--Head coach Bob Huggins confirmed that freshman guard Brandon Knapper is indeed out for the season. He is on track with his recovery but won't even be able to resume basketball activities until January at the earliest. It was assumed this would be the case when Huggins said it would take 4-6 months for recovery but is now a done deal.
--Redshirt sophomore James Beetle Bolden also is currently nursing an injury as he sprained his ankle, “pretty good.” No timeline for his recovery right now, but obviously isn’t expected to be long term. Same can be said for senior guard Daxter Miles who took a knee to the thigh in practice.
--Overall, Huggins said that he doesn’t know a whole lot more about his team than he did a couple weeks ago because when you’re playing with the same guys it’s hard to gauge. He did say that his team hasn’t rebounded the ball well but he wasn’t sure if that was a product of his team not doing its job on the glass on the offensive or defensive ends.
--Senior guard Jevon Carter is playing at a “really, really high level,” at the moment but as for the rest of the players Huggins hasn’t noticed a huge difference. He did then relent a little and say that Bolden was playing well before his injury and sophomore guard Chase Harler had been playing much better including with his shot after he has made some adjustments.
--Huggins said that redshirt sophomore Lamont West is shooting the ball well but he has to do a better job in the rebounding department as well as defending. The head coach did give him credit for trying but the other day they had a practice where West had one more rebound that Jerry West’s statue.
--Huggins said that sophomore Sagaba Konate has been much improved on the offensive end, saying that they will even run some things for him. He is hitting shots 15-17 feet out and they need him to do that now. He is hitting from the base line, in the circle and all along his jump shot also has improved not only with his right hand but his left. He even said eventually he could hit some threes. But KJ being at practice has been a little humbling because he still gets every rebound and it’s a good lesson for Konate.
--When it comes to the newcomers on the team, Huggins has been happy with redshirt sophomore forward Wesley Harris but it has been a lot of things at once due to practice and preparation moving quicker because the opener is against a quality opponent like Texas A&M. Junior forward D’Angelo Hunter has done some positive things on the floor but he has to get a little bit tougher on the floor. He has shot the ball well, made great decisions with the ball and has great size but it’s simply harder at West Virginia than it is a lot of places and he has to adjust to that. Freshman forward Teddy Allen can score the basketball but the problem is who he is guarding is usually doing the same thing. Allen could be considered one of the best scorers on the team right now according to teammates but it’s obviously early and of course Carter will take that role once the season starts.
--West Virginia will scrimmage Purdue this year in private.
--Former West Virginia players Kevin Jones and Daryl “Truck” Bryant have been back trying to get in shape and have been working with the team.
--When it comes to limiting minutes for Carter or attempting to save him, Huggins said it will depend on the game and if teams are trying to slow things down then he can play more minutes. Ultimately though it comes down to more possessions, not time on the floor.
--It was a no-brainer to play over in Germany in front of the troops. Huggins said that it will be the first game of the year and the game will be played in front of almost exclusively military. He did say that while he is there, there will be a game between West Virginia natives and Texas natives and Huggins will have the chance to coach the Mountain State team.
--Redshirt sophomore James Beetle Bolden also is currently nursing an injury as he sprained his ankle, “pretty good.” No timeline for his recovery right now, but obviously isn’t expected to be long term. Same can be said for senior guard Daxter Miles who took a knee to the thigh in practice.
--Overall, Huggins said that he doesn’t know a whole lot more about his team than he did a couple weeks ago because when you’re playing with the same guys it’s hard to gauge. He did say that his team hasn’t rebounded the ball well but he wasn’t sure if that was a product of his team not doing its job on the glass on the offensive or defensive ends.
--Senior guard Jevon Carter is playing at a “really, really high level,” at the moment but as for the rest of the players Huggins hasn’t noticed a huge difference. He did then relent a little and say that Bolden was playing well before his injury and sophomore guard Chase Harler had been playing much better including with his shot after he has made some adjustments.
--Huggins said that redshirt sophomore Lamont West is shooting the ball well but he has to do a better job in the rebounding department as well as defending. The head coach did give him credit for trying but the other day they had a practice where West had one more rebound that Jerry West’s statue.
--Huggins said that sophomore Sagaba Konate has been much improved on the offensive end, saying that they will even run some things for him. He is hitting shots 15-17 feet out and they need him to do that now. He is hitting from the base line, in the circle and all along his jump shot also has improved not only with his right hand but his left. He even said eventually he could hit some threes. But KJ being at practice has been a little humbling because he still gets every rebound and it’s a good lesson for Konate.
--When it comes to the newcomers on the team, Huggins has been happy with redshirt sophomore forward Wesley Harris but it has been a lot of things at once due to practice and preparation moving quicker because the opener is against a quality opponent like Texas A&M. Junior forward D’Angelo Hunter has done some positive things on the floor but he has to get a little bit tougher on the floor. He has shot the ball well, made great decisions with the ball and has great size but it’s simply harder at West Virginia than it is a lot of places and he has to adjust to that. Freshman forward Teddy Allen can score the basketball but the problem is who he is guarding is usually doing the same thing. Allen could be considered one of the best scorers on the team right now according to teammates but it’s obviously early and of course Carter will take that role once the season starts.
--West Virginia will scrimmage Purdue this year in private.
--Former West Virginia players Kevin Jones and Daryl “Truck” Bryant have been back trying to get in shape and have been working with the team.
--When it comes to limiting minutes for Carter or attempting to save him, Huggins said it will depend on the game and if teams are trying to slow things down then he can play more minutes. Ultimately though it comes down to more possessions, not time on the floor.
--It was a no-brainer to play over in Germany in front of the troops. Huggins said that it will be the first game of the year and the game will be played in front of almost exclusively military. He did say that while he is there, there will be a game between West Virginia natives and Texas natives and Huggins will have the chance to coach the Mountain State team.
