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While getting set for tonight's Bronco Mendenhall Show, I have time for a quick BYU Basketball update.
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By now, you've read that Provo High star Kyle Collinsworth has narrowed his list of college choices to three schools: BYU, Virginia and USC. The sense I'm getting is that the list is essentially down to two: BYU and Virginia, with USC out of the mix.
Interestingly, Virginia does not have a home visit scheduled, nor does Collinsworth have an official visit scheduled (he "un-officialed" during an NBA camp trip back east).
Additionally, Virginia has only one un-committed scholarship remaining, and the Cavaliers are seriously courting a wing player who could be seen as a "safety net" if Collinsworth ends up at BYU.
My read would be that BYU has more eggs in the Collinsworth basket, while UVa has a loaded recruiting class that Tony Bennett would be pleased with, even without Collinsworth. Conversely, Collinsworth is the clear-cut primary target for the BYU staff, and the coaches have left little doubt as to their recruiting priority.
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Spent a half-hour or so at the Marriott Center this afternoon watching the Cougars go through a full-team practice. Jonathan Tavernari is now back with the team following his Brazilian national team tenure and recent wedding, and all 13 roster players were on hand.
The guys look great, and my excitement for the season increases every time I see the players together. I think BYU's two true freshmen (Tyler Haws and Brandon Davies) could potentially offer the most significant contributions from a rookie class since I've been calling games. BYU has had some impact-making freshmen in the last ten-plus years (Mark Bigelow, Mekeli Wesley, Michael Vranes, Jimmy Balderson, Trent Plaisted, Mike Rose, Lee Cummard and Jonathan Tavernari, to name just a handful), but the Haws/Davies duo is the most talented tandem to show up at the same time.
Haws could be in the running for conference Freshman of the Year honors if things go as I expect, while Davies will be hard to keep off the floor as he develops. He had one jaw-dropping jam in transition today, stunning for how far he was from the basket when he cuffed the ball (the dude is just plain long). It's not just his dunks that are impressive; his around-the-basket shooting touch and footwork are natural and polished.
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