Speaker 1: So March's right around the corner, and the Cougar's are
written the metal of it.
Speaker 2: It's time to talk some college.
Speaker 1: Basketball on Cougar Sports with Ben Cribbles.
Speaker 3: Welcome back to Kruger Sports here on one of three,
nine and ninety three ESPN the Fan. We're on up
the three man. We were here thought Ben credit will
be back, still out. It's tough under your part time business.
But look, that's why I'm here, especially with these segments.
These these talking basketball segments are my favorite, especially every Tuesday.
Speaker 2: Football season is almost over, so we're moving to Monday.
Speaker 3: Thank goodness. Uh nothing, I don't. It's not that I'm
against the football. You guys know that I'm the basketball
guy the teas. We have some news that we'll talk
about that will be coming up momentarily. Can't say everything yet,
but you're gonna like the basketball news that we announced
sooner rather than later.
Speaker 2: But we got a ball or shot collar on the line.
Speaker 3: This college basketball segment, I guess little Keeping up with the
Cougar's is gonna be brought to you by dental prosoutah
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DoD Com. Without furtherdo, let's get out to the esp
and the Fan Hotline and welcome in our ESPN the
fan college basketball analyst former BYU Basketball Great. You can
catch him as well helping out with BYU TV on
the the pre posting half half.
Speaker 2: We got JT for three. JT Brother, how we doing.
Speaker 1: I'm just grateful that you know, people that actually know
basketball are on a call today. Ron.
Speaker 4: You know, it help, it helps, it helps the cause.
Speaker 3: Oh Ben, Hey, look, we don't know football, so that's
why you rely on Ben. But yes I do know
a little bit of basketball. Look, I mean when you're
getting dunked on in church ball by Jabari Parking. Then
your school plays him and he runs you like one
hundred to like forty. I think I know a little
bit about ball and watching tape and being like I
wasn't good enough to get on the court that much,
but I watched a lot of people. I think I'm
actually on Tyler you List's highlight tape. I think I
might have to go find it JT. But look, I
saw a lot of good athletes play, So I know
a little bit about ball. Appreciated with you, But let's
start here. I got to get your rent in at
the beginning rather than the end. Thanksgiving is this week?
What are you thankful for? And what piece of food
food item I guess at Thanksgiving is overrated? What would
you take off the menu?
Speaker 1: Can I tell you Barry sauce is a waste of
space and so it's a naver on my menu? So
you know there's nothing to remove because it's already gone,
and so that would be mine.
Speaker 3: Okay, ALRIGHTY said it is already removed. Hey, I like short, simple,
to the to the point. I always asked that esqucially
around this week, what do you not want? What you
want off the table, and like, hey, it's not a problem.
Speaker 1: I got a question for you, like, what what's the
perfect things getting played for you?
Speaker 4: For me? You know, mashed potatoes. I'm not a gravy guy.
Uhshed potato really creamy? And then uh from there, I
like stuffing.
Speaker 5: And then let's see. I I like some My wife
Kirie makes uh some like sugar cane, like.
Speaker 1: Baby carrots, and it's like, you know, it's like cooked
with sugar and it's it's incredible.
Speaker 4: So we have those.
Speaker 1: And then I'm gonna say, you know, turkey is always there.
I'm not a turkey guy. I'm a ham guy.
Speaker 2: Ay man.
Speaker 3: I think turkey should be removed at Thanksgiving. I'm trying
all these turkey.
Speaker 4: Promotions talking about a bolt tape.
Speaker 2: No here we go bowl takes get rid of the turkey.
I don't want it.
Speaker 3: I'm in charge of cooking the turkey this year. Shout
out to Ronald Virginia. Pops is not here, so I'm
cooking up and I don't want to do it. I
had done thought. I hate it seeing it. Give me
the ham. Nobody puts turkey on. They plated things, at
least Ronald the three Man. We don't my ideal play JT.
Give me the hams, Give me the Hawaiian rolls fresh
out the oven with the butter, Give me the mashed
potatoes with the gravy. And I am married to Idaho
and so potatoes will always be on the medium.
Speaker 4: And I said, I like my salad on the side.
Speaker 3: I was gonna say, give me the little caesar salad
on my little side. Played my bowl on the side.
I have that too, And then let's keep going the
Southern mac and cheese JT. My family's from the South,
so I slept my play.
Speaker 2: With the mac and cheese.
