Post by elp525 on Jul 30, 2011 8:46:07 GMT -5
Saturday, July 30 2011
Garrett Cullen
Morgantown
Mountaineer assistant basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun is fitting into his new on-court role quite nicely. Calhoun, who was moved from director of basketball operations to assistant coach this past summer, has taken advantage of those extra summer practices West Virginia has gained by playing overseas next month.
“It’s given me a chance to get on the court and I think the players kind of know my style,” Calhoun said. “I’ve been around a lot of these kids other than the incoming kids. I think they know what I’m all about and it’s been really good to get on the court with them…I bring kind of a high energy and positive approach.”
It’s an approach that should also come in useful on the recruiting trail as well – something Calhoun has gotten an opportunity to jump right into.
“Our selling point has been that we’re trying to win a national championship and the two guys that we bring in are going to be a big part of that,” he said.
After such a big recruiting class for 2011, the Mountaineers will have two scholarships available for 2012.
“I think we’re going to take our time and make sure we hit a couple home runs,” Calhoun said. “With the amount of success we’ve had the last four years and the new practice facility, we want to make sure the two guys we bring in can have an immediate impact for next year.
“We definitely need to get a guy that can shoot the ball – we need to bring in somebody that can make shots and then somebody that can replace Kevin Jones,” he continued. “Probably a skilled four or a big kid are basically our two needs that we’re going to need for 2012.”
But when evaluating the newcomers who are already in Morgantown for this year, there’s one player who has stood out.
“Gary (Browne) has been a very, very pleasant surprise with his knowledge of the game,” he said. “He picks up on things very well and plays extremely hard.
“I would say he’s the one guy that’s really picked up on things and brought a lot of intensity to practice and has pushed Truck (Bryant),” Calhoun continued. “He’s a guy that’s not going to back down to anybody.”
A couple of other young players who could battle for a role this upcoming year are Keaton Miles and Tommie McCune.
“They’re both very long and lengthy wings. Both are very thin and need to pick up a lot of weight,” Calhoun said. “But they have very good attitudes and are going to work extremely hard on their game and can do a lot of different things. They can play on the perimeter or post you up. Both of them can make an outside shot. I look for those two guys to pick up on things very early and be able to have an impact right away.”
Regardless, it’s clear the Mountaineers will have more pure athletic talent on the floor this year than in years past – something that will change West Virginia’s overall style of play.
“I think with some of these young athletes that we’ve brought it’s going to be exciting with the fans,” Calhoun said. “I think they’re going to really enjoy the way we play getting up and down, running around and trapping, and creating a lot of turnovers.”
But, like always, team chemistry will ultimately determine just how far all of that athletic skill can eventually go – something that starts at the top with seniors Kevin Jones and Truck Bryant.
“That’s something that’s been talked about and we continue to preach that to those two guys every day,” Calhoun said. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem – I’m sure those guys want to go out with a bang their senior year. Both have been very vocal the first four practices – Kevin has shown a greater ability to talk to these guys and mentor them than I think we could ever imagine. You just hope it continues because up to this point it’s been very good.”
Garrett Cullen
Morgantown
Mountaineer assistant basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun is fitting into his new on-court role quite nicely. Calhoun, who was moved from director of basketball operations to assistant coach this past summer, has taken advantage of those extra summer practices West Virginia has gained by playing overseas next month.
“It’s given me a chance to get on the court and I think the players kind of know my style,” Calhoun said. “I’ve been around a lot of these kids other than the incoming kids. I think they know what I’m all about and it’s been really good to get on the court with them…I bring kind of a high energy and positive approach.”
It’s an approach that should also come in useful on the recruiting trail as well – something Calhoun has gotten an opportunity to jump right into.
“Our selling point has been that we’re trying to win a national championship and the two guys that we bring in are going to be a big part of that,” he said.
After such a big recruiting class for 2011, the Mountaineers will have two scholarships available for 2012.
“I think we’re going to take our time and make sure we hit a couple home runs,” Calhoun said. “With the amount of success we’ve had the last four years and the new practice facility, we want to make sure the two guys we bring in can have an immediate impact for next year.
“We definitely need to get a guy that can shoot the ball – we need to bring in somebody that can make shots and then somebody that can replace Kevin Jones,” he continued. “Probably a skilled four or a big kid are basically our two needs that we’re going to need for 2012.”
But when evaluating the newcomers who are already in Morgantown for this year, there’s one player who has stood out.
“Gary (Browne) has been a very, very pleasant surprise with his knowledge of the game,” he said. “He picks up on things very well and plays extremely hard.
“I would say he’s the one guy that’s really picked up on things and brought a lot of intensity to practice and has pushed Truck (Bryant),” Calhoun continued. “He’s a guy that’s not going to back down to anybody.”
A couple of other young players who could battle for a role this upcoming year are Keaton Miles and Tommie McCune.
“They’re both very long and lengthy wings. Both are very thin and need to pick up a lot of weight,” Calhoun said. “But they have very good attitudes and are going to work extremely hard on their game and can do a lot of different things. They can play on the perimeter or post you up. Both of them can make an outside shot. I look for those two guys to pick up on things very early and be able to have an impact right away.”
Regardless, it’s clear the Mountaineers will have more pure athletic talent on the floor this year than in years past – something that will change West Virginia’s overall style of play.
“I think with some of these young athletes that we’ve brought it’s going to be exciting with the fans,” Calhoun said. “I think they’re going to really enjoy the way we play getting up and down, running around and trapping, and creating a lot of turnovers.”
But, like always, team chemistry will ultimately determine just how far all of that athletic skill can eventually go – something that starts at the top with seniors Kevin Jones and Truck Bryant.
“That’s something that’s been talked about and we continue to preach that to those two guys every day,” Calhoun said. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem – I’m sure those guys want to go out with a bang their senior year. Both have been very vocal the first four practices – Kevin has shown a greater ability to talk to these guys and mentor them than I think we could ever imagine. You just hope it continues because up to this point it’s been very good.”
