Branches of Jeff Judkins’ coaching tree collide as assistants-turned-head coaches meet in BYU’s 70-51 win

Jeff Judkins hasn’t paced the sidelines in nearly three years at BYU, but his influence was impossible to miss in BYU’s 70-51 win over San José State Saturday afternoon at the Marriott Center.

Both head coaches trace their roots back to Judkins’ bench, a testament to the deep coaching tree he built in Provo — one that continues to shape the landscape of women’s basketball in the West.

BYU coach Lee Cummard served under Judkins at the end of his tenure in Provo, while San José State coach Jonas Chatterton was an assistant from 2001 to 2009 before working his way up to lead the Spartans.

Cummard is aware of the legacy Judkins left when he retired in 2022 and is grateful for the foundation Judkins laid for the future of the program.

“For us, we know that we are all recipients of the foundation that he has laid — he is BYU women’s basketball,” Cummard said.

It was apparent in the win over the Spartans that Cummard has taken a page out of Judkins’ book.

The Cougars worked the ball well and played fast, jumping out to an early 18-8 lead after freshman guard Sydney Benally hit a deep 3-pointer.

Benally played a major role in facilitating the offense, finishing the night with five assists.

Chatterton and the Spartans fought back and came within two at the end of the first quarter. Cummard’s squad responded in the second, allowing only five points.

The Cougars forced nine turnovers and grabbed 13 rebounds in the second quarter, making a statement as they went into halftime up 35-25.

Senior forward Lara Rohkohl was a force on the boards all night, finishing with 10 rebounds — five defensive and five offensive.

Her hustle and grit are a familiar sight for BYU fans. Rohkohl is undoubtedly making a name for herself this season, but Cummard sees a lot of similar traits between the standout forward and BYU alum Lauren Gustin.

“She really pursues it, sees it off the rim very well — she reminds me of Lauren Gustin,” Cummard said. “She just goes every time and has a drive to go get the basketball.”

BYU came out in the second half and never looked back. All-around standout Delaney Gibb was an impact player for the Cougars, working in tandem with freshman Olivia Hamlin.

Gibb finished with 21 points, six rebounds and a game-high six assists while shooting 45% from 3-point range.

Hamlin ended the night with 18 points, going 5-of-12 from the field. She also added four rebounds and two assists.

Cummard was pleased with his team’s effort but acknowledged there is room for improvement.

“We just kind of got out of our groove,” Cummard said. “We had some turnovers in the second half, and that’s something we need to continue to improve on.”

As Cummard continues to build on Judkins’ foundation, he believes the Cougars look every bit like a team that can live up to the premier teams Judkins built — one game at a time.