The return of Cummard, the departure of Plaisted and the future of BYU hoops

BYU’s basketball program received great news Sunday when Lee Cummard announced he’ll be returning for his senior season. The Mountain West Conference co-player of the year has been an integral key to the Cougars’ back-to-back league championships. Not only has Cummard led BYU in several statistical categories, but also his ubiquitous defense and uncanny instincts have allowed him to impact games in ways that don’t show up in the box scores.
Despite Trent Plaisted’s decision to forgo his final season of eligibility, coach Dave Rose has a formidable nucleus returning. Along with Cummard, Jonathan Tavernari, Jimmer Fredette, Michael Loyd, Jr., and Chris Miles are all back. And redshirt point guard Lamont Morgan will put on a Cougar uniform for the first time this season.
One of the biggest question marks, naturally, will be in the middle. Plaisted’s presence the last couple of years opened up the game for Cummard, former Cougar Keena Young and others. Can the 6-foot-11 Miles become a force in the paint? No doubt the Cougars will need strong play inside.
Joining the roster this fall are a pair of returned missionaries, forward Noah Hartsock and guard Jackson Emery, as well as swingman Charles Abouo.
Here’s a rundown on Hartsock, Emery and Abouo, as provided by BYU’s media relations staff…
HARTSOCK: A native of Bartlesville, Okla., Hartsock had the third-best scoring average in the state with 27.6 points per game as a senior at Bartlesville High School in 2005-06 while earning 6A Coaches Player of the Year and Tulsa World Player of the Year honors. Oklahoma’s Jim Thorpe Award winner and a McDonald’s High School All-America nominee, Hartsock added 8.0 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per contest as a senior. A highly skilled offensive player with strong post moves, the 6-foot-8 Hartsock has a soft touch from midrange and a solid stroke behind the three-point arc. He has excellent quickness and strength to complement his size. An Oklahoma Tipoff magazine Fab 5 pick, he earned first-team all-state honors as a junior and senior.
ABOUO: An extremely athletic wing from Logan, Utah, Abouo is averaging double figures, including a team-high 17 points in his last outing, for Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) this year after helping Logan High School win Region 11 titles in each of his three varsity seasons. The 6-foot-4 swingman was named the 3A MVP by the Deseret News last spring after averaging 21.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game as a senior at Logan High School. Described as explosive and athletic, Abouo was a two-time first-team all-state selection at LHS who also earned All-Valley Player of the Year honors as a junior in 2005-06 when he averaged 15.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 1.1 bpg.
EMERY: Known for his competitiveness and clutch play, Emery is a quick player and solid defender with outstanding leaping ability. The Alpine, Utah, native provided a consistent spark for BYU and was a top perimeter defender as a true freshman in 2005-06, playing in 28 of 29 games with six starts. He averaged 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds while scoring in double figures twice and leading BYU in rebounds and assists once each. A good shooter from long range, Emery also has the athleticism and creativity to convert inside when going to the basket. The 6-foot-3 guard out of Lone Peak High School was named the top player in Class 4A in 2005 and received the 2005 Mr. Basketball Award (Deseret News), given to the athlete considered to be the top high school player in Utah.