2007-2008 Basketball Preview

Around here, Stiles is our resident basketball expert. On the other hand, we're still trying to figure out how to run the weave. This is his preview, but because he's SO focused on college basketball season, we are forced to post it ourselves...

With two games under the belt, it seems like a good time to take a closer look at the basketball team. I was able to attend the first game, but missed the second because of work. (Note: it only appears I missed an ass kicking. Those are fun, though).

For the preview, I’m going to break the team down into three categories: the sure things, the unknowns, and the X-factor.

The Sure Things:

Darris Nichols: Although the senior point guard hasn’t done a whole lot thus far, I’m not concerned -- he’s been through it all. Once conference play starts, I expect Nichols to begin asserting himself as the "man." Also, while he didn’t get mentioned at all in the preseason pub, look for Nichols to be there in the end. He’s that good.

Alex Ruoff: OK, let me first say, I’ve never been a Ruoff fan. For a supposed "shooter," he’s very inconsistent. And for a glue guy, he would make quite a few mistakes that bothered me. With that said, I was pretty impressed in the first game. It looks like he bulked up some this off season and so far, he's looked like a different player. Time will tell, but he should be a solid player going forward.

Coach Bob Huggins: Here’s what he know for sure: the guy wins a boat load of games. He gets his players to play hard and when they don’t, he let’s them know it. To top it all off, he’s a wildly entertaining guy. I can’t wait for the games to pick up at the Coliseum -- it will be fun.

Da’Sean Butler: Butler looks like the same player to me as last year. If he were a half step quicker, he could be a great player. Instead, he’s a really, really good one and their ain’t nothing wrong with that. I see he and Nichols leading the team in scoring this year.

The Unknowns:

Jamie Smalligan: As the lone big body on the team, a lot rests on his shoulders. He HAS to avoid foul trouble this year...all the while maintaining a presence underneath. Not an easy task. However, he’s looked pretty good in the first game. BUT, what happens when he goes up against Hibbert and Caracter? Oh good lord...let’s just move on.

Wellington Smith: I like Wellington’s game. A lot, actually. Very smooth. With getting limited playing time last year, it will be interesting to see how Smith does in his new sixth man role. Just a hunch, but I think he will be fine.

Joe Mazzulla: Like Ruoff, I was not a fan of his game. He can’t really shoot and only plays well when he’s playing at top speed. Just one catch, he seemed to make a lot of foolish decisions even then. I dunno, maybe he can be a spark off the bench, especially if Huggins gets them out in transition more.

Jacob Green: I had to include him on this list, because he will be getting minutes. However, it’s a pretty blank slate here. Which kinda resembles Jacob’s game, which is never a good thing.

John Flowers and Will Thomas: The two freshmen. Each look like they have some talent and could play some this year, especially Flowers.

The X-Factor:

Joe Alexander (Jumpman): I think by this point we’ve all pretty much made up our mind about Alexander. He’s an unreal athlete, but not much of a basketball player. And in the first game, that pretty much still held true. However, since the team lacks height and size, the team will need Alexander to do a whole lot. Here’s the problem: when things aren't going well for Alexander, he seemed to lose focus and would become frustrated. Last year, I blamed Beilein and how he handled Alexander. Now the ball is in Huggins court -- can he make it happen? I’m not sure, but I hope so. One thing working in Huggins favor is he has coached a lot of talented players (whereas Beilein really had not. Those are the facts). If this team is going to be good and by that I mean go to the NCAA’s, they will need Alexander. Let’s hope he’s ready to answer the bell.

Prediction:

Alright, I just babbled a whole bunch, so let’s get to the heart of the matter. What do I see this team doing? Well, like the first game, it will be filled with some up and down moments. The highs will give us a glimpse of what Huggins can, while the lows will have people pinning for Beilien back -- except me. When it’s all said and done, I think this team will get into the Big Dance, but lose in the first round.

From there, it will be only the beginning. Because after that, the sky is the limit.