Speaker 1: Gotta have that, and I need to make then I
need to make an extra to save to you because
my wife makes a brisket mac and cheese. O, my friend,
I might have. I mean, you know, so that woman
raised in Georgia, Hot Planta, Georgia, and uh you know,
my goodness, her brisket macan cheese.
Speaker 4: My friend. Yes, and so, but I have a question
for you. Okay, let's let you know. Sends b Yu
basketboys off to such a sweet start. Desserts, what do
we like?
Speaker 3: Well again, Southern ways. You can go that sweet potato pie,
you can go that pecan pie.
Speaker 2: Pecan pie. Man, I really, I don't think you can
go wrong.
Speaker 1: I gotta tell you, I'm a I'm a pumpkin pie guy.
Speaker 3: Pumpkin pie guy. Pumpkin pie is not bad, you know.
I just eat pumpkin pie Halloween. That's when I eat
the pumpkin pie. So Halloween. So I'm not against it,
but eating the Halloween. And if you're not gonna go that,
here's some Southern stuff banana pudding or peach cobbler.
Speaker 2: There you go, boom boom.
Speaker 4: Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1: So my wife is a twin and her twin sister
makes a peach cobbler and a cherry cobbler.
Speaker 4: That, oh my goodness. I mean, we're making me hungry
just talking about these things.
Speaker 3: Ron, Look, it's Tuesday right now, like like three ten.
I'm over here, like I need some food. I might
have to pull up to your house Thanksgiving for show.
You can put them out.
Speaker 2: We could train.
Speaker 3: Actually, let's do what we would do in the hood.
That's what we would do where I'm from in Chicago.
We give each other a plate. We passed plates around.
That's what you do, exchange plates in the hood that houses,
that's what you do. Whether they be pies and go
mac and cheese, whatever it would be. So I'm gonna
bring you a plate, and i'might have to get a
player to you, especially if the twin is cooking up
you know some stuff.
Speaker 1: Yeah, already know, man, you'd be pulling out of my
house dirt and Avinsky playoff style.
Speaker 3: Baby, Hey, I just pray, I just pray my knees.
Hold up, you know, JT is like, let's get to basketball.
We've talked of food, but it is the week of
giving b yu JT.
Speaker 2: Have they gived? Have they lived up to the expectation?
Speaker 3: Know that they didn't get the game against Yukon, but
the way they battle back was phenomenal. Then they put
a they took Wisconsin behind the shed and just kept
laying on them over and over. And that was with
AJ having four fouls. What did you like about this
last victory?
Speaker 1: Well, so, so I always say this is ron, you know,
and and I'll make I'll make a statement, and then
I'll make a statement and.
Speaker 4: Then I would love for you to got to it.
Speaker 1: And this statement, this statement to you is BYU played
Wisconsin seven months ago, roughly or so, in the NCAA
Tournament has Byu improved And it's my question for you Ron,
has Byu improved drastically in that period or did Wisconsin just.
Speaker 4: Get bad in that period or is it a little
bit of both.
Speaker 2: No, I don't think so.
Speaker 3: I mean, look, John Tanjay's playing for the Jazz G
League team, so we got to give credit. Anytime you
drop thirty seven in a game and you score thirty
six in the first half, he got to tip your
hat to that guy. Look phenomenal basketball player. But they
still got John Blackwell, who's averaging about twenty a game.
Spoke to Rob Right in the post game. They got
Nick Boy, who balled out in San Diego State. They
brought him over. He was he's been playing phenomenal. So no,
I don't think Wisconsin got bad. I think the team
looks different, but they still are talented team. It was
a top twenty five team, So I don't want to
hear that argument from fans are from Badger fans of whoever.
So I think Bay you got tremendously better aging and
Rob Right alone is the end of discussion.
Speaker 2: So yes, be what you got better well?
Speaker 1: And I say that because you know, in the span
of seven months, Buyu went from being neck and neck
with Wisconsin to beat them by a thirty two at
a point now, you know, And.
Speaker 4: So I think my point of asking you that is.
Speaker 1: You know, can we say that this team has already
arrived and that.
Speaker 4: Their ascension is done? I certainly hope not.
Speaker 1: Because it is the end of November and you don't
want to peak in November. But it is scary to
think that these guys have twenty five more games left
ahead of them and they're already peaking at this time.
Can you imagine if they keep this up, where they're
going to be in in the beginning of February?
Speaker 2: Goodness?
Speaker 4: Can you imagine where they can get me, you know,
in March? Like are we are we?
Speaker 1: You know, are we starting to see what a dynasty
looks like? Of a Gonzaga esque run or a Baylor
esque run of sweet sixteens and Elite eights and final
fours all led by Kevin Young and co.
