Shane Knight was a solid contributor to the BYU basketball team last year, starting all 32 games and averaging 7.8 points. But if Tuesday night's Cougar Varsity Preview at the Marriott Center is a valid indication, the 6-9 senior forward may be in for a huge season.
Knight has long been considered one of BYU's top players in practice, but has been invisible at times during games. However, in front of 10,116 fans at the public's first chance to see the 1994-95 Cougars, Knight did a bit of everything. He was effective from the outside, nailing five 3-pointers, and the inside en route to a scrimmage high 31 points to lead the Blue Cougars to a 92-59 victory over the White Cougars."Tonight was a big step for Shane," BYU coach Roger Reid said. "Shane's a senior and he understands that we expect the same effort in games as we have in practice. He shot the ball extremely well. He's playing with confidence."
The Blue team's starting lineup Tuesday was the likely starting lineup the Cougars will go with throughout the season - Kenneth Roberts at center, Russell Larson and Knight as the forwards and Randy and Robbie Reid on the guardline.
Randy Reid had the hot hand early, scoring 14 of his team's first 23 points. He finished with 24 points. Larson, BYU's leading scorer from a year ago and an All-WAC selection, had 16 points.
The white team was paced by sophomore forward Justin Weidauer's 13 points.
Cory Reader, the 7-0, 285-pound Australian center, scored 10 points while splitting time between the two teams. Reader also showed a nice outside touch, finishing second in the halftime 3-point shooting contest to Weidauer.
"Don't get used to him shooting threes," said Roger Reid, who is expecting Reader to use his size to be an inside rebounding and scoring force.
Senior swingman Craig Wilcox sat out the scrimmage after having arthroscopic knee surgery last week.
He has been practicing on a limited basis, however, and is expected to be ready to go when the regular season begins Nov. 23 when BYU faces Oklahoma State in the Great Alaska Shootout.
In other BYU basketball news, the NCAA early signing period begins today and runs through next Wednesday.
Reid says he expects to ink at least three and possibly four players. Two top Utah high school guards - Highland's Todd Christensen and Timpview's Nathan Cooper - have already verbally committed to BYU.