BYU men's basketball: The talent is there for Cougs to succeed

PROVO — For a coach who lost most of his starting five from last season's conference championship team, one of whom was an NBA draft pick, and two of his main reserves, BYU men's basketball coach Dave Rose is still fairly optimistic about the upcoming season.

Rose has seen how the opportunity for others to step in and fill the holes has the new faces on the Cougars competing extra hard for playing time this season — which can't be a bad thing.

"I think we've got good talent," Rose said. "Our issues will be our chemistry and our leadership. Those are things we work on every day along with our execution. The chemistry of this team will be really key to our success, as it is with all teams."

With center Trent Plaisted leaving a year early for a professional career, guards Sam Burgess and Ben Murdock graduating, and reserves Chris Collinsworth and Nick Martineau leaving on LDS Church missions, Rose has three holes to fill in his starting five and will rely mostly on a whole new and young reserve crew.

However, the Cougars do have two potent scorers returning in Mountain West Conference co-player of the year Lee Cummard (15.8 ppg) and junior sharpshooter Jonathan Tavernari (13.1) but will need some new scoring from both guard spots and the center position.

"We've got the guys. We're deep in all positions, and we're talented enough and skilled enough to be successful," Cummard said.

Tavernari is hoping he can add the same kind of scoring and leadership consistency that Cummard gives the Cougars.

"Last year I was kind of a roller-coaster scorer," Tavernari said. "In one game I'd get 25 and then the next game get eight or 10. So I need to be a lot more consistent and I need to be more of a leader. Lee and I were part of it last year so we know what it takes to get it done, so we need to be there for the young guys to lean on."

Two returning reserves, junior center Chris Miles and sophomore guard Jimmer Fredette, should fill two of those holes and both will likely be starters this season. A few others might not have been in uniform last season but are not exactly fresh to the program. Junior point guard Lamont Morgan Jr. redshirted last year and could get the starting nod this season. Sophomore guard Jackson Emery, back from an LDS mission, saw plenty of time as a freshman and should see even more this season, either as a starter or the first man off the bench.

Senior center Gavin McGregor will see significant time in the post, and freshmen forwards Charles Abouo and Noah Hartsock will be the two providing relief to Cummard and Tavernari.