Speaker 1: With this so marches right around the corner and the
Cougars are in the middle level.
Speaker 2: It's time to talk some college basketball on Cougar Sports
with Ben Crittle.
Speaker 3: We welcome back to your sports one of three nine
ninety eight point three. If to the fan I've been
for the broadcasting frum our, Vanderwealth Studios, Vanderwealth dot Com.
Get on that pre q and a O obligation doing
vest QNA with our tax more wealth Advisors, certify financial planners.
Nobody does it better than Vanderwealth, Banterwealth dot Com. And
it's time for a little college basketball BAU Basketball segment.
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Speaker 5: Let's get out to the hotlight.
Speaker 4: Welcome in former BYU great the three point specialist for
three JT.
Speaker 5: Jonathan Tabinari, the Brazilian bomber. What's up? JT?
Speaker 6: Another Dame Paradise Man? How's it going going?
Speaker 5: Awesome?
Speaker 2: Man?
Speaker 4: All is well in Cougar Country. This is like last
year we talked about how football and basketball they did.
Two teams combined created one of the best athletic performances
in BYU athletics history.
Speaker 5: We're gonna top that this year.
Speaker 3: Man.
Speaker 4: If BYU wins in that Bowl game with the pop
Tarts ball and BYU basketball does what they're capable of doing,
this is gonna be an even better season.
Speaker 6: Yeah. I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2: You know, like to have you know, back to back
in market seasons for both football and basketball, you know,
and and what that's gonna do for football putting them
in the in the top ten coming into next year.
Hopefully that perception into the you know, into the committee
helps with the playoff seating right for the conversation next
year by are coming back and so on, and so
it's huge and you know, from a BUYU basketball perspective,
I think you're spot on, you know what I mean.
Speaker 6: And and based on where.
Speaker 2: You know that right now and with the games that
they have before conference, you know, it's not crazy to
say that they're going to be continued to be a
top a top ten team, you know as they start conference,
which again it is ludicrous and uh, you know, but
this is the reality that we're in. And you know,
God blessed the Kevin Young era.
Speaker 4: It's it's truly remarkable to watch great performance from a
J to bonds U last couple of games.
Speaker 5: Obviously MSG took over that second half.
Speaker 4: We're truly remarkable. We're watching something remarkable. It's tremendous. One
of the things that I really love about AJ is
his effort on defense though and his effort to get
his teammates involved. He's the backup point guard for that
second team, and we're still figuring out who's going to
be a part of that bench rotation right now. But
I think my favorite quality about Aj is just his
competitive nature.
Speaker 5: How he gives full flip fledged.
Speaker 4: Effort whatever it is that he's doing, whether it's defense
or distributing for his teammates.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and you know, I'll maintain this and I don't
know how many people would agree with me, but I
see Aj much more than a Tracy McGrady or Kevin Durant.
Definitely not a Kevin guard now. I see more as
a Penny Hardaway. I've always said that because of his
playmaking ability. I think if he tied his handles more,
meaning you know, he dribbles a little bit lower, he's
a little bit more given to the ball more, you know,
like the way that he created and he took over
the game at Medicine Spread Garden my first time in
the garden. You know, did an interview with you as
the game started. It was a crazy energy in a game,
but like that second half, it was masterfully right. I mean,
I'm I'm not going to put it up there with
magic in you know, in nineteen eighty you know, going
and playing center to win, you know, a Lakers side
over the Sixers. But like he orchestrated that comeback. And
I don't know how many people in basketball I'm not
talking about college basketball, ill talking about entirely. I don't
know how many people in the in the world, you know,
have the ability to do that. I can tell you
it was not many. And so, you know, for him
to deliver performance on top performance and also been starting
on the defensive end because he is the anchor of
that team and getting stopped and you know, obviously Richie
is incredibly talented and has incredible abilities, but you know,
AJ truly is one of one, and you know he's
one of ours, and it's it's an amazing experience. And well,
we're winning, you know here. I mean I think back
to our time here and this is crazy.
Speaker 6: To even think about.
Speaker 2: We're even in this realm of conversations that we're having
right now.
Speaker 4: Jonathan Tabinari talking some BYU Basketball here on esp and
the fan.
Speaker 5: Who do we trust right now? Coming off the bench, right.