Boll Weevils Crushed 81-53

Stiles and I attended the game this evening and I can say that I was pleasantly surprised with the team's performance. This is a result to expect from a decent team playing a cupcake early in the season. Not much can be gleamed from playing a team like the Boll Weevils but at least we didn't get "Gardner Webbed."

Ruoff, Butler, and Alexander were the most impressive players in the game. Ruoff lit it up from outside and moved well without the ball. Butler looked stellar on defense and showed some decent inside moves. Alexander dunked 3 times in transition but lacked touch from beyond the three point line.

We looked sloppy on offense at times but would often recover with a good defensive stop. Again, this was Arkansas-Monticello so don't get your hopes up too much, but expect some sparks from this team.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

1. Was CBH wearing a blue three piece velour suit?
2. I love CBH's intensity on the sideline. Even though we were playing the Boll Weevils he got up in the players face when they did something wrong. It is a welcome change from that other guy's lackadaisical attitude, what's his name?
3. We may not win 27 games but this team will be exciting to watch.

Finally, the WVU women's soccer team beat Navy 4-0 (nil) to advance into the second round of the NCAA tournament. They will now face James Madison at 1 on Sunday.

Like Christmas In November

By all accounts, this is one of the most -- if not THE most -- talented group of recruits signed by any Mountaineer basketball coach. In fact, Scout.com has this class ranked as the 17th best class in the country, only behind Georgetown and Louisville in the Big EAST and besting schools such as Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, and UConn. Pretty heady stuff for a coach not yet in his first full year of recruiting. Just imagine what CBH will be able to do in 2009 (or 2010, where he's already secured Poca's Noah Cottrill).

Here is a run-down of the three signing day commitments:

Kevin Jones, SF (6'7", 210 -- Mount Vernon, NY)

Jones is by far the coup of this class, not only for his talent but for how the commitment was secured. WVU overcame stiff competition from both Pitt and Indiana in a battle that went down to the last minute. Indiana's cause was hurt by recruiting violations and staff turnover. Pitt, on the other hand, was flat-out beaten by CBH and his staff. Jones, a tweener forward known for his athleticism, averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior at Mount Vernon High School, earning his ranking as a top 50 recruit by both Scout and ESPN.

Roscoe Davis, PF (6'10", 220 -- Chatham, VA)

Davis, one of the most-sought after big men remaining on the board when he committed, made his initial pledge to the Mountaineers on October 22. Originally a Kansas State pledge, Davis was also offered by the Pitt Panthers (seems a recurring theme to best Pitt this year in recruiting). Roscoe is currently completing his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy in a move to ensure qualification with the NCAA.

Darryl "Truck" Bryant, PG (6'1", 180 -- Bronx, NY)

We previously (briefly) profiled Bryant on WBGV back when he made his initial verbal commitment. Since then, the stock on Bryant has risen, impressing at each tournament he has appeared. Bryant is a slashing point guard who will add depth to both a shrinking PG lineup (graduation of Darris Nichols after this year) and a new up-tempo style of play.

Not only has WVU added three very good prospects to the roster, but two of those prospects add much-needed support to the front-lines. Huggins has been notoriously good about getting the best of players in the 6'6"-6'10" range, and should do the same with Jones and Davis. The kicker is that all-three seem to be high character guys, with Jones leading the way. With Huggins record at Cincinnati, at least some in the WVU community must be holding their breath to see what type of player Huggins brings to Morgantown. If the 2008 class is any indication, those fears can be put to rest.

Yes!

From ESPN Recruiting blog:

Anyone questioning whether Bob Huggins can take West Virginia to the highest level needs to look at his latest recruiting accomplishment. Just a month ago, the Mountaineers were hardly considered as a possible school for multi-talented 6-7 forward Kevin Jones (Mount Vernon, N.Y.). Today, Jones sent his signed letter of intent to West Virginia. Jones, rated No. 42 nationally by ESPN, chose the Mountaineers over Pittsburgh.

