Something occurred to me as I was pondering our recruiting....Jesus said "No student is above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher"
It got me thinking about who Frank Martin used to coach with....Bob Huggins, who is now at West Virginia. So just on a whim, I decided to look at how West Virginia has conducted their recruiting over the past few years, because that would give some kind of indication as to how we might fare in the future.
Presently, when you look at West Virginia basketball, there's no arguing with the results. They are 20-6, 8-5 in the Big XII, are fresh off an upset of top 5 Kansas, and overall are outscoring their opponents by an average of 9 points per game (74.5-65.6). But how did they get there? I looked at their top 10 players, as they all appear to have significant minutes played.
Juwan Staten - Averaging 14.5/3.0/4.6 (that's points/rebounds/assists). G-Sr., 6-1 190. Originally committed to Dayton as a 4-star player, and it is unclear how he ended up at West Virgina. I'm guessing he transferred (likely due to a coaching change) and then sat out a year.
Devin Williams - Averaging 11.0/8.1/1.2; F-So., 6-9 255. Rivals had him listed as a 4-star player.
Jevon Carter - Averaging 8.3/2.5/1.7 as top minutes guy off the bench; G-Fr., 6-2 185. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Johnathan Holton - Averaging 8.0/5.9/1.0; also has 1.0 blocks per game, leading the team; F-Jr., 6-7 220. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Gary Browne - Averaging 6.8/1.7/1.5; G-Sr., 6-1 195. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Jaysean Paige - Averaging 6.1/2.0/0.7; G-Jr., 6-2 200. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Daxter Miles Jr. - Averaging 6.0/2.1/0.8; G-Fr., 6-3 185. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Elijah Macon - Averaging 4.4/2.4/0.8; comes off the bench for his minutes. F-rFr., 6-9 240. Rivals had him listed as a 4-star player.
Tarik Phillip - Remember him? He was a part of Martin's first class, but couldn't qualify academically. Anyway, averaging 3.8/1.4/0.6, again coming off the bench. G-So., 6-3 185. Rivals had him originally listed as a 3-star player long ago, but he comes to the Mountaineers via the JUCO ranks and apparently still has 3 years left to play, go figure.
Nathan Adrian - Averaging 3.1/2.6/1.1; F-So., 6-9 235. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Conclusions I draw from the above:
* Bob Huggins has staked out his recruiting territory well. Many high school coaches remember him from his days at Cincinnati, but these recruits also come from not only West Virginia and Ohio, but also Maryland, Virginia, New York, Kansas and Texas.
* As you go through this process, you see a lot of turnover as Huggins got there. A lot of players that he recruited are no longer there (sound familiar?)
* BIG MEN AND LOTS OF THEM. As opposed to us, who have 2 players 6-7 or better, the Mountaineers have 6 (only 3 listed above that get significant minutes this year). This to me is the key to our success. Not the system, not the yelling, not the guard play. If we can get enough big bodies in Columbia, we're going places. PERIOD. Huggins has won this way wherever he has been (remember Danny Fortson, Kenyon Martin and Jason Maxiell? All have spent or are still spending quality time in the NBA)
One more thing.....it should be noted that there are 16 total players on the roster, 14 scholarship players and 2 walk-ons it appears. If USC was to get to that level, that would be nice. I think it would also be a first.
It got me thinking about who Frank Martin used to coach with....Bob Huggins, who is now at West Virginia. So just on a whim, I decided to look at how West Virginia has conducted their recruiting over the past few years, because that would give some kind of indication as to how we might fare in the future.
Presently, when you look at West Virginia basketball, there's no arguing with the results. They are 20-6, 8-5 in the Big XII, are fresh off an upset of top 5 Kansas, and overall are outscoring their opponents by an average of 9 points per game (74.5-65.6). But how did they get there? I looked at their top 10 players, as they all appear to have significant minutes played.
Juwan Staten - Averaging 14.5/3.0/4.6 (that's points/rebounds/assists). G-Sr., 6-1 190. Originally committed to Dayton as a 4-star player, and it is unclear how he ended up at West Virgina. I'm guessing he transferred (likely due to a coaching change) and then sat out a year.
Devin Williams - Averaging 11.0/8.1/1.2; F-So., 6-9 255. Rivals had him listed as a 4-star player.
Jevon Carter - Averaging 8.3/2.5/1.7 as top minutes guy off the bench; G-Fr., 6-2 185. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Johnathan Holton - Averaging 8.0/5.9/1.0; also has 1.0 blocks per game, leading the team; F-Jr., 6-7 220. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Gary Browne - Averaging 6.8/1.7/1.5; G-Sr., 6-1 195. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Jaysean Paige - Averaging 6.1/2.0/0.7; G-Jr., 6-2 200. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Daxter Miles Jr. - Averaging 6.0/2.1/0.8; G-Fr., 6-3 185. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Elijah Macon - Averaging 4.4/2.4/0.8; comes off the bench for his minutes. F-rFr., 6-9 240. Rivals had him listed as a 4-star player.
Tarik Phillip - Remember him? He was a part of Martin's first class, but couldn't qualify academically. Anyway, averaging 3.8/1.4/0.6, again coming off the bench. G-So., 6-3 185. Rivals had him originally listed as a 3-star player long ago, but he comes to the Mountaineers via the JUCO ranks and apparently still has 3 years left to play, go figure.
Nathan Adrian - Averaging 3.1/2.6/1.1; F-So., 6-9 235. Rivals had him listed as a 3-star player.
Conclusions I draw from the above:
* Bob Huggins has staked out his recruiting territory well. Many high school coaches remember him from his days at Cincinnati, but these recruits also come from not only West Virginia and Ohio, but also Maryland, Virginia, New York, Kansas and Texas.
* As you go through this process, you see a lot of turnover as Huggins got there. A lot of players that he recruited are no longer there (sound familiar?)
* BIG MEN AND LOTS OF THEM. As opposed to us, who have 2 players 6-7 or better, the Mountaineers have 6 (only 3 listed above that get significant minutes this year). This to me is the key to our success. Not the system, not the yelling, not the guard play. If we can get enough big bodies in Columbia, we're going places. PERIOD. Huggins has won this way wherever he has been (remember Danny Fortson, Kenyon Martin and Jason Maxiell? All have spent or are still spending quality time in the NBA)
One more thing.....it should be noted that there are 16 total players on the roster, 14 scholarship players and 2 walk-ons it appears. If USC was to get to that level, that would be nice. I think it would also be a first.