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While there is still plenty of basketball left to play in this season, there's no reason to expect BYU not to be the pick to "three-peat" as MWC Champs next season.
BYU loses only four scholarship players--three to graduation (Murdock, Burgess and Ivanovic) and one to an LDS mission (Collinsworth. Nick Martineau is also leaving, but was a walk-on this season). Incoming are two return missionaries (one sophomore and one freshman) and a prep school freshman, while PG Lamont Morgan and C James Anderson take off their redshirts.
Among the newcomers will be prep schooler Charles Abouo, a 6'4", 220-pound, two-time all-state selection and 3A MVP at Logan High School prior to his enrollment at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. Brewster is one of the top prep schools in the country, and qualified for the National Prep School Championships this week.
Here is a recap of Brewster's quarterfinal win Tuesday night:
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Brewster 84, American Christian 79 (March 4, 2008)
Brewster advanced to the National Prep School Semifinals with a 84-79 win over American Christian. Brewster blitzed American Christian during the opening half of action and pushed their lead as high as 18 points. At the half, Brewster led 46-31. American Christian, the #5 ranked team nationally, made a second half comeback and took their first lead with five minutes remaining, 69-68. Brewster responded with a baseline jumper by Mark Lyons (Schenectady, NY) and would not relinquish the lead. Lyons had a game-high 25 points (including 3 three-pointers). During the last two minutes Trey Blue (South Holland, IL) knocked down a clutch three-pointer to push Brewster's lead to five. Blue finished with 16 points. Emmanuel Negedu (Kaduna, Nigeria) continued his torrid play with 19 points and 14 rebounds, plus four clutch blocked shots. Defensively, Charles Abouo (Logan, UT) did a fantastic job on Tyrke Evans, the #2 ranked player nationally, by holding him to 12 points. Anthony Crater (Flint, MI) had a game-high ten assists from his point guard position.
Brewster improves to 31-3 on the season and will play #1 nationally ranked and undefeated Hargrave Military (VA) at 6pm on Wednesday in the National Prep School Semifinals.
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By the way, Brewster has players on its roster committed to Ohio State, Arizona, Xavier and Princeton.
Abouo averaged double figures in scoring this season for Brewster, and is likened to former Cougar Mike Hall, if not as good a shooter right now. Abouo is an "above the rim" kind of player, and consequently, BYU's wing play will get a little more dynamic next season.
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BYU's return missionaries on next year's roster are sophomore-to-be G Jackson Emery and freshman F Noah Hartsock.
Hartsock should step into the backup "4" spot being vacated by Chris Collinsworth, while Emery will add to BYU's depth on the wing, which next season will feature Lee Cummard, Jimmer Fredette, Abouo, Mike Loyd and Archie Rose. Fredette and Loyd should be considered combo guards who can also play the point.
At the point, Lamont Morgan is being groomed as the starter-in-waiting, but with one more scholarship available to award, BYU has some options that might include bringing in another PG to compete in the backcourt.
Up front, Trent Plaisted is locked in at the post, assuming he returns for his senior season. If he is indeed back, don't be surprised if Dave Rose at least explores the possibility of redshirting Chris Miles. Consider that Plaisted will be a 30-minute-a-night guy and between Gavin McGregor and James Anderson, BYU has enough size to spell Plaisted in the post, while Miles could be allowed to develop as a redshirt and have two seasons left to play after Plaisted's departure, instead of only one (should Miles play next season).
Of course, if Plaisted should depart after his junior season, Miles would become BYU's starting center next year, but if Plaisted's back, I think the redshirt possiblity is intriguing, and maybe best for both the program and the player. Just a thought.
As mentioned, Hartsock should see immediate time at the power forward spot behind Jonathan Tavernari, giving BYU quality options at every position on the floor, and again, with that remaining scholarship, Dave Rose has some flexibility to add a wild card to the situation.
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Next year's roster, as currently projected:
Point Guards: Morgan, Pinegar (walk-on)
Combo Guards: Fredette, Loyd
Wings: Cummard, Emery, Abouo, Rose
Power Forwards: Tavernari, Hartsock
Centers: Plaisted, Miles, Anderson, McGregor (walk-on)
12 scholarships are accounted for, with one available.
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ESPN.com has updated its "Bubble Watch." BYU is now one of five "non-BCS, non A-10" locks, along with Memphis, Butler, Drake and Gonzaga. Pays to be a Bulldog these days--3 of the 5 locks are thusly-named canines. The other two locks are felines, so the locks are all cats and dogs.
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