Bench growth is a focus for No. 10 BYU when it hosts Pacific on Tuesday in Provo, Utah.
The Cougars (9-1) cruised to a 100-53 home win over California-Riverside on Saturday. While freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa led BYU with 26 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals, the Cougars’ bench also racked up a season-high 36 points.
That’s an asset BYU coach Kevin Young wants to continue to develop and strengthen as the Cougars close in on the start of Big 12 play next month. Reserve Aleksej Kostic scored 15 points and connected on 5 of 8 3-point attempts. The freshman also chipped in four assists in 22 minutes of court time.
After Dawson Baker was sidelined for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, Young said Kostic’s development is even more important.
“He’s kind of a hybrid between Trevin Knell from last year and Dawson because he can play with the ball a little more off the dribble,” Young said. “If he can do that it’ll obviously be a huge weapon for us. Especially when we sub Robert (Wright III) out he can play next to A.J., and I like that pairing.”
Because of his shooting ability, Young said, “It was only a matter of time before (Aleksej) had that kind of game.”
“Basketball in the basket,” said Young about Kostic. “Shot-making is a beautiful thing and that’s why we brought him here.”
Another BYU reserve, red-shirt freshman Khadim Mboup, posted impressive stats with a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. Mboup shot 5 of 8 from the field and followed Young’s advice on how to affect the game.
“I tell the bench guys, whatever they are good at, go do that,” Young said. “Khadim is an energy guy, so come in and play with energy. Aleksej is a shooter so he’s got to come in and make shots. It’s just, do your job, ultimately. Look, sports is a brutal world because you’ve got to produce. The challenge for those guys is to do it on a consistent basis.”
As the Cougars look to get their entire lineup in sync, Pacific (8-3) enters on a high note, having won five of its last six games. The Tigers rolled to a 104-50 home win against Simpson University on Saturday.
TJ Wainwright scored a game-high 22 points, Isaac Jack tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds and Elias Ralph added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Tigers’ lone setback in the six-game stretch was a 67-61 loss at Cal on Dec. 6 where the team had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds. Ralph (16.8 points) leads Pacific in scoring and Wainwright (13.1) is right behind him also scoring in double figures.
Wainwright is a senior transfer from Long Beach State who has embraced the culture coach Dave Smart has established in his second season leading the Tigers.
“It’s all about how hard you work,” Wainwright said. “That’s what Coach Smart preaches, that’s what I’ve known all my life and that was a big reason why I wanted to come play at Pacific. It’s so refreshing being around this team because there are no egos, everyone is trying to get better each day and we know nothing is going to be handed to us this year.”
