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Plaisted improves game, makes friends at hoops summer camp |
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JaredCowley | Friday, October 27, 2006, 4:54 pm
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Jason Franchuk
DAILY HERALD
Trent Plaisted discovered himself last summer, and also made a new friend.
In Atlanta, as part of a high-school clinic, the BYU sophomore worked as a camp counselor. He helped kids get to their proper courts, and find the cafeteria.
And it was there that he became better acquainted with Colorado State's Jason Smith, a junior center who Plaisted will battle at least twice this year. They roomed together and learned about hoops.
"It was a lot of fun, a lot of very good players were there and I got to play against them," Plaisted said. "It was great to see what else was out there. Jason's a great guy, and it was interesting to get to know someone from (the Mountain West Conference)."
Smith called the days spent practicing against the likes of Florida's Joakim Noah and Kansas' Brandon Rush an "eye opener."
Plaisted and Smith agreed that they saw a lot of talent out there, but nothing that was beyond what MWC players were capable of competing against.
Smith was an obvious choice to represent the Rams at media day. He is already getting mentioned as a potential lottery pick in next summer's NBA draft. He admits he thinks a little about the next level, "if only because a lot of people bring it up to me."
Plaisted was selected by head coach Dave Rose because it was obvious a lot of players would want to speak to him.
Plaisted was named by a panel of 21 media members as one of the league's five best returning players. He was joined by Smith and three others: Air Force senior forward Jacob Burtschi; SDSU senior forward Mohamed Abukar; SDSU senior guard Brandon Heath.
Heath was tabbed the top returning player, no surprise since he ended last year's league championship season as the top vote-getter. Stephen Weigh of Utah was predicted to be the top freshman.
The Cougars were picked to finish second, garnering one first-place vote and a total of 156 points. SDSU had 192 and 17 top votes. Air Force was third (147) and had three voters who pegged the Falcons best.
Their wild card is Nick Welch, a senior center who missed last year because of injuries. He has been a key in the dramatic rise of the program the last few years.
Rose shrugged off the media's praise, which came one year after the Cougars were picked to finish last. BYU, coming off a 9-21 season, finished 20-9.
He said the program is still vulnerable.
"We're a possession or two from winning or losing seven or eight games in conference," Rose said of a squad that finished tied for second with Air Force (12-4). "We had a group last year that got along and had a very strong work ethic. Hopefully we can repeat that this year."
Jason Franchuk can be reached at
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