Ross Hodge likes size, versatility of roster but searching for another addition
West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge currently has 14 players on his basketball roster.
He still wants one more.
“We’re working on that daily and we do plan on using it for the fall with this class,” he said.
When it comes to where that remaining spot could go, Hodge said at this point it is a finding the best available type of situation with the Mountaineers keeping all their options open.
While he understands there could be concern about the size of the front court with UNC Wilmington transfer center Harlan Obioha along with redshirt freshman Abraham Oyeadier and Troy transfer forward Jackson Fields making up players at the spot, the game has evolved.
“I always have to remind people there’s usually only one really big guy out there on the floor at a time and there’s three little guys. We have pretty good balance on our roster as it is, so just trying to add the right person as much as anything, the right player,” he said.
Hodge believes that Obioha has worked very hard on his conditioning this summer and the Mountaineers are equipped with plenty of versatile forward types such as Fields, North Texas transfer Brenen Lorient and true freshman DJ Thomas.
And the Mountaineers also are equipped to play a lot of different ways with the collection of players that they have been able to assemble at this point. That includes some big lineups.
“For instance if you were going to throw Jasper (Floyd) at 6-foot-3, Treysen (Eaglestaff) at 6-foot-5, Chance (Moore) at 6-foot-5, B-Lo at 6-foot-8 and Harlan at 7-foot or even if Harlan wasn’t in and it was Jackson and had a lineup like that. Maybe you’re not playing with two 7-footers but your collective size across the board positionally is really, really good,” Hodge said.
The roster doesn’t just allow West Virginia to go big either, as the Mountaineers could downsize and play small to match the modern game of basketball or even play a more perimeter style around one big which gives Hodge a comfort level with his options.
Having options is never a bad thing as offensively you need to create leverage points to get two people on the ball while defensively the more versatile teams are it allows them to have more success while avoiding putting two players on the ball.
“We got good length, intelligent players and guys that can move,” he said.
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