PROVO — BYU’s execution of an old and proven basketball play is stressing opposing defenses.
It’s not Stockton-to-Malone choreography, but the pick-and-roll play BYU coach Mark Pope is running helped the No. 15 Cougars go undefeated in February and earn a top-10 ranking in the NCAA’s NET matrix.
That’s some serious polish and execution heading into March.
On Saturday, TJ Haws ignited a second-half BYU explosion against Pepperdine with 13 assists that led to Yoeli Childs’ career-high 38 points and 14 rebounds. He was Houdini and has become an elite passer triggering BYU’s offense, knowing he can pass to the sliding post or pass to teammates who lead the nation in 3-point shooting.
Haws has deferred his game to his drives and passing, which has made him dangerous because of his ability to make reads, according to center Kolby Lee. “It’s a system of creating an advantage,” Lee said.
Former BYU star and NBA and Euroleague veteran Travis Hansen is impressed, and he’s played with the best across the globe.
“TJ Haws is the definition of swagger. Shooting, passing, competing, defense, will to win, he has it all,” said Hansen.
“I love watching TJ play the game the right way and with so much confidence. He and Yoeli are the most underrated one-two punch in the nation.”
Former BYU coach Steve Cleveland believes Haws has evolved this year since the presence of former WAC Player of the Year Jake Toolson has brought additional leadership and confidence, taking pressure off Haws to be an operator.
“He’s still a great leader, but he seems to play more of his game with Toolson on the floor to take some of that load off him,” Cleveland said Monday morning on 1280 The Zone sports radio.
Jackson Emery, Jimmer Fredette’s wingman in 2011 and an elite defender, said a major component of the pick and roll is making the defense respect your ability to score. “They cannot go under the screen and they are forced to stop the penetration so that you don’t turn the corner. TJ causes major anxiety for defenses trying to scheme who they are going to leave open for a split second,” said Emery.
“If I was an opposing coach, I’d hate to try and defend him because I don’t know how you’d do it,” added Lee.
Explaining BYU’s version of the pick and roll, Lee said the first thing is BYU’s bigs have to roll hard off screens and they need a good screen to set it up.
“We need to get out quick because if you’re slow then they can recover easily. And the guard’s gotta get a driving line,” Lee said. “Our guard has to keep their guard on their hip so it comes off stronger.
“What’s happened this year is TJ, for example, it seems like he shot a ton last year. This year, he’s driving. He’s shooting, and he has hit the open man. So it gives us more options in a sense.
“We have so many shooters on the team that even if they help a little bit on the pick and roll, it’s so hard to guard because we have so many shooters and we get a quick advantage.”
Lee said Haws is so fun to play with. In a practice last week, Haws hit Lee with four assists for buckets and Childs was laughing because it was coming so easy.
“He makes my life so much easier because he’ll always draw two defenders. So, if he doesn’t, everyone trusts him to make the play one-on-one because he’s going to finish it. If he gets a second defender, he’s always going to find you. So you always have to be ready.
“He has this fancy passing sometimes where he knows my guy doesn’t have to block him so you have to be ready. He’s a great passer, a great defender and has actually come on defensively for us and is locking up people.”
Lee said defenses are trying to take Jake, Yoeli and everyone out of their rhythm. “But we’re so used to it now that it doesn’t matter because I think we have so many scorers on the team.
“There are certain games where, you know, you’ll get double teams, but TJ is used to that,” he continued. “He always seems to make the right pass. And with Jake, it’s the same thing. Defenders try to hold ball screens a little longer and try and take him out of his comfort zone, but it hasn’t stopped the offense.”
Pepperdine tried to take out Toolson and gave up 38 to Childs.
“I think it’s really a nightmare for other teams,” said Lee.