Speaker 4: What do we we're getting into. We're about to get
into big twelve play. We're three games away from Big
twelve play. We're gonna find out a lot about our
bench over the next three games. That's something I'm looking
at intently tonight versus specific Who do you trust right
now coming off the bench in that rotation with Aj
maybe is the backup point guard leading the.
Speaker 2: Way Kadeem and Diamante And that's about it, you know,
Kadeem and Dominique urt the only ones to me right
now that have shown that they can hang. And aside
from that is just very much lacking.
Speaker 6: You know.
Speaker 2: Obviously we Dawson going down, that became an issue. You know,
it's it's uh uh, you know, a massive, massive loss.
But as I've shared before, you know, I expected much
more from Alexe.
Speaker 6: He played at a at a very high level in Europe.
You know, I.
Speaker 2: Expected much much more from him, and we're just not
seeing it. And Kevin, and it's clear that Kevin young is,
you know, is being forced not obviously, you know, it's
he's having to turn to Alexe to provide some some
some minutes, you know.
Speaker 6: And but even then a J is the backup point.
Speaker 2: Guard and Rob is then come back in, and I
expected more of Alexey, and I think that if he
can fix that situation, hopefully Mahailo and Tyler will start
knocking down some shots because that is also an area.
Speaker 6: That's lacking right now.
Speaker 2: I mean, the game of Medicine Square Garden had Uyu
made you know, not even half of its threes, but
if they had made a third of their threes in
the first half, that that doesn't happen, right And you know,
but you see the people that are stepping up, are
you know aj Or Rob you, Robert Wright and Richie
and Dominique and Canard and so are people that are
always doing what they're supposed to do, and so they
need a little bit of help, right I mean, John
Rothstein said, hey, bench play is going to be the
key here. I think Yu has a fine bench. They
need one more player to step up and you know,
hoping to be a point guard that is supposed, you know,
that was supposed brought here to help with international experience,
and you know, we're just not seeing right now.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I feel like, you know, I'll be honest, I'm
a little disappointed in Mahilo right now.
Speaker 5: I thought he would make he'd make bigger jumps.
Speaker 4: I thought that he was trending in the right direction
last year, and I felt like with an off season
that he was going to take a big lead forward.
It maybe like that stretch five four man, you know
what I mean, Like I felt like that, Like I mean,
I haven't given up hope on him.
Speaker 5: I mean, is still very early in the season.
Speaker 4: But what does Mohilo need to do better in order
to maybe get some more minutes? I mean, he's very
He's a seasoned overseas player. He comes here and now
he's in year two. I figure he's gonna make the jump.
Speaker 2: He needs to do everything better, I mean what I mean,
you know, and from that perspective, you know, he needs
to make shots. He's not making shots. He's even shooting
air balls, and so you know, like you saw the
way he played last year and he just hasn't played
that way this year at all. And so I would,
you know, hope that Mahilo can be in a situation
where he's making shots, he's knocking down shots, and uh,
you know the same thing for Tyler. Tyler had a
really good summer, but just has him delivered that, you
know on the way that's needed. Right You look at
Trevin now the way that he was a specialist and
a sniper. They accomplished that last year, right this year.
Speaker 6: They don't have anything.
Speaker 2: They're asking one of their big three players to be
a shooter, which is fine, right, you know, I was
a shooter with jim Or and Jackson and and and
Lee and Lee and Trent and you know and so on.
But you need someone else, right, You need that Micro's
that extra guy who's able to knock down shots, and
you're we're just not seeing that right now. So to me,
the most glaring things are too.
Speaker 6: One is you.
Speaker 2: Know, is Alexai going to step up and be able
to play more of a of a of a non
conservative but more of a assured back up point guard
that they can trust them with big minutes. And two,
who's going to be able to knock down some wide
open threes? Because they're there, but nobody can you know,
can can throw a rock in the ocean.
Speaker 4: Right now, Alexei looked pretty good. He's coming along. What
would you like to seep from election in these next
three games? What do we need from alex in these
next three games?
Speaker 2: K t well that he is able to you know,
come in play about ten minutes, you know, anywhere from
eight to twelve minutes. And then he is able to
not turn the ball over and be able to put
the ball in the hands of people that that need
to be doing that right And I think, I think
if he does that, and he can do that for
you know, around ten minutes a game on average at
the Big twelve level, and buy is going to be
a top four team even be able to fight for
a league championship, which again is crazy that we've been
thinking about these levels of success for BUYU.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I need more from a lot of these guys.
