Post by rainman on Aug 26, 2007 7:48:18 GMT -5
Jonnie West takes Huggins’ advice seriously to get stronger
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Since taking over the reins of the West Virginia University men’s basketball program in April, Bob Huggins has hammered on the same theme in advising the players he inherited from John Beilein.
It was simply: “Get bigger and stronger.”
That is the type of players Huggins has been accustomed to having in compiling a phenomenal record of 590 victories during his 25 years as a head coach at the college level. That total averages out to an amazing 23 wins per season.
Jonnie West took his new coach’s advice to heart as much as, if not more than, any of the other 12 players. And well he should have.
At 170 pounds when he arrived a year ago, the lanky 6-foot-3 guard not only was the lightest, but the youngest player. So the son of the legendary Jerry West has spent a lot of his time in the weight room since then.
“I’ve only gained a few pounds,” Jonnie said recently. “But I’ve gotten a lot stronger. Except for a couple weeks off, all of us pretty much have spent all summer in Morgantown.
“Coach Huggins really is into weight-lifting for his players. He wants all of us to be big and strong. So that’s what we’ve been doing since he came in. Everybody has gotten a lot stronger.”
Of course, they also played as much basketball as they could get in. Most even participated in a summer league for college players in the Pittsburgh area.
West, who was redshirted last year as a true freshman, thinks he has improved all phases of his game. He did that by playing a lot of basketball against players at the NCAA Division I level.
“You get better because everybody is good at this stage,” he said. “It’s a lot about changing the tempo of the game. You do get better just learning how to play.”
West averaged 18.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a senior at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. He earned Division 2 all-state recognition.
He thinks sitting out games here in 2006-07 and just watching was very beneficial to his development. “You see how fast the game is, and that helps a lot just seeing the speed of the game,” he explained.
While Huggins says he has taught different styles, each suited best to his personnel, West believes it definitely will be a lot faster-paced here this winter.
“Trying to get up and down the floor and to fast-break, when we can, for the easy basket at the other end,” he said.
That was the style Jonnie’s father played as a superstar at WVU from 1957-60. Jerry thrived on getting up and down the court in lightning-like fashion.
However, Jonnie doesn’t know what his role might be as a Mountaineer.
“I don’t think most people really know yet what he wants each to do,” he said, “except to be bigger and stronger. I think coach just wants everyone to play very hard defensively, and that’s what he stresses a lot.”
Huggins has been quite busy since returning to his alma mater. Besides, he was limited to working with the players individually and still is until practice officially starts in mid-October.
An incredible shooting touch still is Jonnie’s biggest asset. He’s also learning how to use his quickness and speed to better advantage in college.
“I’m also becoming more aggressive against better competition,” West said. “Once you get comfortable at this level, you start to do more things without having to think.”
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Since taking over the reins of the West Virginia University men’s basketball program in April, Bob Huggins has hammered on the same theme in advising the players he inherited from John Beilein.
It was simply: “Get bigger and stronger.”
That is the type of players Huggins has been accustomed to having in compiling a phenomenal record of 590 victories during his 25 years as a head coach at the college level. That total averages out to an amazing 23 wins per season.
Jonnie West took his new coach’s advice to heart as much as, if not more than, any of the other 12 players. And well he should have.
At 170 pounds when he arrived a year ago, the lanky 6-foot-3 guard not only was the lightest, but the youngest player. So the son of the legendary Jerry West has spent a lot of his time in the weight room since then.
“I’ve only gained a few pounds,” Jonnie said recently. “But I’ve gotten a lot stronger. Except for a couple weeks off, all of us pretty much have spent all summer in Morgantown.
“Coach Huggins really is into weight-lifting for his players. He wants all of us to be big and strong. So that’s what we’ve been doing since he came in. Everybody has gotten a lot stronger.”
Of course, they also played as much basketball as they could get in. Most even participated in a summer league for college players in the Pittsburgh area.
West, who was redshirted last year as a true freshman, thinks he has improved all phases of his game. He did that by playing a lot of basketball against players at the NCAA Division I level.
“You get better because everybody is good at this stage,” he said. “It’s a lot about changing the tempo of the game. You do get better just learning how to play.”
West averaged 18.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a senior at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. He earned Division 2 all-state recognition.
He thinks sitting out games here in 2006-07 and just watching was very beneficial to his development. “You see how fast the game is, and that helps a lot just seeing the speed of the game,” he explained.
While Huggins says he has taught different styles, each suited best to his personnel, West believes it definitely will be a lot faster-paced here this winter.
“Trying to get up and down the floor and to fast-break, when we can, for the easy basket at the other end,” he said.
That was the style Jonnie’s father played as a superstar at WVU from 1957-60. Jerry thrived on getting up and down the court in lightning-like fashion.
However, Jonnie doesn’t know what his role might be as a Mountaineer.
“I don’t think most people really know yet what he wants each to do,” he said, “except to be bigger and stronger. I think coach just wants everyone to play very hard defensively, and that’s what he stresses a lot.”
Huggins has been quite busy since returning to his alma mater. Besides, he was limited to working with the players individually and still is until practice officially starts in mid-October.
An incredible shooting touch still is Jonnie’s biggest asset. He’s also learning how to use his quickness and speed to better advantage in college.
“I’m also becoming more aggressive against better competition,” West said. “Once you get comfortable at this level, you start to do more things without having to think.”