No Fouss, no problem for Cougars with Khalifa

Friday marked BYU’s first game without starting forward Fousseyni Traore, and the Cougars did not skip a beat.

Most people would have assumed BYU would have struggled without Traore, but that was not the case at the Delta Center as BYU took an early 10-point lead and never looked back to defeated Fresno State 85-56. 

Over half of BYU’s total scoring came from Spencer Johnson and sixth man Jaxson Robinson. However, the man filling in for Fouss proved to be a difference maker, and Cougar fans noticed.

Nikola Jokic?? Nope, that’s Aly Khalifa!

The Egyptian Magician (we’ll work on the nickname) was spraying dimes all night long and tied for a team-high five assists against the Bulldogs. Khalifa’s ability to pass gives the Cougars a new look they have never seen before.

When you think of BYU bigs of the past, vision and passing is most likely not the first thing you think of. You probably imagine scoring bigs such as Erik Mika, Brandon Davies or Yoeli Childs. You may even think of revered figures like Kolby Lee or Corbin Kaufusi.

However, Khalifa’s emergence introduces a new dimension to the team.

“Aly’s just a magician. I’m really confident he’s the best passing seven-footer in the country,” head coach Mark Pope said.

Watching the game, you can see players’ eyes light up when Khalifa has the ball in his hands.

“It’s so fun to play with him because you know he’s going to get you the ball,” Johnson said.

Despite the challenge of missing the talented Traore, BYU fans have reason to anticipate the team’s continued cohesion and development with Khalifa at the forefront.