Dominique obviously has the clay. You look at Dominique running around,
you know, his athleticism is like he's he's there, right,
He's just he's still a little raw. And and so
I think down the stretch we're going to see some
some some great.
Speaker 5: Ball from him. He needs to be that guy.
Speaker 4: Are you You're sold on on booth though, right, You're
sold on a deam Right, He's he's he's that guy.
He's he's going to be tried and true right now.
Speaker 2: And Dominique as well, I'm sold on all all the yes.
So but that's okay. I've always been a little bit
more optimistic than you've been. So that's okay and so
but yeah, I Dominique is there and so is Kadeem.
Speaker 6: We just need Alexei.
Speaker 2: If Alexei, Mohilo and Tyler figure it out, this is
a absolutely lead eight final fourteen. But if they don't,
then you know, we need to say a prayer every
night for a brother the Bansa to stay healthy and
keep leveling up after every game. That's the only I mean,
those are the two paths of success that we have.
Speaker 4: So crazy man crazy Jonathan Debnar here on ESPN the
fan keys to the game tonight, What would you say?
What do you want to see from this squad tonight?
Speaker 2: I mean, honest, you know it's it's it's finals week.
Speaker 6: Then you remember this better than I did.
Speaker 2: You know, go to class, be healthy, don't get hurt,
put them away early. You know, like you know, I
was just talking to Shocking to a couple of people
here at Uyu TV. You know, as I do the
pre game tonight. You know, like just before the game Delaware,
you know, me and and Hima Hamiley Jr. We kept
looking at each other like, oh boy, it's ten zero,
Oh boy, it's thirteen zero. Oh boy, it's eighteen to one,
and you know, like we like when is this going
to change? And so you definitely don't want dad put
them away early, put them away. Let you know, these
guys get a lot of minutes, get them up and running,
and let Alexey play for ten to fifteen minutes and
make a lot of mistakes and hopefully that is going
to allow him to get the confidence, the confidence that
he needs. So to me, the key is, you know,
can we get Alexey, Mihailo and Tyler some meaningful minutes
in terms of being able to play longer periods of
time so they can get comfortable with the environment.
Speaker 6: JT.
Speaker 4: As we get closer to Big Twelve play, I don't
know if you've been monitoring the Big twelve and how
good it is right now, like you compare it to
you compare the Big twelve record to it's it's other
Power Conference foes, and they're dominant right now. You got
a lot of top twenty five teams coming out of
the Big Twelve this year, and it seems like the
seeding is going to be pretty gods stag impressive from
the Big Twelve this year.
Speaker 5: You may have.
Speaker 4: I think John Rosson said, like, you know, six of
the top sixteen seats could be Big twelve teams, which
is an insane number. This is the the the G
League with university logos right now, and b Yu's bringing
in a G League player, Abdullah Achmed. What type of
impact will you think Abdullah Achmed will have if he
plays this year?
Speaker 2: You know, word is right now to him and the
junior college transfer won't play right but again, right if
Alexei doesn't show up these next three games by January first,
that might change on a heartbeat. Reminds me a lot
of when Steve Cleveland was going to red shirt Jimmy
Balderson and then nobody was really doing anything and he
throwed Jimmy in and you know, and Jimmy Bodisen played
out of his mind and so you never know. But
if you know the whole plan like yegor going, you know,
going into draft after one year is for you know,
this guy to come in next year after Robert Wright
is drafted. You know, but if you know, if needs become,
you can also make an argument that he's coming in
right away because he plans to play, and so you know,
I think either way, the key becomes, you know, who
is able to offset Robert Wright's minutes, you know, for
about ten to fifteen minutes a game, so that maybe
they feel they.
Speaker 6: Can get him some rest.
Speaker 2: So this dude is not playing, you know, thirty plus
minutes a game in conference, and he is you know,
burned out by the time, you know, by the time
the tournament comes in March.
Speaker 6: And so that's what I would say. But I know,
for the for the big guy.
Speaker 2: From the from the G League, you know, Keba is
such a massive force, and so is and so is Cadem.
