So ends Chapter Two of the Book of Boylen

by JazzyUte on Mar 22, 2009 10:52 PM MDT in Basketball Comment 8 comments

When we first began this chapter, not much was expected from Jim Boylen's Utes. They had been picked to finish fourth in the conference and most felt an NIT berth was probable. After a season-opening loss to D-II Southwest Baptist State, even the prospects of making the CBI, let alone the NIT, looked grim.

But they progressed and grew as a team. After that difficult loss, Utah rebounded and won five straight, including the preseason Glenn Wilkes Classic. And though they struggled through a five-game stretch in December, the ship was righted and the Utes recorded an impressive win over Gonzaga. From that point on, Utah played pretty consistently, winning the games they should win and dropping the games most expected would prove tough.

The Utes would surge to the top of the Mountain West, build an eight-game winning streak and tumble with two extremely difficult games on the road against BYU and New Mexico. Though they lost their shot to win an outright title, Utah claimed at least a share of the conference crown for the first time in four years, an accomplishment that seemed unlikely when their journey began back in November.

That success continued into the conference tournament, where Utah came out on top. Coupled with that late run of three games and their solid RPI, Utah was rewarded with a five-seed in the NCAA Tournament. And though the Utes struggled in their first tournament appearance since 2005, it doesn't undo the success created throughout the entire 2009 season.

What Utah accomplished was a return to relevance again in basketball. Sure, when they got to the national stage, they wilted away, but it's laid the foundation -- we hope -- for future success. The fact no one could have expected this type of run should have every fan excited for what will be accomplished when more athletic and talented players are brought in by Boylen over the next few years.

The season might have ended on a downer, but I do believe it goes without question when I say Utah basketball is far healthier today than it was when the last chapter concluded. That's something we all wanted to see at the beginning of the season and it's what we got.

Now on to Chapter Three...

0 recs | Comment 8 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Chapter 3...

this is where it starts to get interesting for me. Now that Nevill, Green, Kepkay, and Bohra are gone we will start to see more of the guys that Boylen has recruited play. How well he does with someone else’s players is one thing. How well you coach and do with the players you recruited is another.

I want to see a lot of Tavita and Cyphers next year. Haven’t really looked at the incomming freshman, but hopefully we will see some of them get some playing time as well.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Mar 23, 2009 12:31 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Yup. After year two, it really becomes your own program.

Years three and four are some of the most important in a program’s history.

Here’s a comparison to past Utah coaches:

Jack Gardner, Year Three: 22-6, Elite Eight
Jack Gardner, Year Four: 19-8, NIT

Bill Foster, Year Three: 22-8, NIT Runner-up, he then left to become the head coach at Duke, no year four.

Jerry Pimm, Year Three: 22-7, Sweet Sixteen.
Jerry Pimm, Year Four: 23-6, Sweet Sixteen.

Lynn Archibald, Year Three: 20-10, NCAA First Round.
Lynn Archibald, Year Four: 17-13, NIT First Round (he lasted only two years).

Rick Majerus, Year Three: 24-11, NIT Final Four.
Rick Majerus, Year Four: 24-7, NCAA Second Round.

Ray Giacoletti, Year Three: 11-19, FIRED

Giacoletti is the only coach in modern Utah history who completely flopped in year three. The others had varying success, but all made postseason play.

Next year there will be excuses, but talent shouldn’t be one. If Utah struggles because of talent, then that does not bode well. I’m optimistic, however, and it will be exciting to see what he can do with his own guys.

by JazzyUte on Mar 23, 2009 1:41 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Youth will be the main issue next year.

I expect a difficult start. We only have 3 upperclassmen with time in the program next year (Drca, Tillie and Brown) and I don’t see Tillie or Drca as leaders. I think Brown will lead the team the next two years.

We also have two JUCOs coming in (Watkins at the 3 and Read at the 4). If Washburn is as good as advertised, and Foster doesn’t take too long to recover from his mission, we will have a solid set of 1s (Drca, Brown, Watkins, Tillie, Foster) and then a lot of very young but apparently very athletic depth. Keep in mind, two JUCO transfers starting or playing significant time in their first year does not bode well for big success. Look at Kepkay last year. It takes time to transition to IA ball.

I’ll take an NIT bid as an acceptable outcome next year, we will be at least 8 or 9 deep (the 5 starters above, plus Washburn, Read, Tavita and Cyphers). That said, 2010 should be a great year. Brown, Watkins and Read as Seniors; Foster, Cyphers, Tavita as Juniors; and some very talented Sophomores in Washburn, Hines and Glover. We’d finally have a team that goes 10 or 11 deep.

Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.

by displacedute on Mar 23, 2009 5:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Depth Chart

I basically agree with your starting five, except I would expect Jason Washburn to be the starter at center. He has been in Boylen’s system for a whole year now and was recruited by Jim. Foster was recruited by Giacoletti and he does know Boylen’s system. Jason Washburn is ahead of David Foster right now on the learning curve. I would expect this depth chart:
PG: Luka Drca, Jace Tavita, Chris Hines
SG: Carlon Brown, Jordan Cyphers, Marshall Henderson
SF: Jay Watkins, Shawn Glover
PF: Kim Tillie, Matt Read, Jeremy Olsen
C: Jason Washburn, David Foster, Jeremy Olsen

by pappyman on Mar 23, 2009 11:29 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs