we’re going to see between now and 2020 for BYU, we’re going to see more than a couple of Sweet 16 (appearances),” said BYU play-by-play broadcaster Greg Wrubell.
Talk about taking the road less traveled. BYU has advanced to the Sweet 16 only twice in the last 35 years, both times with the national player of the year in Danny Ainge and Jimmer Fredette.
The hype for these players actually started long before some of them got to BYU. Wrubell made his prediction on my radio show with David James in November 2013. At that time, Emery was serving a church mission and Haws was starting his final season in high school. Mika was beginning his freshman season at BYU during which he averaged 11.8 rebounds and 6.4 rebounds.
Privately, BYU coaches believe they will have at least two potential NBA players on the roster the next few years. At 6-foot-10 and a pre-mission weight of 230 pounds, Mika has all the ingredients to be the best big man BYU has had in years. At 6-5, Haws has the shooting touch and range to develop into a big-time player in college.
Like Mika three seasons ago, Emery also played extensively as a freshman this past season. One year behind those two in high school, Haws went straight on a mission and will enter next season as a freshman.
Having been home for a few weeks, Mika and Haws are well aware of the hype surrounding them joining the Cougars. Upon Mika’s return, Emery tweeted “This is the beginning for something big.”
Hold on a minute, though. None of these players have experienced one NCAA tournament win, let alone the two necessary to make the Sweet 16.
“I’m aware a little bit of the expectations,” Haws said, “but you kind of try to push them out a little bit because nothing has been proven.
“Right now we’re all trying to work hard to try to get back into things.”
But Haws does remember the 2012-13 season when all three played together at Lone Peak. That Lewis-coached team finished 26-1 and won the state 5A championship and were ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps.com.
“If we can figure this thing out we can be a pretty good basketball team,” Haws said. “My goal is just to be able to contribute in any way I can because I know this team is going to be a good team.”
And it may be only just the beginning.
