Speaker 1: Just at the gates of Bryce, Canada National Park. You
can enter to win right now at espnefan dot com
five hundred dollars good for lodging, food and beverage and
or the gift shop. Visit ESPN thefan dot com and
enter and win. The madness of marches right around the corner,
and the Cougars are in.
Speaker 2: The metal of it.
Speaker 1: It's time to talk some college basketball on Cougar Sports
with Ben Cripple, who welcome back Cougar Sports one of
three nine ninety eight point three if being the fan,
I'm Mentortal broadcasting from our Vanderwelt dot com studios Vanderwealth
dot Com. Get on that free q and a no
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It is time for little college basketball Cougar Sports byu
heading to the NCAA Tournament March. Matt news is upon
as they got that last six seed. They're gonna be
taking on NC State Andwver Texas and then hopefully fingers
crossed Kenzaga. That's what we'd love to see. They're out
in Portland. They're gonna be on Portland. They got what
seven days of rest prior to tip off there and
they're playing their some of their best ball that we've
seen in a while. Hopefully they survive. In advance, I
put out a pole Cougar Nation chime in ono. How
far do you think this Cougar basketball team can go?
Is it a one and done season? Is it a
Round a thirty two type of team? Is it a
Sweet sixteen or an Elite eight or better type of season?
Speaker 3: For you? Where are your expectations and why?
Speaker 1: By the way, this segment's going to be brought to
you by rubys n rubies In dot Com. Hike bike, razor, horseback,
ride through them hoodoos of Bryce Cannon. I love rubis In,
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on down to rubys In and Bryce Canyon National Park.
Let's talk some hoop. Let's talk some Cougar basketball with
the One, the Only, Jonathan Devenard, the Brazilian bomber.
Speaker 3: He's on the line right now. What's up? JT?
Speaker 2: And I'm a fanchise.
Speaker 4: I'm actually too far away from Bryce Canyon right now.
I'm driving back from California from a weekend tournament and
I'm literally probably about an hour away from from rubys
In right now.
Speaker 3: Are you saying, hey, well, how did the tournament go?
How did that? Does hand or play?
Speaker 2: Well? Well, we won and we we we won, and
this was a.
Speaker 4: Super regional between the Mountain Region and the West Region.
And so we are twenty and one in the Adida
Circuit and we are the number one seventh grade team
in the country in the Adida Circuit.
Speaker 3: Just killing it ball and shot Colin.
Speaker 4: That's right, just you know, trying to make sure that
all the money that I didn't win and that I
didn't make with nil is recouped by my son.
Speaker 1: So it's a good goal to have it. Like it's funny,
like I remember a deck to go talking with Reno
Mahe about all of the money that parents spend on
skill development, on practices, on teams, on travel ball and
all that stuff just to get a scholarship, right, just
to get a scholarship, and and and when you look
at the return on investment depending on where you went
to school, it didn't really math out all that well, right,
It's just it's like, oh man, I mean, yeah, it's
it's it's good. But like when you're spending one hundreds
of thousands of dollars over you know, the the the
the young youth, you know, movements and these leagues and
travel ball all that stuff, like it doesn't always math out.
Speaker 3: Now now it kind of maths out a little bit, right.
Speaker 2: Well.
Speaker 4: And and here's the thing, Ben, I'm not doing all
of this so my son ageennas scholarship, right. I mean
I was raised on a basketball for by my mom,
and basketball, you know, is the biggest part of my
life and it's what I know. And you know, my
son loved it, and I am trying. I'm trying to
raise them to understand the team work, to understand sacrifice,
to entertain giving up something good for something great and
you know, hard work pave off and and so you know,
do I spend a lot of money on you sports?
I absolutely do, right, But I'm doing it not only
to help my son, but I also help a lot
of other kids that are under privilege. You know at
risk you and and so, and I do it because
then people did it for me, because if it wasn't
for basketball, I wouldn't have had a chance to come
to this country.
Speaker 2: I know that.
Speaker 4: I'm not oblivious to that. And so you know, it's
it's now my turn to be able to give it back.
And and this is how it feels the best way
for me to give back love that.
Speaker 1: No, there are many lessons learned in the games that
we play, the teams that were a part of and
it's u it's fun to watch the development learning how
to compete, learning how to grind, learning how to persevere
through redversity. All of that is our lessons learned. Now
this Boa basketball team, they've learned how to grind, They've
learned how to persevere. They've had their ups and downs,
their their undulations this year that we've looked like jackals.
Sometimes it looks like high at other times they're looking
a lot better right now, JT. The trajectory looks good,
the seating looks good. The location for the tournament right
now in the West is good. It seems like b
y U has a pretty good path to having a
successful NC double A tournament run what do you see?