His signing gives West Virginia three ESPN 150 rated recruits and should elevate their class into the top 25. Earlier, Indiana was considered one of the favorites for Jones. However, with its recent recruiting violations and the resignation of assistant coach Rob Senderoff, a New Yorker who was the Hoosiers primary recruiter for Jones, its chances were definitely hurt.

The West Virginia class now includes No. 97 rated, 6-2 G Darryl "Truck" Bryant (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) and rapid-rising big man, No. 103 rated, 6-10 C Roscoe Davis (Chatham, Va./Hargrave Military Academy). -- Bob Gibbons

My Friends Call Me "Double-Down"

I can't decide whether Bob Huggins is a saint or an asshole. Until I touch down in Vegas, dreaming of strippers, craps, and booze, he's a saint. When I come back broke, married, and with fresh tattoos, he's an asshole. Either way, we're all going to Vegas:

MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia men's basketball Coach Bob Huggins said Tuesday his team will participate in the Las Vegas Invitational next season.

The field includes Kentucky, Iowa, Kansas State, Delaware State, Southeast Missouri, Oakland and Longwood. The preliminary games are on campus and the semifinal and championship games are at Orleans Arena, Nov. 28-29.

Unfortunately, it's the day after thanksgiving. Though, the tryptophan running through my system will make taking a nap on the plane significantly easier.

We Pause For A Moment

To bring this update on the basketball team...Andy Katz touches base with Huggins and the rest of the WVU basketball team in a nice preseason profile. You can find it here.

My favorite quote:

"He's just on us all the time about crashing the boards," Alexander said. "They never stop. I could rebound perfect all practice and miss one, one time, and then they'll yell at me like I've never rebounded before in my life. It's crazy. They're just on you all the time, but it's good for us."

Oh brother, how I love that. We'll be tackling more of the basketball team in the coming weeks. Buckle up.

Cough, Basketball, Cough

Well, this team certainly doesn't lack confidence, does it? Big EAST basketball media day was held yesterday and WVU, rather expectedly, was picked to finish 10th. But you wouldn't know that from how CBH and the players were talking:

"I think it says that people, just because of our name, don't really take us seriously," junior forward Joe Alexander said. "After Coach Huggins is here for a while, that'll change."

Perhaps the most popular participant in media day as he returns to his alma mater just 10 wins shy of 600 for his career, Huggins hopes his players make the changes themselves.

"I hope we're not 10th," he said. "We want to make a run at being the best team in the league. I think if we can do that, we can make a run in the (NCAA) tournament."

Until they play a game, I'm not sure if anybody outside of CBH and the players know how the system change will affect this team. My guess is that, with the combination of increased strength and conditioning, it will be for the better. But again, who knows. But for now, I might as well take their word for it.

Look forward to Stiles' WVU/Big EAST basketball preview coming in the next two weeks.

Midnight Madness

Last night, I attended Midnight Madness. To sum it up in one word, I would say it was kinda dull. OK, that's two, but you get the idea.

Some highlights:

• Huggins getting the microphone and saying, "next year, bring ten of your friends with you. I don't like playing in front of an empty house. Also, he said, "This team is going to play above the rim and on the floor." That got me kinda excited.
• Joe Alexander going back to half court to get his run and then dunking from the foul line with his foot a bit on the foul line. Also, he did one of those Vince Carter "elbow in the rim" dunk with so much ease, it really wasn't *that* impressive.
• Will Thomas. I heard the guy can play. He sure can. I'm really excited for this guy.
• Darris Nicholas. Looked like he bulked up a couple pounds. Plus, the shot looked better. I look for a monster year from him. Dark horse for Big East Player of the Year.
• Also, Wellington Smith showed me some improvement to his game.

Now, both the men and women start practice today. In fact, they've each probably have already run a ton of laps. Meanwhile, I've laid in bed all this morning.

But, don't worry about me. It's time to put the basketball teams on your radar.

