Post by rainman on Nov 9, 2007 6:42:34 GMT -5
Huggins: ‘We’re not going to be 10th’ in league
By John Veasey
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT— West Virginia’s new head men’s basketball coach was in Fairmont to discuss his new team and its prospects for the 2007-08 season.
About the only promise Bob Huggins made Thursday at the Fairmont Field Club was that his Mountaineers were not going to finish 10th in the Big East — the spot that WVU was predicted to finish in the Big East coaches poll.
“They picked us 10th in the Big East,” he said. “If we’re 10th in the Big East, the Big East is a whole lot better than I think it is.
“We’re not 10th. We aren’t going to be 10th. We’re looking forward to that challenge (of proving that to the coaches).”
Speaking strictly off the cuff, with some dry humor mixed in and some ramblings on various topics, the new coach proved quite entertaining in his low key address to members of the Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs and their guests.
Huggins quipped that he noted from watching films from last season that every member of the WVU coaching staff (under John Beilein) could jump higher than Jamie Smalligan — the lone big man on the WVU team this year at 7-foot.
Then he discussed his squad, that includes five of the first seven players from Beilein’s NIT championship squad.
“Everyone wants to know how good we are but I have no idea. We have seven guys I think are pretty good — I hope they are — but then there’s a big drop-off.
“We’re looking forward to Saturday and trying to figure out where we are and what we are doing. We need a couple more guys. If we’re going to play the way I like to play, we need more than seven. We need a couple guys to step up.”
WVU meets Mountain State, an NAIA school from Beckley, in an exhibition game Saturday.
“We feel pretty good about Darris Nichols, Alex Ruoff and Joe Mazzulla at guard and the front line with Jamie and Da’sean Butler, who’s playing very well, Joe Alexander and Wellington Smith.
“We just need more help for these guys.”
Huggins looks for Wellington Smith “to play until he gets tired.” He says that Smith could end up as the all-time leading shot-blocker at the school before his career is over.
“I like Wellington,” he said. “When he gets the ball, he makes pretty good things happen.”
Huggins had special praise for Alexander, a 6-8 junior veteran.
“I think Joe Alexander has a chance to be special. He’s got a great first step. We just have to get him to figure out when to shoot it and when to pass it and when not to run over somebody and when it’s OK to run over somebody. ... He’s gained 30 pounds and he’s stronger and he’s just trying to show he can run over people. ... He’s a wonderful kid.”
Asked whether he had any high-maintenance or low-maintenance players, Huggins said he has “no-maintenance” players.
“Once we get them here, we’ve got a great chance. It’s a matter of getting them here,” he said. “I think we fight a little bit of a perception problem. But once we get ’em here on campus, we’ve got a chance.
“We had two 6-11 kids that I just got tired of messing with. They say, ‘I’m just evaluating my options.’ I said, ‘Good, I’m going to help you. You’re out. I just made your decision a little easier. If you come here and you can’t appreciate what we have, you don’t belong here.’
“This is the greatest place in America to go to school, and if you can’t appreciate that, go somewhere else.”
Huggins said “I think you will be pleased with our recruiting class” that will be announced next week.
By John Veasey
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT— West Virginia’s new head men’s basketball coach was in Fairmont to discuss his new team and its prospects for the 2007-08 season.
About the only promise Bob Huggins made Thursday at the Fairmont Field Club was that his Mountaineers were not going to finish 10th in the Big East — the spot that WVU was predicted to finish in the Big East coaches poll.
“They picked us 10th in the Big East,” he said. “If we’re 10th in the Big East, the Big East is a whole lot better than I think it is.
“We’re not 10th. We aren’t going to be 10th. We’re looking forward to that challenge (of proving that to the coaches).”
Speaking strictly off the cuff, with some dry humor mixed in and some ramblings on various topics, the new coach proved quite entertaining in his low key address to members of the Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs and their guests.
Huggins quipped that he noted from watching films from last season that every member of the WVU coaching staff (under John Beilein) could jump higher than Jamie Smalligan — the lone big man on the WVU team this year at 7-foot.
Then he discussed his squad, that includes five of the first seven players from Beilein’s NIT championship squad.
“Everyone wants to know how good we are but I have no idea. We have seven guys I think are pretty good — I hope they are — but then there’s a big drop-off.
“We’re looking forward to Saturday and trying to figure out where we are and what we are doing. We need a couple more guys. If we’re going to play the way I like to play, we need more than seven. We need a couple guys to step up.”
WVU meets Mountain State, an NAIA school from Beckley, in an exhibition game Saturday.
“We feel pretty good about Darris Nichols, Alex Ruoff and Joe Mazzulla at guard and the front line with Jamie and Da’sean Butler, who’s playing very well, Joe Alexander and Wellington Smith.
“We just need more help for these guys.”
Huggins looks for Wellington Smith “to play until he gets tired.” He says that Smith could end up as the all-time leading shot-blocker at the school before his career is over.
“I like Wellington,” he said. “When he gets the ball, he makes pretty good things happen.”
Huggins had special praise for Alexander, a 6-8 junior veteran.
“I think Joe Alexander has a chance to be special. He’s got a great first step. We just have to get him to figure out when to shoot it and when to pass it and when not to run over somebody and when it’s OK to run over somebody. ... He’s gained 30 pounds and he’s stronger and he’s just trying to show he can run over people. ... He’s a wonderful kid.”
Asked whether he had any high-maintenance or low-maintenance players, Huggins said he has “no-maintenance” players.
“Once we get them here, we’ve got a great chance. It’s a matter of getting them here,” he said. “I think we fight a little bit of a perception problem. But once we get ’em here on campus, we’ve got a chance.
“We had two 6-11 kids that I just got tired of messing with. They say, ‘I’m just evaluating my options.’ I said, ‘Good, I’m going to help you. You’re out. I just made your decision a little easier. If you come here and you can’t appreciate what we have, you don’t belong here.’
“This is the greatest place in America to go to school, and if you can’t appreciate that, go somewhere else.”
Huggins said “I think you will be pleased with our recruiting class” that will be announced next week.