Speaker 4: You know, like this is insane.
Speaker 1: I mean to your point, you know, to see you know,
at the at the Wisconsin game and to see you know,
like Ritchie Saunders come to life and to see you know,
Dawson Baker and be effective and Robert Wright, you know,
just a little bit shy of a triple of a
triple double, and so.
Speaker 4: I think it's fantastic, right and you know.
Speaker 1: A j with a quiet eighteen points right, and so
a quiet eight t and six. And so you know,
I think just going out of the conversations that we've
had round some of the things I want to touch
on is, uh, you know, offensive rebounds. You just it's
not doing a good job this year on defensive rebounds.
They gave up eleven offensive rebounds. That's another game of
double figures on offensive rebounds. Giving up I'm that to
me is definitely a number that they need to work
on now. Conversely, eight turnovers, right, that's incredible. And then
with shooting, with shooting breakdowns of forty eight from the field,
forty one from three, with seventy six from the free
throw line, it's going to be difficult to b B
I U when they shoot you know, almost fifty percent
from the field, over forty percent from three, and close
to eighty percent from the three throw line.
Speaker 4: And so you know, you look.
Speaker 1: At the Wisconsin game and you know it's a thirty
point gap. For lack of a better explanation and my gosh,
b I used to have a few things to clean on.
But you know, that's a scary team if you are
Houston and you are Arizona and Baylor, and you know,
and you're looking at like, well, you know, how are
things going?
Speaker 4: And you know the conference ranking and all of that.
Speaker 1: You know, you look at Houston and you're like, oh, man,
I don't know if this BYU team is beatable. And
you know, and again, Houston under Ralph Simpson has been
a powerhousing. So lots to talk about, you know, in
regards to this YU team, but you know, the future
looks bright.
Speaker 2: Nonetheless, the future definitely is bright.
Speaker 3: And look, what did you like from the bench specifically
you mentioned Dawson Baker. I've kind of got, you know,
got on board with you. Whatever the the the development
staff has done. Dawson Baker's shot looks amazing, Like I
can't even I don't even know what to say, Like
it looks more silky smooth than it did before. And
he just seems to be extremely confident now that he's
fully healthy. But the bench, though, and that could include
Dawson of course, we know he's started in place of
Cannard who's still out.
Speaker 2: No timeline yet. Maybe we'll hear something soon.
Speaker 3: I'm still overly optimistic about what actually will all come
of this, and that they'll get Canari back sooner rather
than later. Bone stuff to wait for BYU to say something.
The point is JT. Dominic, d Monday Kadema boop. Look
when your best players on the on the bench with
four thousand, Kevin Young says, I was scared.
Speaker 2: I didn't know actually how that was gonna go, and
it worked.
Speaker 3: Well, what did you like about who stepped up on
on Friday?
Speaker 1: Well, so you know, I think it goes back to
the conversation round then you me and de Hammer have
have been having.
Speaker 4: You know, doing basketball season and even a little bit before.
Speaker 1: You know that the big three are going to get
about sixty percent of the points, right and so on
the night where they were at about fifty five percent,
if I if I, if I remember the math correctly,
I actually loved the fact that you know that Dawson
stepped up big time. I love the fact that the bench,
you know, if you include Dawson, uh, the bench had
you know, forty points, which is you know, just looking
at they had they had pretty much the rest of
the points and so you know, proud of the way
that proud of the way that the bench stepped up.
And you know, I think it was you know, aside
from AJ four files and aside from kevas uh, you know,
only playing fifteen minutes, fifteen minutes because these are.
Speaker 4: Covering, right.
Speaker 1: But I think that's as close to a perfect game
for this squad, for this roster as you can get.
And uh, you know, I I'm I'm, I'm very satisfied
with what I saw. And statistically, you know, again, when
you score, you know, when you outscore your opponents, you know,
by twelve and then by you know, almost you know,
for for for sixteen, it's difficult to find flaws.
Speaker 4: But again, I think if BI you can figure it out.
Speaker 1: The offensive rebound situation, they're gonna be set.
Speaker 3: Yeah, they're definitely gonna be set. Figuring out the offensive rebounds,
no doubt. I think that's the biggest thing. How do
you correct that, JT. I think it's easier said to zone, well,
just go box guys out, just be more physical. Look,
that's easier. It's not the symtom no. Right after the
last use one of the last u C l A Games.
The coach had a press conference. I said, you know,
I said, rebound is effort. It is you know, and
I forgot what he said.