Quick Hitter...

...errr wrong sport. Quick shot...

From an ESPN chat:

Ben Lilly(annapolis,md): Can you give me a quick summary of how Bob Huggins is doing on the recruiting trail?

John Carroll: They already have commited Darrell "Truck" Bryant out of NYC, a high level guard. He was able to break into New York area to get him which is very impressive. He is also involved with a lot of quality basketball players in a very short time. He had the top recruiting class at Kansas St. So no one should be surprised that they are already involved quality players. They are not always going to be involved with the best players, but they will have hard-nosed tough guys, who Huggins know he can win with. Some of the players they are currently involved with include Terrell Pryor, a 6'6 wing player out of PA, who may play football and basketball in college. They are involved with 6'9 C/PF Xavier Gibbson out of Alabama. As well as 6'7 PF Quintrell Thomas out of St. Pats in NJ. They are also involved with the Morris twins, who decommited from Memphis (both are 6'9) and Terrance Jennings. So these are some very good players. And they have been on the trail of underclassmen, and have a commitment from a local point guard in the class of 09 named Noah Tottrill from Polka WV. So they are working hard from the class of 09, and they already have a commitment from a very good in-state guard.

We Interrupt the Marshall Bashing

For a quick look at the basketball schedule that was just announced. Giddy up. Brian Messerly has a nice recap (and the full slate) of the schedule here.

Some quick tidbits if you're too lazy to click on the story:

This year, the BIG EAST returns to an 18-game league schedule after playing a 16-game slate for the last eight seasons. The 18-game format will allow teams to play each opponent once and three teams twice. West Virginia will play home and home games with Pitt, Providence and St. John’s.

West Virginia will open the season at home with a pair of games in the Legends Classic, beginning on Friday, Nov. 16. WVU’s two opponents at home in the Legends Classic have not yet been determined. In the final two games of the Legends Classic in Newark, N.J., the Mountaineers will face Texas, Tennessee or New Mexico State.

West Virginia will have at least 10 games on ESPN or ESPN2 this season. The nationally-televised games will be Notre Dame, Marquette, Louisville, Georgetown, Pitt (twice), Rutgers, DePaul, Auburn and Oklahoma. The BIG EAST championship will be televised by ESPN.

Oh and in case you were wondering (because I know I was), the basketball team does not play the night of the BCS championship. That's some tremendous foresight by Eddie Pastilong.

The Next Chad Johnston...err, Vince Young?

Terrelle Pryor is on everyone's radar...and why shouldn't he be? At 6-6 and 210 lbs., Pryor is one of the sickest athletes in this upcoming class. He is the #1 rated QB in all-the-land (according to Scout.com). And because Pryor is a real go-getter and wasn't happy with just being good at one sport, he decided to become the #8 ranked shooting guard in America. Color me impressed.

The bad news? He's from western Pennsylvania -- Jeannette to be exact. This puts him squarely within the borders of Dave Wannstedt's "iron curtain."

(Pause for laughter.)

Luckily for WVU, Pryor is a free-market capitalist who doesn't believe in outdated bastions of communism, such as the iron curtain. Because of this, Pryor long ago eliminated Pitt from the running for his dual-sport services. Where is WVU, you may ask? In the top 7. It's not going to be an easy road, but does anyone want to bet AGAINST the best tag-team (CRR and CBH) since The Bushwackers? I wouldn't.




PS: The video ends at 1:44 but the music keeps going. The best I can tell you is sit back, relax, and enjoy the melodic musical stylings of Fort Minor. Holla.

A Basketball Player Named Truck?

Coach Bob Huggins (if you would prefer to shorten it to a pointless acronym, CBH) has scored his first commitment for the class of 2008. Darryl "Truck" Bryant is a slashing PG from St. Raymond's in the Bronx...but from the looks of the gym in the video, he is taking Jimmy Chitwood off the dribble.

Trust me when I say that this is the best video I could find on our new man Truck.