Long before Brett Olson and Marcus Byrd began playing basketball together at the University of Denver, they were doing damage as seventh-grade teammates at Cresthill Middle School in Highlands Ranch.
“Brett was the purest shooter I have ever seen in a middle school athlete,” said Andrew Labron, who coached them at Cresthill. “Marcus had an amazing motor. He could just go, go, go.”
The uniforms have changed for Olson and Byrd, but little else has for a duo that has been playing together for a decade. After their time at Cresthill was up, the two played for high school coaching legend Bob Caton at Highlands Ranch, then continued their basketball journey with the Pioneers.
“It just worked out that way,” Olson said. “We both had that dream of playing college basketball, but we never talked specifically about coming to the same school.”
This season, they are probably down to their final act. Olson, the preseason Summit League player of the year, is a senior. Byrd, the blossoming sixth man, is a redshirt junior.
It’s hard for either to believe their time together is almost up.
“As you get older, you get more and more mature,” Byrd said. “You learn more about yourself and what your abilities are. So I think watching myself and Brett at the same time — watching us grow up and learn more about the game — I think it’s been something that’s been really cool to experience.”
Make no mistake, the Pioneers (4-3) are leaning heavily on the longtime teammates as they aim to capture the Summit League crown in their second season in the conference.
Olson, a 6-foot-5 sharpshooter, is averaging 11 points per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor. The departure of last season’s top inside threat, Chris Udofia, has meant added pressure from defenses on Olson.
“Every time we step on the floor, the other team is saying, ‘We have to stop Brett Olson,’ ” Denver coach Joe Scott said.
The Pioneers’ top playmaker embraces the challenge, but he’s not forcing his hand. Olson is averaging 4.6 assists, enhancing his overall game as a facilitator while relying on an improving group of role players to help shoulder the load.
That’s where his 10-year teammate has stepped in. Byrd is averaging a career-best 8.3 points while shooting 54 percent from the field and 48 percent from the 3-point line.
For much of the season, Byrd has provided a spark as the first man off the bench. But when 6-10 freshman Daniel Amigo went down with a knee injury Nov. 30, Byrd was inserted into the starting lineup. He’s likely to start again at 7 p.m. Wednesday, when Denver hosts No. 23 Northern Iowa (8-0), the Pioneers’ first-ever game against a ranked opponent at Magness Arena.
Regardless of Byrd’s role — starter or sub — Scott said he likes to have the 6-7 guard on the court with Olson as much as possible.
“They definitely have chemistry, no doubt,” Scott said. “They know each other, look for each other. They know each other’s strengths, and you can see that when they’re on the court together.”
Olson, as he bursts off ball screens, said he can often sense Byrd drifting to different spots on the court, ready to receive a pass that he can turn into three points. And Byrd knows just where to hit Olson when he zips a pass around the perimeter or from a post position.
Familiarity goes a long way in college basketball. It’s why last season’s Kentucky team, loaded with McDonald’s All-Americans, didn’t truly get hot until it reached the NCAA Tournament. Talent doesn’t merge together overnight.
That’s why Labron smiled at the thought of two of his middle school players still growing their games together all these years later. They’ve come a long way from Cresthill — even if they are only 20 minutes down the road.
“I am happy that Marcus and Brett continued to work together to get where they are today,” Labron said. “I am extremely proud of them.”
Nick Kosmider: 303-954-1516, nkosmider@denverpost.com or
