Post by elp525 on Jul 20, 2011 4:49:30 GMT -5
July 19, 2011
By Mitch Vingle
The Charleston Gazette
WE'VE REPORTED on WVU's upcoming basketball trip to Italy. We've told you the team has 10 days of practice. Four of those days have been used. The other six will be burned at the beginning of August.
We've broken down the trip for you, where the team will go - from the U.S. Navy base in Sicily to the Colosseum in Rome - and some of the teams the Mountaineers will play, like Benetton Treviso, Mike D'Antoni's former team.
Today, though, we'll break down exactly why this trip couldn't be more perfectly timed for the Mountaineers.
I hear ya. Maybe we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. The swing won't begin for another 18 days. The team doesn't leave until Aug. 8.
Understand, however, the trip is most important if Bob Huggins is to continue his streak: an NCAA tournament appearance in each of his first four seasons at his alma mater.
There are, of course, the obvious reasons the trip is important. Huggins' team is young. It will be playing most of its games within the rugged Big East.
But let's dig deeper.
First, understand that WVU not only plays a full slate of league games, but hits the road for the Big East/SEC Invitational (against Mississippi State) as well as the Las Vegas Classic and a neutral-site game in Wichita, Kan., against Huggins' former team, Kansas State.
Do you think the team needs to be steeled for that, especially the latter date?
Then consider the Mountaineer team. Although Kevin Jones, the team's leader, had a couple of very nice games at the end of last season, and even though he dipped his toe in the NBA draft pool, he still had - for him - a disappointing 2010-11 campaign offensively. He'll need to shoot more consistently and regain confidence if WVU has any shot at another NCAA appearance.
Staying in the frontcourt, either Deniz Kilicli or Kevin Noreen will start at center. Kilicli must improve his rebounding and defense. Noreen is a freshman coming off a medical redshirt. The extra practice and games are much needed for both.
In the backcourt, well, a true freshman, Jabarie Hinds, probably will start at point guard. Yes, he was the gem of the recruiting class. Yes, he has good quickness and ball skills. But stepping right into and running a Big East team is a tall task. At least the trip will give him a taste before he fully bites into a brutal schedule.
The other guard position? Looks like a Truck is pulling up.
Huggins will probably be using Truck Bryant, mostly used as a point guard in the past, much as he did last season when Joe Mazzulla was used simultaneously.
With Hinds at point guard, Bryant will have to move to off guard and will have to hit some perimeter shots. He was the team's third-leading scorer last season. He did hit some big perimeter shots at the end of last season, but he can use every second of practice time to grow accustomed to his position.
And then there's the fifth starting position. The one that has yet to be filled.
One would expect junior college transfer Dominique Rutledge to claim that spot. He's said to be a John Flowers-like player. But expect 6-foot-7 Keaton Miles to also see plenty of playing time and compete for the position.
Huggins will have to sort all that out, which is another reason why the extra practice and trip to Italy are important.
Yes, the trip is over a half month away. But the run-up to it, and the run to the Colosseum, will have a big impact on the season's run at the Coliseum.
By Mitch Vingle
The Charleston Gazette
WE'VE REPORTED on WVU's upcoming basketball trip to Italy. We've told you the team has 10 days of practice. Four of those days have been used. The other six will be burned at the beginning of August.
We've broken down the trip for you, where the team will go - from the U.S. Navy base in Sicily to the Colosseum in Rome - and some of the teams the Mountaineers will play, like Benetton Treviso, Mike D'Antoni's former team.
Today, though, we'll break down exactly why this trip couldn't be more perfectly timed for the Mountaineers.
I hear ya. Maybe we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. The swing won't begin for another 18 days. The team doesn't leave until Aug. 8.
Understand, however, the trip is most important if Bob Huggins is to continue his streak: an NCAA tournament appearance in each of his first four seasons at his alma mater.
There are, of course, the obvious reasons the trip is important. Huggins' team is young. It will be playing most of its games within the rugged Big East.
But let's dig deeper.
First, understand that WVU not only plays a full slate of league games, but hits the road for the Big East/SEC Invitational (against Mississippi State) as well as the Las Vegas Classic and a neutral-site game in Wichita, Kan., against Huggins' former team, Kansas State.
Do you think the team needs to be steeled for that, especially the latter date?
Then consider the Mountaineer team. Although Kevin Jones, the team's leader, had a couple of very nice games at the end of last season, and even though he dipped his toe in the NBA draft pool, he still had - for him - a disappointing 2010-11 campaign offensively. He'll need to shoot more consistently and regain confidence if WVU has any shot at another NCAA appearance.
Staying in the frontcourt, either Deniz Kilicli or Kevin Noreen will start at center. Kilicli must improve his rebounding and defense. Noreen is a freshman coming off a medical redshirt. The extra practice and games are much needed for both.
In the backcourt, well, a true freshman, Jabarie Hinds, probably will start at point guard. Yes, he was the gem of the recruiting class. Yes, he has good quickness and ball skills. But stepping right into and running a Big East team is a tall task. At least the trip will give him a taste before he fully bites into a brutal schedule.
The other guard position? Looks like a Truck is pulling up.
Huggins will probably be using Truck Bryant, mostly used as a point guard in the past, much as he did last season when Joe Mazzulla was used simultaneously.
With Hinds at point guard, Bryant will have to move to off guard and will have to hit some perimeter shots. He was the team's third-leading scorer last season. He did hit some big perimeter shots at the end of last season, but he can use every second of practice time to grow accustomed to his position.
And then there's the fifth starting position. The one that has yet to be filled.
One would expect junior college transfer Dominique Rutledge to claim that spot. He's said to be a John Flowers-like player. But expect 6-foot-7 Keaton Miles to also see plenty of playing time and compete for the position.
Huggins will have to sort all that out, which is another reason why the extra practice and trip to Italy are important.
Yes, the trip is over a half month away. But the run-up to it, and the run to the Colosseum, will have a big impact on the season's run at the Coliseum.
