BYU basketball: Rose, Cougars have tons of versatility at disposal
The expectations aren’t overly high for BYU basketball in 2017-18. However, the Cougars are athletic and versatile – which might make for a fun season.
BYU basketball’s season begins later this month. Even though hoops season tends to sneak up on us every year, there’s no denying a break from the injury-filled football team will be nice.
Again, it’s not like anyone is predicting that BYU basketball will be sitting atop the West Coast Conference in February. But, there’s a lot to be excited about.
The Cougars are athletic and young, and they have plenty of new players who will be competing for roles. It looks like this season’s team might be deeper than it was a season ago.
Part of what adds to that depth is versatility. From top to bottom, the Cougars have a number of players who can conceivably play in multiple positions.
It’s too early to predict all the lineups that head coach Dave Rose will use this season. But at the same time, it’s intriguing to think about all the possibilities.
Here are some that might pay real dividends for BYU basketball.
The “small ball” lineup
TJ Haws, Nick Emery, Elijah Bryant, Zac Seljaas, Yoeli Childs
This lineup certainly makes the Cougars small – but Seljaas has the height to be a decent rebounder. The real trouble with this lineup would be on defense. If a team went with two bigs, BYU couldn’t really deal with the size. However, this would let the Cougars play with four out and one in – meaning a guard will have a bigger forward on them. Offensively, this could be a fun lineup.
The “lock down” lineup
Nick Emery, Jahshire Hardnett, Kajon Brown, Payton Dastrup, Yoeli Childs
Nick Emery and Kajon Brown lock down the perimeter. Yoeli Childs patrols the paint. Dastrup is the team’s second-best rebounder and Hardnett’s speed might help cut down penetration into the lane. On offense, the Cougar can lean on Hardnett, Emery and Childs. This lineup could be helpful if the Cougars have a small lead with a few minutes remaining.
The “big small ball” lineup
TJ Haws, Elijah Bryant, Zac Seljaas, Dalton Nixon, Yoeli Childs
This lineup gives BYU basketball more size than the “small ball” option. Nixon and Seljass provide length on the wings, but are capable shooters. Childs still locks down the paint. Bryant comes in for Emery to add height, even though some defensive ability is lost. Granted, you could always swap Haws out for Emery, too.
Next: BYU Basketball Roster Preview
The “going big” lineup
Elijah Bryant, Zac Seljaas, Dalton Nixon, Payton Dastrup, Yoeli Childs
This would probably be the best rebounding group for BYU basketball, but you severely hamper ball handling abilities. Nixon might not be a capable enough defender to take on smaller forwards, and you lose Emery on the perimeter. But if you need rebounds, this might be the lineup to try.
The “3-point” lineup
Jahshire Hardnett, TJ Haws, Nick Emery, Zac Seljaas, Yoeli Childs
This lineup would give BYU basketball four different players that are capable of being 40 percent 4-point shooters (two of them have already done it). Again, you lose some size, but this kind of lineup is used to either A) dig out of a late-game deficit or B) try to run a team out in the last couple minutes of the first half.
Regardless of how Rose decides to play it, the Cougars will have plenty of options for the season. Kajon Brown can guard multiple positions. TJ Haws and Jahshire Hardnett are legit scorers. Nick Emery is a fiery player looking to rebound after a disappointing sophomore season.
And surely you noticed the one constant in each of the above lineups… Yoeli Childs. Childs is a really great post player – one that is explosive and can play defense and offense. There’s one reason he was in each of those lineups: because he’ll be the most important piece this season.