Haws going out on top for BYU
BYU guard Tyler Haws (3) shoots over Pepperdine guard Amadi Udenyi (0) during the NCAA men's basketball game between Brigham Young University and Pepperdine University at the Marriott Center in Provo on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015. Ian Maule/ DAILY HERALD
BYU guard Kyle Collinsworth (5) helps teammate Tyler Haws (3) up after a fall during the NCAA men's basketball game between Brigham Young University and University of the Pacific at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015. SAMMY JO HESTER, Daily Herald
Brigham Young Cougars guard Tyler Haws (3) takes the ball down the court during the NCAA men's basketball game between Brigham Young University and the University of Portland at the Marriott Center in Provo on Monday, Dec. 29, 2014. BYU defeated Portland 97-88. SAMMY JO HESTER, Daily Herald
Quincy Lewis needed cheering up.
The Lone Peak boys basketball coach was talking to his staff in the hallway on Tuesday night after a rare loss when a reporter approached to ask the requisite post-game questions.
Then Lewis was asked about one of his former players, BYU senior Tyler Haws, who will play his final regular-season home game at the Marriott Center on Thursday.
Lewis’ face lit up.
“I’m so proud of him because I know how hard he’s worked,” Lewis said. “And I know what kind of a guy he is. He’s top notch. I’m so excited for him to have that opportunity and to be a part of a good program at BYU.”
Lewis has known Haws since grade school and has coached some of the state’s top players. Former Knight Justin Hamilton played in the NBA. Lone Peak has sent a steady stream of players to BYU, including Sam Burgess, Jackson Emery, Josh Sharp and Nate Austin. After LDS missions, former Knights T.J. Haws, Nick Emery and Eric Mika are expected to lead the Cougars to new heights.
So Lewis knows basketball, and he knows good players.
“What I remember about Tyler is this kid being the first one in the gym and the last one to leave,” Lewis said. “It’s no accident he’s where he’s at.”
Haws was a four-year starter at Lone Peak, scoring 1,778 career points and leading the Knights to two state championships. He was a starter at BYU as a freshman in 2009-10, served an LDS mission to the Philippines and stepped right back into a leading role when he returned to Provo. On Thursday against San Diego, Haws needs just 35 points to become BYU’s all-time leading scorer. He’s already passed Cougar greats such as Devin Durrant, Michael Smith and Danny Ainge. Only the legendary Jimmer Fredette remains to be caught.
“To say he was going to break the scoring record at BYU, I don’t think I can say I envisioned that,” Lewis said. “To say he could be an all-conference level player and an All-American level player, I thought he could get there because of what I’d seen him do against out-of-state competition and big-time competition. So I knew he could raise his level of play.”
Haws’ work ethic is legendary, and Lewis said that allows his former player to bring a high level of play every time he steps onto the court.
“That’s the biggest thing about Tyler … he is the most consistent player I ever coached,” Lewis said. “He gets the boring 25 or 30 points. It’s amazing that it’s every game, game in and game out. He’s one of those guys where you put him on the floor for 30 minutes he’s going to put 20 points in the book. And some nights he might get 30 or 35.”
Inevitable comparisons to Fredette are made. Fredette was a phenomenon, an electric scorer who sold out arenas wherever he played. As the point guard, Fredette had the ball in his hand 90 percent of the time, dropping 3-pointers from ridiculous distances or spinning into the lane to score or draw a foul.
How has Haws done it? By being one of the best mid-range jump shooters to ever play the game and by getting to the foul line more than anyone in BYU history.
Haws is as steady as a metronome. This season he has scored in double figures in 27 of 28 games. He has broken the 20-point barrier 20 times. Haws has played 132 game in his career. He has scored in double figures in 115 of those games, and 20 or more points 70 times.
Fredette and Haws have notched remarkably similar numbers in their careers when it comes to points, field goals attempted and made and free throws attempted and made. The one major difference is in 3-pointers. Of Fredette’s 1,843 field goals attempted, 752 were 3-pointers, or 40 percent. Of his 838 field goals made, 296 were 3-pointers, or 35 percent.
Haws’ breakdown is only 22 percent of his attempts were 3-pointers and 18 percent of his makes were triples.
One could argue that Haws got to the record in a much more difficult fashion than Fredette: nearer to the basket, therefore nearer to more defenders. Plus, he works so hard without the ball, coming off screens and running baseline to baseline. He has to rely on teammates finding him, whereas Fredette handled the ball the majority of the time.
Fredette won just about every national player of the year award his senior year. Haws did win the WCC Player of the Year as a junior. This season, with Gonzaga running away with the league, it’s likely the player of the year will come from the Bulldogs.