Speaker 1: It was here.
Speaker 4: Let me let me make sure that I don't I
don't watch.
Speaker 1: This, but he said, you know, rebound is effort, rebound
is hard work. And uh, and then he goes and uh,
you know, and.
Speaker 4: And God help if you don't have any of them, right.
Speaker 1: I mean, at that point, you just braying for for
things to fall on your lap. But I thought, was,
you know, rebounding is one hundred percent effort. You're either
too cool or too salt or too lazy, you know,
God forbid, you're all you are all three at the
same time. And so you know, I I don't think
that it's a lack of effort. I just think it's
a lack of you know, being. I don't think, well,
let me take that back. I don't think that they're lazy,
and I don't think they're acting acting cool. I think
it's a matter of can they be locked in at
every single and that is difficult to do. I get it,
I totally get it. But man, if this b YU
figures out how to give up. You know, around six
of less than five offensive rebounds a game.
Speaker 4: Man, this comes to as close to.
Speaker 1: A perfect roster and execution and stats as you can get.
And so you know, to me is you know again,
it's a little bit of a detail, but it can
be a detail that hurts you, especially at a one
and done game, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3: Yeah, a one and done game definitely can know, definitely
hurts you.
Speaker 2: So you gotta be gotta be careful.
Speaker 3: Got to be on point here with Jonathan Tavinari, former
BAU basketball great our ESPN the Fan College of Basketball
analysts catching them every.
Speaker 2: Tuesday throughout the football season.
Speaker 3: And we'll move to Mondays want to basketball season starts
to ramp up a little bit more. Let's turn our
attention now JT to the Terries Chocolate Invitational BYU plays Miami.
I mean, depending how football goes, b A, you might
play Miami in basketball and football. I guess we'll just
have to wait and see on that. Football fans are
not liking that I'm saying that, but it doesn't matter.
What is your prediction of this game coming up on Thursday?
Give us a quick scot of report on Miami, Like
You've already mentioned an offensive rebounds regardless of who the
team is, But how do you see this one playing
out on Thanksgiving?
Speaker 1: Yeah, and so I will say this right, I mean,
you look at Miami, who they played.
Speaker 4: So far, hadn't really played anybody.
Speaker 1: You know, all of their games have been blowout So
this is their first real test, back to back games
against buy U and O Miss, and so you know
Miami is going to have a rude awakening, and so.
Speaker 4: It will be interesting to see how they step up.
Speaker 1: The only matchup that they've had that's been a real
matchup has been against number ten Florida, and so you
know it will be it will be to me looking
at the way the team is. You know, they have
a couple of forwards that are really really good guards
that are lightning quick and so, but you know they
also have a big three, almost a big four that
they have four guys on double figures, and so you
know that their team is spread out and they have
they have a solid player. I think it's uh uh yeah, Renaut,
like the car brand, and so I think you know
it's gonna be a fun game, a fun matchup.
Speaker 4: I think AJ is gonna have a really good.
Speaker 1: It will be good to see a j on the
defensive side of things, along with Richie, along with Dominique,
you know, having to step up and play some defense.
Speaker 4: You know. I think Dominique fits a little bit of that.
Speaker 1: Mag role that we're talking about, you know, And I
said it, you know, I think Canard is a great player.
Speaker 4: We all know the value. He was a starter, you know,
but if there ever was.
Speaker 1: Someone that you were like, oh geez, who could we
make it without?
Speaker 4: You know, again, take this as a grain of salt.
Speaker 1: I'm not I hope he doesn't come across his criticism wrong.
And again, you know, the kid is is dealing with
the things as he's dealing. But d y U has
all the pieces to replace canards impact in the game,
right with Dominique and with Dawson and that sort of thing,
you know.
Speaker 4: And so I I see a big game for Dominique
where he's.
Speaker 1: Gonna have to step up defensively and we'll see how
that's gonna pan out.
Speaker 3: Yeah, they're definitely gonna have to step up. Yeah, I mean,
if other pieces are able to step up and start performing,
that just is gonna prove the Kevin points point of
everybody we brought here for a reason. In the Wisconsin game,
right now, the Canard Davis junior piece, you know you
it's not showing that you miss him yet. I hate
to say that that sounds really rude. I hope people
don't fel like I awesome and harpin. But you've been
able to do it and it will showcase more this week.
But if you come out to and oh it's like okay,
well you might be able to play with them for
out a while, and obviously want you to get the
conmerce play, we'll see. But right now they're they're cooking,
cooking with you know, with gas. A lot of people like,
why did you say gas? It's oil peanut oil. Not
gonna get into that. That's a conversation for a different day.
