BYU Basketball: A hypothetical Cougar alumni team for next year’s TBT
By Shaun Gordon
The Reserves
Elijah Bryant – Guard
The former Cougar who just turned pro would provide instant offense off the bench for the Cougar alumni. He played well in limited minutes for the Philadelphia 76ers’ summer league team, so it will be interesting to see if he lands overseas or in the G-Leauge this season.
Either way, he’ll likely be eligible for The Basketball Tournament next year, and he’d be a versatile producer for the team.
Chase Fischer – Guard
If there’s one thing that became apparent in this year’s TBT, it’s that you can’t have enough scorers. Fischer is just that, a long-range weapon that would fit perfectly alongside Jimmer and other ball-handlers.
Fisher played in Italy for most of the 2016-17 season before returning home. He’s been out of pro basketball the longest of anyone on this team, but if he’s kept in shape and kept playing basketball his shooting is a must-have.
More from Lawless Republic
- BYU Football: Comparing the new and old schedules
- BYU Football: Have the Cougars hit an all time low?
- BYU Football needs to fix issues before Notre Dame
- BYU Football: Why fans shouldn’t be so worried about USF
- How to watch BYU Cougars football in 2022
Charles Abouo – Forward
Even at BYU, Abouo was known as a lock-down defender. That hasn’t changed in the pros, as he’s enjoyed a solid career overseas, including a 2016 Defensive Player of the Year win in Qatar.
Defense tends to be nonexistent in The Basketball Tournament, but having a player who can come in and lock down an opponent when needed is a must for a deep run.
Jonathan Tavernari – Forward
Tavernari is the ultimate floor-spacing stretch floor. He’s built that ability into a solid career in Italy, most recently playing for Dinamo Sassari in the highest Italian league.
He would provide spacing and scoring on offense and size on defense, and he’d mesh well with Jimmer’s game, much like he did from 2008-10.
Eric Mika – Center
Like Tavernari, Mika plays in Italy’s highest league, and he performed well for V.L. Pesaro last season.
There’s no question that the BYU alumni could use his skill in the post, both scoring and rebounding. If the team were to face an opponent with a big frontcourt, he could find himself in the starting lineup.