Haws is up for the Senior CLASS award, given annually to the top senior student-athletes in the country. It’s an award that Fredette won his senior season.
But sometime in the next two games, Haws will have something Fredette doesn’t: the crown of all-time scorer at BYU.
Haws sprained his ankle against Weber State earlier this season, and BYU coach Dave Rose was worried his star player wouldn’t be able to go in a critical game against Stanford the following Saturday.
Haws played 33 minutes and scored 24 points in a 79-77 victory. He hasn’t missed any time due to the injury.
“When I think of him, I think of consistency and toughness,” Rose said. “This year he’s shown as much grit and toughness and any player I’ve ever had. Ty is really good at just taking today and working on today, seeing how it will affect you being better the next day. We’re all going to miss him. We’ll really miss his approach to the game. He’s a special guy, how he prepares every day.”
Haws will play his final regular-season game in the Marriott Center Thursday night. BYU fans hope it’s his last game here, because that would mean the bubble-watch Cougars (20-8) made the NCAA tournament. BYU’s post-season hopes are still very much up in the air.
“To be honest, it [the last game] hasn’t really hit me yet,” Haws said. “It’ll probably hit me when that final buzzer sounds that it’s the last time I’ll play here. I have so many fun memories playing in the Marriott Center. I’m sure it’ll be an emotional game.
“Every time I walk on this floor, I know the fans are going to be there and have your back. It’s a fun environment to play in. There are lots of things I’ll never forget.”
As for approaching and passing Fredette, well, that was never even a dream when Haws put on the blue and white uniform, the same colors his father, Marty, wore when he played for BYU.
“I never thought I could be up near the scoring record,” Haws said. “I just wanted to play as hard as I could for Coach Rose and be able to help the team any way I could. I do that by shooting. I’m a shooter.”
Haws is not just a shooter. He’s a maker, soon to be the best maker of baskets in the history of BYU basketball.
Men’s Basketball
San Diego (14-13, 7-8) at BYU (20-8, 10-5)
Thursday, 8 p.m. MT
Marriott Center (20,800)
Media: KSL Radio, ESPNU
Projected Starters
San Diego Toreros
15 Thomas Jacobs 6-6 Sr. F (6.9)
25 Simi Fajemisin 6-10 Sr. C (1.9)
00 Chris Anderson 5-7 Sr. G (8.2)
1 Johnny Dee 6-0 Sr. G (18.0)
10 Duda Sanadze 6-5 Jr. G (6.4)
Coach: Bill Grier (8th season)
BYU Cougars
3 Tyler Haws 6-5 Sr. G (22.2)
1 Chase Fischer 6-3 Jr. G (13.6)
5 Kyle Collinsworth 6-6 Jr. G (13.1)
12 Josh Sharp 6-7 Sr. F (1.9)
41 Corbin Kaufusi 6-10 Fr. F (2.9)
Coach: Dave Rose (10th season)
The Word: San Diego defeated BYU 77-74 at Jenny Craig Pavilion last month. … BYU has won three in a row and five of its past six games. … The Toreros lost to St. Mary’s 69-62 in overtime last Saturday. … Tyler Haws (2,565 points) is 35 points from passing Jimmer Fredette as BYU’s all-time leading scorer.
Women’s Basketball
BYU (19-7, 11-4) at San Diego (20-5, 11-4)
Saturday, 3 p.m. MT
Jenny Craig Pavilion, San Diego
Media: BYU Radio, TheW.tv
Projected Starters
BYU Cougars
21 Lexi Eaton 5-10 Jr. G (21.1)
15 Kylie Maeda 5-5 Jr. G (6.3)
23 Makenzi Morrison 5-8 So.G (9.0)
11 Xojian Harry 5-11 Sr. F (5.4)
41 Morgan Bailey 6-2 Sr. F (18.5)
Coach: Jeff Judkins (14th season)
San Diego Toreros
2 Malina Hood 5-10 So. F (15.5)
11 Katelyn McDaniel 6-1 Sr. F (6.1)
12 Sophia Ederaine 6-3 Sr. F (11.9)
22 Maya Hood 5-10 So. F (11.0)
32 Cori Woodward 5-6 So. G (5.6)
Coach: Cindy Fisher (10th season)
The Word: BYU defeated San Diego in Provo 54-50 last month. … BYU’s six-game winning streak was snapped last weekend with losses at St. Mary’s (76-71 in OT) and Pacific (86-82). … San Diego had a four-game winning streak end in 68-66 loss at St. Mary’s last week. … BYU’s Lexi Eaton leads the WCC in scoring at 21.1 points per game.