BYU basketball: Cougars look balanced in scrimmage

PROVO — If Wednesday's Cougar Tipoff is any indication of things to come, the BYU Cougars are going to have a lot of different guys sharing in the scoring this season.

In the blue/white scrimmage at the Marriott Center, won 66-64 by the blue squad on Jimmer Fredette's 10-foot jumper at the buzzer, the Cougars lived up to all of their early billing. They displayed plenty of depth, had young players who showed flashes of brilliance, and the experienced players showed fans that they have expanded their games just as promised.

"It actually turned into a pretty exciting game. We split them up pretty even and the guys competed really well," BYU coach Dave Rose said.

Seven players scored in double figures, led by Fredette's 22 points. Fredette also had five assists, three steals and two rebounds.

"I got open about the free-throw line, just pulled up and took the shot and fortunately I made it," Fredette said of his buzzer-beater that kept the scrimmage from ending in a tie.

Sophomore Charles Abouo, also on the blue squad, added 16 and Noah Hartsock scored 13. For the white team, Jackson Emery and Jonathan Tavernari popped in 14 points each, with Chris Miles adding 13. Emery had a game-high five steals, and Tavernari and Hartsock each had a scrimmage-high six rebounds.

"It's a difficult game to try to evaluate because every time something happens you're happy and you're sad. Defensively you're giving things up, but then you've got players who are making plays on the other end, so those are good things," Rose said.

Fredette was in mid-season form, hitting two 3-pointers, scoring in the paint and getting to the free-throw line six times. During one stretch he scored eight straight points. Emery, who opened the second half scoring the white team's first seven points, was his normal Mr. Hustle with a gear a little faster than anyone else.

Abouo displayed a new ability to post up and drive to the hole, indicative of his eight free-throw attempts. Tavernari also showed a lot of variety to his game and did not attempt a 3-point shot in the first half, and hit 2-of-4 from behind the arc in the second half.

Miles, Hartsock, James Anderson and Brandon Davies showed the Cougars should have plenty of firepower in the post positions. Hartsock hit 5-of-7 shots, Miles had a nice turnaround jumper going and made 3-of-4 free throws, Anderson hit 5-of-6 shots, and Davies had the highlight of the game when he dribbled across the lane and hammer dunked over Miles.

"For what this was supposed to be, I thought it was a good night," Rose said.

NOTES: Freshman swingman Tyler Haws, the two-time Utah Mr. Basketball from Lone Peak High, dressed but did not play in Wednesday's scrimmage. Haws is suffering still from IT band tendonitis in his left knee.

"Structurally there's nothing wrong, but there's pain so we're trying to get that out," Rose said.

e-mail: jimr@desnews.com