Post by elp525 on Jul 22, 2011 5:08:39 GMT -5
07/22/2011
Andrew Jerome
Morgantown
A lot of talk has developed surrounding the new look Mountaineer basketball team. Head Coach Bob Huggins had a busy offseason, bringing in top talents from Texas all the way to Michigan. But with only four familiar faces returning to the Mountaineers, what can be expected out on the court this season?
The typical Bob Huggins defense, holding opponents to 64.7 points per game last year, ranked fifth in the Big East. With the added length and athleticism attributes of the incoming freshmen, the defensive intensity and style should remain the same.
However, on the offensive side of the ball is where Mountaineer fans could see changes. Only 40% of the offensive production returns to the Gold and Blue. Kevin Jones, Truck Bryant, Deniz Kilicli, and Kevin Noreen are all potent scorers in their own respect, but help will be needed. One upside the team believes it will have is athleticism.
“We’re more athletic,” says Coach Huggins. “I think anytime you’re faster, you can cover some mistakes… They’ll catch on because it’s just basketball. We’ve got guys now that can run. I just didn’t see Cam Thoroughman filling the lane. I love Cam to death, but that was not his forte.”
Senior forward Kevin Jones also expects to see a change in the overall tempo.
“We have a lot of talent on the team this year,” says Jones. “Expect it to be a more fast-paced team, not so much of a grind it out where we win by scoring 60 points. My expectation for this team this year is to get up and down and score a lot of points.”
Brooklyn native Truck Bryant says the increase in transition basketball could reflect his days with his former AAU team.
“It reminds me of my Gauchos team,” says Bryant. “Pressing, running, getting up and down. Just a lot of athletic guys so I think it will be good for me.”
The team will take a tour in Europe this August, allowed by the NCAA once every four years. They will play six to seven games against military bases and professional teams in Italy. However, Coach Huggins says the main goal for the younger players on the trip is just to learn the basics.
“We’re not going to run many sets,” says Huggins. “But we’re going to try and just work on motion. We’ll run a set for Deniz or KJ, but the other ones will have to be after a time out so I can just get some guys out of the way so we can run a set for who I want to run it for. We’re just going to run motion.”
With few upperclassmen to spread leadership around, seniors Kevin Jones and Truck Bryant know that they will be heavily relied upon. Jones sees the trip to Europe as an opportunity to develop team chemistry.
“It’s going to be very important,” says Jones. “It’s going to be a big bonding experience for us. Hopefully we go out there, we learn each other’s games better when we’re playing against other competition.”
With time away from the states, the team can expect to focus more on basketball and getting to know each other. And if they can get that chemistry down, it could be another successful season for the Mountaineers.
"I'm looking forward to enjoying my last year here," says Jones. "And making it a great year. We have the talent to go far and make a deep run in the tournament and a deep run in the Big East. So I feel like this could be a real good year for us."
Andrew Jerome
Morgantown
A lot of talk has developed surrounding the new look Mountaineer basketball team. Head Coach Bob Huggins had a busy offseason, bringing in top talents from Texas all the way to Michigan. But with only four familiar faces returning to the Mountaineers, what can be expected out on the court this season?
The typical Bob Huggins defense, holding opponents to 64.7 points per game last year, ranked fifth in the Big East. With the added length and athleticism attributes of the incoming freshmen, the defensive intensity and style should remain the same.
However, on the offensive side of the ball is where Mountaineer fans could see changes. Only 40% of the offensive production returns to the Gold and Blue. Kevin Jones, Truck Bryant, Deniz Kilicli, and Kevin Noreen are all potent scorers in their own respect, but help will be needed. One upside the team believes it will have is athleticism.
“We’re more athletic,” says Coach Huggins. “I think anytime you’re faster, you can cover some mistakes… They’ll catch on because it’s just basketball. We’ve got guys now that can run. I just didn’t see Cam Thoroughman filling the lane. I love Cam to death, but that was not his forte.”
Senior forward Kevin Jones also expects to see a change in the overall tempo.
“We have a lot of talent on the team this year,” says Jones. “Expect it to be a more fast-paced team, not so much of a grind it out where we win by scoring 60 points. My expectation for this team this year is to get up and down and score a lot of points.”
Brooklyn native Truck Bryant says the increase in transition basketball could reflect his days with his former AAU team.
“It reminds me of my Gauchos team,” says Bryant. “Pressing, running, getting up and down. Just a lot of athletic guys so I think it will be good for me.”
The team will take a tour in Europe this August, allowed by the NCAA once every four years. They will play six to seven games against military bases and professional teams in Italy. However, Coach Huggins says the main goal for the younger players on the trip is just to learn the basics.
“We’re not going to run many sets,” says Huggins. “But we’re going to try and just work on motion. We’ll run a set for Deniz or KJ, but the other ones will have to be after a time out so I can just get some guys out of the way so we can run a set for who I want to run it for. We’re just going to run motion.”
With few upperclassmen to spread leadership around, seniors Kevin Jones and Truck Bryant know that they will be heavily relied upon. Jones sees the trip to Europe as an opportunity to develop team chemistry.
“It’s going to be very important,” says Jones. “It’s going to be a big bonding experience for us. Hopefully we go out there, we learn each other’s games better when we’re playing against other competition.”
With time away from the states, the team can expect to focus more on basketball and getting to know each other. And if they can get that chemistry down, it could be another successful season for the Mountaineers.
"I'm looking forward to enjoying my last year here," says Jones. "And making it a great year. We have the talent to go far and make a deep run in the tournament and a deep run in the Big East. So I feel like this could be a real good year for us."
