Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which does what it does and isn’t interested in showing people all the things it can’t do. You think about that. It must be basketball season!
I go into tonight’s exhibition/Jonnie West reunion special fully aware I’ll come out with nothing too relevant, but I want to get an eyeful. Bob Huggins had one of those “That doesn’t make any sense … except it makes total sense” statements yesterday. “We’re not as tall this year, but we are bigger.”
(3, 2, 1 …) WVU lacks the height and reach of Devin Ebanks to guard and rebound. Gone is the the vertical ability of Wellington Smith near the basket. The Mountaineers will miss Da’Sean Butler under the basket. He wasn’t really athletic or long or tall, but he did have a knack for finding the ball in crowds on offense and defense.
Stepping forward: 6-8, 260-pound Kevin Jones and Danny Jennings and 6-9, 270-pound Deniz Kilicli.
True, they all played last year, but the latter two will play far more this season. They’ve got wider, more massive bodies that Huggins hasn’t featured at WVU and I’m interested to see how they play and how the team plays around them. I can’t imagine, for example, the 1-3-1 will be as reliable, but I suppose that’s what exhibitions are for.
I’m also watching the situation in the backcourt and the stats for when Truck/Mazzulla play together, the new and improved John Flowers, freshman Kevin Noreen’s game and who has treadmill legs.
The Mountaineers have to get ready in a hurry because, while not filled with the big names of the past, the non-conference schedule is actually very tough. I wonder who has a better lineup of mid-major opponents than Oakland, Davidson,VMI, American, Robert Morris, Cleveland State, and Duquesne. Some good teams and players in that mix and people will expect WVU to stroll because, well, it’s WVU.
Did you forget about football? I think it’s a good week for an open week. There’s no result this week to support or take down the past two and, truth be told, people do get a little tired of talking about or listening to bad news. They need something new and, for that reason alone, Nov. 13 can’t come fast enough. Good week for those Mountaineers.
Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, pay attention to detail … or not.
Yackety Sax said:
Miss me?
So glad you’re back.
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