I think, you know, he I would definitely see the
plane guard getting playing time right away and even even
you know, burning in his red shirt year before the
big fellow does and so and by the way, then
the same way that every single one of us were
criticizing the committee and complaining about the SEC football and
so on, b YU, basketball in the Big twelve is
the SEC of basketball.
Speaker 6: So we got to you know, you know, you know,
not to quote brother uh you know Van Noi a
whole lot.
Speaker 2: You know, but we got to soak it up a
lot on the on the basketball court for the Big
twelve basketball.
Speaker 4: So Hey man, we'll take all six of those those
top seeds, no doubt about it. I think recently BYUS
predicted projected as a two seed. If they keep on
this trajectory they win the you know how they've been winning,
they could be as good as of a two seed,
or maybe even better. What do you think the floor
in the ceiling is for b Y as far as
seating is concerned in the NCAA tournament. We broached this
subject yesterday. I think the best seating bo He's ever
gotten was like a three seed, if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I mean, obviously, you know, the ceiling for
this team is like Michael Jordan said, you know the
roof of the ceiling because there was no roof, and
a lot of people didn't understand that his air and
as was that smart.
Speaker 6: But what I would.
Speaker 2: Probably say is, you know, obviously, you know the ceiling
is them being the number one seed. That's extremely difficult,
but possible. And you know, if this team doesn't make
it the sweet sixteen, it will be a disappointing year.
Right And based on the showing that they had against Yukon,
against Clemson, you know their matchups that they've had. You know,
if if they are not a Sweet sixteen team, then
then you know it's not a successful season. And so
that that's the way that I'm looking at this team
right now.
Speaker 4: Jonathan Tabinari did Brazilian Bomber talking BYU Basketball here on
your Utah ESPN Radio network.
Speaker 5: Have you been satisfied with? Look?
Speaker 4: Your three point guy is b Why you shooting the
three point shot as you would like you? Is there
meeting your standard? I guess is what I'm getting at.
Are they meaning the JT standard right now?
Speaker 2: Absolutely not, I mean not even close. You know, like
you have Ritchie and Robert Wright being one of their
best three point shooters right now, what are we talking about?
They're supposed to be the guys that are penetrating and
kicking it out. Which is why I'll humanly say, because
I play my role to perfection. You know, someone made
fun of me the other day and said, oh, you
were the Lewis litt of the Suits show. I said, absolutely,
but that man played his role to perfects. And when
when Jessica Piersonan and Harvey Spector were in trouble, who
took care of the farm?
Speaker 6: Lewis did.
Speaker 2: And so you know, like the role players needs to
step up.
Speaker 6: Bar none, right because.
Speaker 2: Right now you have Domique Diamonde, you know, and Canard
knocking down big three point shots. Mahilo needs to do that.
Mohalo knows better. He is the European guy, so is Alexe.
He needs to step up. Tyler was brought in here
definitely because he was a shooter and because.
Speaker 6: He shot the lights out against Buyu and we need that.
Speaker 2: They need to step up, they need to start doing it.
And so you know, my my b for right now
is these guys needs to start making wide open shots.
You're not asking them to make less second shots, you know,
with three people on top of them, you asking them
to have their feet set up and knocked down a three.
That's not asking much for this level, especially if an
I A involved.
Speaker 6: So no doubt about it.
Speaker 4: Jonathan Deavin AI Ladies and Gentlemen BYU Versus Pacific Tonight
will have a pregame show as well. Ronald the three
Man Weaver will take you all the way up to
tip six to seven pm right after Cougar Sports and
so we'll give you some content. The Pacific Tigers are
good though they're an eight and three team right now,
b y U absolutely nine and one BOI will be
favored in this game, and I think it's like, I mean,
it's a heavy favorite by like twenty three and a half.
But hopefully it's a nice you know, maybe hopefully it's
another fifty point win. Do you do you expect it
to be as dominant as the UC riverside win was
this this past week, I would hope.
Speaker 2: So, you know, especially because it's Pacific, and you know,
teams from a WCC for me are full and the
fact that we were in a conference with them and
we couldn't really dominate them is you know, it's it's
kind of it's kind of a sad story. And so
you know, we need to throttle these guys to make
sure that they understand that there is a mess difference
between BUYU and.
Speaker 6: Know and them.