But no, you mentioned it is Miami team formidable. Malik
Renot he averages twenty one and a half and then
Trey Donaldson's behind him with seventeen and like you mentioned
offensive rebounds, you better rebound this. This Miami team grabbing
forty one boards per game. But the guy you talked about, AJ,
let's get you out of here on this because we
do have to end turn it over to UVU basketball
and I'll get.
Speaker 2: Killed if I go for a time. What does that
say about?
Speaker 3: AJ was three of eight but finished with eighteen points,
eleven to twelve from the freakent line, drew eight fouls
JT in that.
Speaker 1: Game, Dad, he probably sleeps in the hyperbaric chamber because
if he is able to do Dad night in and
night out, his body's.
Speaker 4: Gonna take a toll. But you don't see it, you don't.
Speaker 1: Like you look at him and you're like, I'm good,
I'm ready to go what you need me to do.
Speaker 4: And so what a phenomenal young man. You know, great parents.
Speaker 1: You know, I haven't had a chance to meet eighties personally,
but I hear wonderful things about him. And you know
everything about AJ is doing the right thing.
Speaker 4: You know, knows how to move, and you know on
and off the court.
Speaker 1: You know, just again, you know, everything we see it
from AJ we've never seen before. With View all your hoops,
I don't care who you are, I don't care what
you did. And it's rarefied air, and you know every
day is a new piece of history that he's riding
for View all your basketball.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's definitely a new piece of history, no doubt.
Speaker 3: So look, if they're on their way slowly, but sure,
like you said, don't play your best basketball now, But
a couple of wins do matter if I was looking correctly,
over the next month until non conference is an opportunity
right now, currently about four or five Quad one wins
and about one or two Quad two wins. So you
take care of business even with that Yukon loss, and
depending where Yukon is and how Arizona's looked, you go
into conference play JT. I think they're setting themselves up
directly as we talked about, for a top four seed
come March, no doubt.
Speaker 4: Well at minimum, I will say that.
Speaker 1: You know, I think it will be difficult to see
by U as not one of the top sixteen teams
come March, and.
Speaker 4: So I think they're ceiling. I think their potential is
much higher than that.
Speaker 1: And so but again, you know, if you know, if
if if if some butts were candy and nuts, all,
what a Christmas we would have, right, And so it's true,
you know, potential has to be materialized, but I think
it's by your team has a chance to do it.
Speaker 3: Hey, like Andy Retail, Patrick Holmes said, when is grim
be the grim Reaper a j It's okay to be
on the buyu's nice list, but hey, if you got
to scout this Bou basketball team, Uh, they're naughty and
uh they're gonna be coming to steal your toys and
your presence. But anyway, that's Christmas. But it is holiday season.
Be thankful Thanksgiving, j T H. Thank you for joining
us today, bro, We always appreciate it. What's the best
way we can support you? What you do and how
you do it?
Speaker 1: Man, I just want to tell you guys, go ahead
and give me a follow on Twitter at at four
to three JT. And then if you also have a LinkedIn,
h you know, a more let's just say, you know,
work related network, you can find me there at j
T four five, LinkedIn dot com forward slash j T
four five. And love connecting with with fans, love connecting
with with fellow with fellow uh you know b YU
community members, and uh you know again, Happy Thanksgiving.
Speaker 4: I just a quick note round.
Speaker 1: I wrote a piece for the Salid Tribune a couple
of years ago after I became a naturalized and they
you know, I wrote something there that there really shows
my love for Utah, and I said, you know, Utah
is my Ellis Island and the Rocky Mountains. My lady
Liberty now tell me that that doesn't sound poetic.
Speaker 4: My brother, that.
Speaker 2: Does sound sound poetic, no doubt.
Speaker 4: And so it's and so I appreciate. I just want
to share it, my love for Utah, my love.
Speaker 1: For bu Yu, and I appreciate you guys supporting the show,
always tuning in to find the latest with Vieyu News
and always in forever Go Kobs.
Speaker 2: Appreciate you. JT. We'll catch it with the next week.
We'll let you go.
Speaker 3: I got the producers in my yar letting me know
we got to get the UVU basketball, so I'll let
you go. That was Jonathan Tavnari, guys in the college
basketball segment. If you're missing a download it on the podcast.
Catch the rest of our show.
Speaker 2: Guys.
Speaker 3: No, we're getting off the airways, but all of it
will still be uploaded on your podcast network. Get it
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