As the embers still smolder from BYU’s flameout in Portland at the NCAA West Regional, there are plenty of debate points on what, why and who.
And none of those questions are going away any time soon.
I think head coach Kevin Young has a good grasp on it and is already working on rebuilding his roster for next season amid the crazy NIL and transfer portal era.
His needs are obvious: more shooters and a dire need for defenders. Lastly, he needs a husky, physical scoring threat who can be a rim protector under the basket.
In the wake of those hot-button agenda items, two main items should be addressed after the end of this season.
AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders deserve to be singled out for their outstanding contributions to BYU basketball.
One, a member of the school’s sponsoring faith; the other not.
One, a Utah transplant from Massachusetts; the other a native son.
One, a Black athlete whose beautiful mother came from now storm-torn Jamaica; the other, a white kid from the land of minivans, white shirts, ties and missionary work.
Together, they represent the very best of what BYU athletes bring to the table.
Both finish their BYU careers as givers, top-notch entertainers and performers.
They put out an indefatigable effort on the court in practices and games. Their work ethic is laced with all-out effort, commitment, dedication, loyalty and focus.
Their mantra was to give their all to their coaches and teammates faithfully. They were coachable, their fealty true, and their attention to the demands of a private university with all its quirks and asks were on target.
Their work off the court in the community was constructive, honest and beneficial. They didn’t hide their candles under a basket, but let their light shine.
Dybantsa became a Madison Avenue advertising and marketing dream. He was a perfect BYU spokesman and face of the season for Young. His final game was a master class in effort.
Young told reporters after Thursday’s loss to Texas that Dybantsa’s 40-minute, 35-point game was a stone-cold NBA All-Star performance.
Dybantsa is the first freshman ever with 35-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game. He is the first freshman with 30 points in his NCAA Tournament debut since Steph Curry in 2007 against Maryland (30 points).
When Saunders went down to an ACL injury with one-third of the season remaining to be played, Young was unabashedly affected. BYU immediately lost two games without him on the bench or court.
“I think it sucked the life out of the gym, if I’m being honest. You never want to see an injury to any player, but definitely not to someone who’s the heart and soul of your team and bleeds BYU blue. Just didn’t like seeing it.”
Young said Saunders woke up to “just get after it every day in life.” He said his other players didn’t naturally have what Saunders did, to be “hair-on-fire guys.”
After covering BYU basketball for almost half a century, I’ve witnessed plenty of characters, tremendous athletes, All-Americans and superior human beings. Jimmer Fredette, Danny Ainge and Kresimir Cosic types have been one-of-a-kind players. Two were named national player of the year and Cosic is in the Naismith Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Dybantsa may have played his last game for BYU, but his single season, his performances and plays, done through double- and triple-team defenses, finishing as the nation’s leading scorer, was as marquee a performance as fans will ever see.
Saunders’ unfortunate injury ended a BYU career that will be filed in a folder labeled: Hustle.
His tireless action, always plugged in, always in motion, will be known and remembered. His name will become a reference point for what is possible for a BYU basketball player to accomplish if his energy level buries the needle every day.
In weeks to come, there will be plenty of time to dissect this BYU season, what it was, what it wasn’t, what it needed and didn’t have.
There will be second-guessing, couch experts, mockery from rivals.
But what this season that just ended definitely had, what it brought to Provo, was two remarkable basketball players who had their own cheat code for entertaining the masses.
And they succeeded.
Hats off to Dybantsa and Saunders.
They were a joy to watch while it lasted.