Speaker 2: And so I take back to when I was playing,
we played Pacific a few times and we played Pepperdine
when I got my eyes poked. I mean, you need
to make sure that you understand that you need to
blow these guys out, and the fact that they were
actually beating us in conference play is not a very
good look. And and so but you know what I
could have should have been, but this is something that
they have to do it right now when it has
to be done, you know, it has to be done well.
Speaker 6: And I hope I hope he does and I hope
he happens.
Speaker 5: Let's go, j T.
Speaker 4: Any best way to support you what you do, how
you do it, JT, thanks for hopping on for another
college basketball bo basketball segment.
Speaker 6: Always I appreciate it. You know, the best way to.
Speaker 2: Help me is, you know, coming up for conference play,
I'm here on ESPN Defan We're going to be doing
post game shows for road games, and so stay tuned
to see you know, after the game on Twitter on
Band's account, the radio stations, my account, we're on the
three Men Weaver account, and so we're gonna get it
done hopefully. You know, brother brother Crittle makes time for
for a chat so we can align on.
Speaker 6: All of this.
Speaker 2: Yes, and and so I'm calling him out run. That's okay,
that's your balls team, I boss. I'll say whatever I
want to him, and so.
Speaker 5: Out man, you can call me out. I need to
be better getting the alignment done.
Speaker 6: No doubt we'll figure this out.
Speaker 2: And but always in forever been appreciate you and go Koog's.
Speaker 5: Love and appreciate you.
Speaker 4: Brazilian bomber Jonathan Tavan I always producing fantastic content and
opinions and insight that you can't get anywhere else. Shout
out to j T Ronald the three man weaver before
we go to break anything that stood out to you
from what JT state. I know you're going to be
taking us up to tip off six to seven pm,
so stay tuned for the Cougar Sports Basketball pregame show,
brought to you by all of our sponsors here at ESPN.
The fan appreciate all of our sponsor support. I guess
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Speaker 1: Roddy your thoughts, Yeah, I think the biggest thing that
JT has said as I was listening, you know, I
have my notes here. Look, I think the biggest is
disappointment is Mahilo, you know, and and JT's right. Mahilo
played at a high level European basketball and he has
a high kliquban. He came in the game to make
that pass to Rob Wright for him to hit the
buzzer beater. That was the third option, by the way,
and if you missed that catch the interview on the podcast,
Brendan Dunson said that was a third option, so that
wasn't the first. So Mahilo is a high level player,
just hasn't stepped up and played and it is disappointing
out of all the guys in the system. This is
the second year. Ben guys thrived normally in that second
year and he missing free throws, air ball and hasn't
played well this season. And he's not hurt been he's
out there, so just hasn't found the shot. Look, I
think that is the biggest disappointment. You can blame Tyler,
you can blame Alexi, but those guys it's their first
year playing this level of basketball. But Mihilo has been
on this team before. So that's probably the biggest disappointment
because that's the guy at the beginning of the season
that you thought would come in and he'll still play
because the matchups. But I'm with JT. If things start
to go south bend where things are going well with
Alexi and with Mahilo, and Kadem's always gonna be playing well,
but he's really a four, he's not a five. And
Dominique will get in the mix. They're gonna get stuff
worked out. Like I agree with j T. If if
all hell starts to break loose, excuse my language, you
might have kJ and Abdullah at worse both playing you
don't want to.
Speaker 5: I'm not trying.
Speaker 6: I'm serious.
Speaker 1: If it starts to go south, Kevin Young season opportunity
with a j De Bonser, Rob and Richie, and he
will not squander. He will do that if he has to.
If it goes south, I don't think it will. I
think he'll be able to get it done in that show.
That will show it to the level of coaching in
the STAB. But right now, I think that's the biggest
thing is you need Mahilo and Alexi to step up
big time so you don't have to go that out.
Speaker 4: Boom shaka Laca. That's our segment and it was brought
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Speaker 5: Let's go to Break, Don't go anywhere.
Speaker 4: Coming up next, former BYU wide receiver Jared Bledsoe joined
us to discuss who's the best offensive coordinator in BYU
football history. Also talking to BAU football as we get
prepped get ready for the pop Tarts ball biggest what
makes it most optimistic that Boa you get to win
over Georgia Tech And what's his biggest concern prepping for
this Georgia Tech team. You're listening to Cougar Sports on
one of three nine ninety eight point three esp