Shyatt's First Team and his Best Team

[Coeur d' Alene]

I loved watching Shyatt's first season. The team was lacking depth and height and was pretty short on talent. But they had a heck of a coach.

For that 97-98 team it all started and finished w 2 guys. Jeron Roberts and Greg Sawyer. 6-2 and 6-3 on the wing with really not much behind them. Then up front you you have Justin French as your best big? 6-6 pf? He was never supposed to be a starter- he wasn't even "supposed" to be a d1 player. And he balled. ugo as a freshmen and Jeff Allen as a senior. Andy young played pg and Bret McFall and blakes were freshman guards. Bradley Mann was the best- 38 for 86 from 3. 2 for 7 on 2 pt shots.


They were undersized and not really talented but they played hard and smart and team basketball. Imo it showed great coaching and character of the players. Jeff Allen and Derek Washington made it all the way through 4 years. Jeron was a great cowboy and scorer. Always outsized as a 3 but did what he had to. Greg sawyer from burns? One of the best players ever from Wyoming and a great story. I saw him as a high school legend and you'd never guess he was such a great character guy when you are getting a legend of the likes nobody had ever seen in small town high school basketball. You want to think the state of Wyoming should be able to produce 1 sawyer type player a year? No it can't.


I'm not trying to overblow it but I think Larry shyatt is a great coach. He coached that group of talent that way, and now he has this group of talent. Watch. Shyatt's best team after he coaches them up is this one. Yeah I know how talented Larry nance and dc were- but this years team is even more talented top to bottom. And maybe they can't put it together but I'm glad they're about to try and I'm glad shyatt is coaching them.

 

[Coeur d' Alene]

Every team shyatt has coached has lacked depth and has a pretty much set in stone group of starters and key rotation pieces. There haven really been many choices.


Until now. Depth is great but also makes it harder to develop roles. This team could be so many things. A little fast team. A big and physical team. A running team, or a grind it out defense team.


I just hope they play big and put the ball in josh Adams hand as opposed to using him as a 2 or God forbid a 3. How they use Adams will determine this teams ceiling. If they play him at pg it's an ncaa ceiling.


Adams/Lieberman
Marshall/gorski
James/Mcmanama
Herndon/moumeka
Barnes/naughton

Tourney


Washington/conway
Adams/Lieberman
Marshall/mcmanaman
You get the rest

5th in MW team

 

[Cowboy Junky]

I loved watching Shyatt's first season. The team was lacking depth and height and was pretty short on talent. But they had a heck of a coach.

For that 97-98 team it all started and finished w 2 guys. Jeron Roberts and Greg Sawyer. 6-2 and 6-3 on the wing with really not much behind them. Then up front you you have Justin French as your best big? 6-6 pf? He was never supposed to be a starter- he wasn't even "supposed" to be a d1 player. And he balled. ugo as a freshmen and Jeff Allen as a senior. Andy young played pg and Bret McFall and blakes were freshman guards. Bradley Mann was the best- 38 for 86 from 3. 2 for 7 on 2 pt shots.


They were undersized and not really talented but they played hard and smart and team basketball. Imo it showed great coaching and character of the players. Jeff Allen and Derek Washington made it all the way through 4 years. Jeron was a great cowboy and scorer. Always outsized as a 3 but did what he had to. Greg sawyer from burns? One of the best players ever from Wyoming and a great story. I saw him as a high school legend and you'd never guess he was such a great character guy when you are getting a legend of the likes nobody had ever seen in small town high school basketball. You want to think the state of Wyoming should be able to produce 1 sawyer type player a year? No it can't.


I'm not trying to overblow it but I think Larry shyatt is a great coach. He coached that group of talent that way, and now he has this group of talent. Watch. Shyatt's best team after he coaches them up is this one. Yeah I know how talented Larry nance and dc were- but this years team is even more talented top to bottom. And maybe they can't put it together but I'm glad they're about to try and I'm glad shyatt is coaching them.

Good post. That 1997 team proved what a great coach Shy is. They really over achieved and did it with a trash heap left by Joby Wright. Then he came back and cleaned up a bigger trash heap with Heath's lack of discipline.

I agree with your post. It's exciting to think that this IS Shy's best team. It's the deepest and most athletic squad he's had. They have big bodies(key to Wyoming NCAA tournament victories), athleticism, length, and very good guards. The only thing they don't have is a lot of experience. We've got a lot talent and depth in spades. They just need experience.

The really exciting thing is that I don't think Shy and staff are any where near their ceiling at Laramie. We're going to get a lot of years before he retires and recruiting is at an all time high. The facilities are the best we've ever had. The fan base, although moving with the speed of a glacier, is starting to fall in love again.

I smell a MWC dynasty coming for Wyoming, and I wouldn't be surprised if we turn into a basketball program that's a regular participant in the NCAA tournaments sweet 16.

 

[WyoBrandX]

All I can say is if we win the conference and/or end up in the NCAA tourney this year, the administration better wake up and say, "We got something good here - we need to do whatever we possibly can to keep the momentum going and to keep this staff happy."

Winning isn't something we have been used to lately. And it sure as hell has messed up our fan base and support.