Speaker 4: To be honest with you, I I hope that they
can get out of the first round. You know, Texas
is a big, physical team. NZ State plays in a
tough conference, and so it's gonna be a good game, right,
I mean, you know, these are these are historic, great
programs that are not having a good year, and uh
you know, and d the teams are very well coached,
you know, And so I think that I b YU
plays the way that they've played, even the even a
game against Houston, right, I think, you know, the game
against Houston has shown one thing is that if Richie
Saunders was healthy, b y U had a really good
chance of being a final fourteen. And uh you know,
they're gonna have to dig deep. And so I think
the first round matchup against uh, you know, the winner
of Texas Tech can excuse me, Texas and NC State,
I think it's going to be a great challenge for BUYU,
two different styles that they may face, and uh, you know.
But the the part of me that you know, and
I don't want to look ahead because the most important
game is the next one. But how sweet would it
be to just have a J drop a forty you know,
a forty nugget on the Zachs to.
Speaker 2: Go to the Sweet sixteen, you.
Speaker 4: Know, and just completely step on the WCC from all
of the crappy years we had endoor of being in
that conference.
Speaker 2: And so.
Speaker 4: It's I think it's a it's a great to your point,
is a great path, you know to just to put
it mildly, BUYU would have to eventually have to go
through Texas or NC State and then an eventual game
against Gonzaga, and then an eventual game against Purdue and
then an eventual game against Arizona just to get to
the final four.
Speaker 2: I mean, you know, gee talking.
Speaker 4: About a generational run that a Jane crew are going
to have to go on. But again, right to be
the best, you know, to be the best, you have
to be the best.
Speaker 2: And I think that's where b YU is right now.
Speaker 3: They're in a good spot.
Speaker 1: It sounds like you're concerned about that that first first
round game versus one of these playing teams. Would you
rather have Texas or NC State in that first playing
game in that first round sixty four games?
Speaker 4: So I will say this, Ben, when the hardest game
to play in a tournament is the first one, and
I know Texas is banged up, I know, and h
n C State, uh, you know, has had an up.
Speaker 2: And down a year, more down than up.
Speaker 4: But what I will say is that you know, they
have the privilege and I do say privilege because well,
they have the benefit.
Speaker 2: Let's put it that way.
Speaker 4: They have the benefit of playing a game before the
first round. Don't just spread it that bend where you
can go and you can play a game and you
can win, and you already have momentum going into that
Thursday game.
Speaker 2: And so that's something that b Iu doesn't have.
Speaker 4: And so to me, that was the biggest differentiator, you know,
on the on the West Virginia game, where where West
Virginia was kind of cold, had him play for you know,
five days, and by us coming from a fresh win
with yeah, you know, maybe they were a little bit tired,
but still you were in West Virginia off the court,
and to me, that's because they they weren't ridm and
you know, and now I'm not saying that, you know,
the winner of that game is going to run vi
Iu off the gym, but they're not going to have
their sea leg you know, their sea legs under them anymore.
Because they already got that, you know that the pregame
jitter that that, hey, we're in the NCAA tournament game.
Speaker 2: They already have a game under their belt.
Speaker 4: And so that's always a little tricky with playing someone
that came from the playing in game. Obviously, injuries can
happen and such, but you know, to me, it's one
of those situations where you know it's an extra day
of rest and uh. And as of laid Ben, you know,
to your point of an earlier comment in question, you know,
he's playing great.
Speaker 2: And and credit to Kevin Young. You know, I feel
like Kevin Young challenged his manhood a little bit.
Speaker 4: He did it himself where he was like, I'm over
complicating everything. I just want to simplify this. And as
soon as he did it that, you know, the team
kind of, you know, was was let loose a little bit.
And so it credit to him and to the staff
for making the decision because I'll say that against you know,
against Texas Stack the last game of the season, and
then and.
Speaker 2: You know, the game against Cancel State, the game.
Speaker 4: Against West Virginia, even a game against Houston, those boys competed,
they played hard, you know, they challenged their opponent and
that's everything you could ask for me.
Speaker 3: Yes, indeed. The It's funny.
Speaker 1: I had Chris Collinsworth on the show leading up to
the Big twelve tournament, and I asked him, Hey, like,
what do you do defensively to like change things up?
Do you do? You do you go zone and conserve energy?
Do you play more man?
Speaker 3: Do you do?
Speaker 1: You know, give me some ideas on how YU can
find some success defensively. And you know, I said, he said,
go back to the basics, simplify and and you.
Speaker 3: Know, limit like you don't have to have it.
Speaker 1: You've got to communicate obviously, but like you just want
to limit the complexity. And I was like, it was
a home run comment that he made, and they did it.
And I'm not saying that they followed Chris's recommendation. I
think the coaching staff, you know, did their own self
scout and figured out, hey, we just got to simplify things.
Speaker 3: But it's been awesome to watch the effort elevate.
Speaker 1: You do you think the simplification allows for effort to
be maximized or is it just kind of that time
of the year when there's a sense of urgency JT
and guys are just more willing to put it all
out on the line, uh and ball out for the
team because it's survive in advance mode.
Speaker 4: Well, first of all, that is two times state champion
as a player and as a.
Speaker 2: Chris let's go, you know, with all due respect and.
Speaker 4: You know, but what I was saying is prize is
spot on, you know, you know, and there's a saying
that I that I that I that I mentioned a lot,
which is simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, right and and
to me where B I U is really thriving on
making things simple. You know, Devin said about dummy down
this enough, and to me, it's not really dummy down
because that's you know, maybe has a negative connotation at
least you know my language as it does. But to me,
it's more about how can you just go back to
the basics, like you know, like sea Worth said it,
how can you make sure that you're your you have
your you know, handful of foundational principles on defense and
you're sticking to them. And so you know, it's great
to see by you do this. What I could I
should have? I think to your point been I think
both things can be true at the same time, which
is one, do I use a little bit more locked
in now because it is the most wonderful time of
the year for basketball, you know, for basketball junkies.
Speaker 2: And two is also the fact that.
Speaker 4: They have simplified things to make things more basic for
the players.
Speaker 2: And so it's March. You know that they have you know,
you have to lock in.
Speaker 4: The sense of urgency has to be heightened, and so
it's a great situation.
Speaker 1: Well, JT, you went off, I believe on the tainted
on social media recently by you to the Sweet sixteen
by beating Gonzaga to make up for all the crappy
West Coast Conference years will be epic. We were wandering
through the wilderness of the West Coast for too long.
It'd be great to send a Gonzaga home with a big,
fat L and move onward and upward through the NCAA
tournament bracket.
Speaker 4: You I could not have said better myself, you know,
no matter how people try to to spend it, the
WCC years were awful, and they were awful because we
played at high school at high school size arenas. My
own high school had a bigger gym than most of
these places, and it was just a crappy situation. By
you couldn't get out of his own way, and you know,
players just weren't all day. It was tough, man, I mean,
losing to Pacific, losing to Pepperdine, like, what are we
even talking about?
Speaker 2: And so it's just one.
Speaker 4: Of those things that you know, it's it's, it happened,
and it was there.
Speaker 2: It kind of like the Jazz black and yellow jerseys.
You know, we acknowledge it when we move on, and uh.
Speaker 4: You know, it's the crown jewel of the WCC is Gonzaga.
Speaker 2: And rightfully, so this is no.
Speaker 4: Discredit whatsoever to Gonzaga. You know that I've never minimized
an opponent. I'll left them talking about the units, and
but the one thing that I'll say is though Gonzaga
has earned every single massive prop and compliment.
Speaker 2: And success that they've had.
Speaker 4: Nevertheless, it would be incredible for YU too, kind of
you know, move on from the w CC by you know,
just beating Gonzaga to the Sweet sixteen, says like Jim
Or did the year, you know, the year before the
YU joined the WCC conference by beating them.
Speaker 2: In the in the second round to go to the.
Speaker 4: Sweet sixteen, and so history repeats itself.
Speaker 1: No doubt about it. Jonathan Depth and Ai former b
A rate the Brazilian bomber. Last thing before we let
you go, JT, because we got to get out to
break because you've used.
Speaker 3: Taken over our airwaves.
Speaker 1: But it feels like byus trending towards at least a
six sweet sixteen run, is that meeting quota if they
if they get to the sweet sixteen, all of Kuger
Nation's gonna be happy with that right.
Speaker 4: One bazillion percent if they get to the NCAA tournament.
I guarantee the collectives and the boosters investments and the
basketball team next year will be bigger than it was
this year. I guarantee you that because at that point.
Speaker 2: You were able to.
Speaker 4: Make you know, a goour mate chicken neo out of
chicken crap with all.
Speaker 2: Of the injuries that happened.
Speaker 4: And so if you can get to a sweet sixteen,
my goodnessigrations, you know next year will be even bigger
than this year was.
Speaker 1: Boom Soocker Locke and Jonathan deven Hour, Ladies and gentlemen,
j T. We'll catch up with again. I was a pleasure,
always a blessing talking ball with you. Thanks for hopping on.
Speaker 4: And that is four time NCAA tournament participant.
Speaker 1: You've Jonathan you my friend, it's crazy, like I mean,
you think about that like and obviously it people do
we take for granted getting to the NCAA Tournament. I
think sometimes as BWI fans, there was a time that
we didn't go a few times, like four times in
a row.
Speaker 3: It's a tremendous feed. You should celebrate it.
Speaker 1: It's it's a massive uh, like just a massive goal
accomplished in that era, one of the best eras in
b y U basketball history outside of maybe the glory
days of the eighties.
Speaker 4: My friend, I disagree. We were to going in years.
The eighties were the super year. But we'll we'll discuss
more of this when you and I go to rubys In. Yeah,
Bryce canyons together, my.
Speaker 3: Man, let's go.
Speaker 1: Let's have an awesome time down there at rubies In
and Bryce Cannon.
Speaker 3: Much love to you, j T. Thanks for hopping on.
Speaker 1: Others Boom Baby, that is our show.
Speaker 3: We're sticking to it.
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give us a rating, give us a review. We appreciate
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chiming in today. Cougar Nation Big who wrote Jonathan Tabnai,
Steve Clements, Toby Christiansen really enjoyed chatting with them. We
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as well as Matt Noorlander Big who wrote Ronald the
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