BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: WEST VIRGINIA

October 23, 2007


Verbal Commitment Alert: Roscoe Davis, 6'10 F from Hargrave Military Academy


Projected 2008-2009 Roster


Seniors: Joe Alexander (SF), Alex Ruoff (WF)
Juniors: Joe Mazzula (PG), Wellington Smith (F), Desean Butler (WF)
Sophomores: John Flowers (F), Will Thomas (G), Cam Thoroughman (F), Jacob Green (BF), Jonnie West (G)
Freshmen: Darryl Bryant (PG), Roscoe Davis (BF)

Bob Huggins strikes on the recruiting trail after hosting several talented prospects last weekend for West Virginia's homecoming weekend. West Virginia Lands Roscoe Davis (CSTV.com) from Upper Marlboro (MD), currently prepping at Hargrave Military Academy as their second commitment for the class of 2008.

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Read More on Davis and WVU's recruiting...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

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Using the DC-area connections of assistant coach Billy Hahn and the national reputation of Bob Huggins, the WVU staff got the job down and landed an impressive verbal commitment from 6'10 forward Roscoe Davis. Davis is a high-upside player that can get up and down the floor as well as any player his size in the class. He also brings a strong inside/out combo of skills that makes him an ideal fit in the system you have come to expect from Bob Huggins' teams. He is still quite thin, maybe around 200 lbs, so he will have to add some muscle to his frame to bang inside and rebound consistently in the Big East, but his ability to shoot and handle the ball for a player his size will always cause match-up problems.

There has been a bit of uncertainty as to which class Davis would end up in, 2008 or 2009. His move to Hargrave Academy was an aggressive step in the direction to qualifying this spring to be part of 2008. The confusion of his class status had several schools taking a wait and see approach, but everyone had raved about his play this fall in Hargrave workouts and the Mountaineers made an aggressive move to land the commitment, rather than have him wait until the spring which could have relaly blown up his recruitment.

Pittsburgh and Kansas State were also under consideration at this time for Davis' future services. Davis averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocked shots as a junior at Wise High School, earning Third Team All-Met honors and First Team All-Prince Georges' County honors as a junior. Davis initially attended St. Mary's-Ryken, a member of the WCAC as a freshman and was enrolled briefly at prep power National Christian Academy before transferring to Douglass High School in Prince George's County as a sophomore.

Davis joins St. Raymond's guard Darryl (Truck) Bryant, the 6'1, 180-pound guard, as commitments for the 2008 WVU class. Bryant averaged 15 points per game for St. Raymond's last season and chose West Virginia over St. John's, Illinois, South Carolina, South Florida, Memphis and Rhode Island. With Joe Mazzulla the only true point guard listed on the WVU roster for 2008-2009, the addition of Bryant fills a need for the Mountaineers. Bryant has the NYC toughness that a Bob Huggins-coached team will put to good use. Bryant thrives on overpowering opponents in getting to the basket or the free throw line. He will need to fine-tune his shooting and the intricate skills of a point guard, but he has a high basketball IQ and has played for two top-notch programs at St. Raymond's High School and the NY Gaucho AAU program, so he will be ready for Big East basketball.

Bryant is now part of a projected roster of 12 players for the Mountaineers in 2008-2009, leaving one scholarship currently open. it would not come as a surprise to see WVU 'over-recruit' their roster because, with any coaching change, the change in philosophy and style might have a player or two feel out of place under the new regime. Bob Huggins prefers an uptempo style of play that includes physical defense and rebounding, nearly a polar opposite of the system former WVU coach Joh Beilein instilled in the program. One thing that might come as a little surprise to outsiders is that there are a few more players on the WVU roster that might fit Huggins' style than fans were initially led to believe. So, watching how their playing time distribution shakes out will be interesting. It is also improtant to remember that class of 2006 players, Cam Thoroughman (F), Jacob Green (BF), Jonnie West (G), all redshirted last season and will be part of the freshmen class of 2007 with John Flowers and Huggins' spring addition, Will Thomas.

Last weekend West Virginia also hosted Mount Vernon forward Kevin Jones for an official visit. Some believed WVU to be among the leaders to land Jones, but a commitment from Davis might dilute those chances since both consider themselves combo forwards. However, West Virginia could certainly use both on the floor at the same time if they were lucky enough to land both.

Not too get too far ahead of ourselves, but recruiting happens at an earlier and earlier stage each year, but the 2009 class already has several West Virginia targets surfacing loud and clear. Highly-rated Lance Stephenson has WVU in his sights. The NYC (Lincoln) prodigy has been called the 'Next One' for a few years now. Also, Delaware native Brian Oliver has emerged as a prime Big East target and the Mountaineers have been on him from the get-to, including hosting hom last weekend as well. Loveland (Ohio) High School sophomore, Bobby Capobianco, 6'8 and 225 lbs, also was on campus last weekend and liked what he saw. Marquette is also strongly in the mix for the 2009 talent.

The early recruiting is also evident in the fact that 6'1 Sophomore Noah Cottrell from Poca High School (WV) has made an early pledge to WVU. Cottrell is one of the top rated prospects in the class of 2010.

we will continue to pay close attention to the West Virginia recruiting prospects as Bob Huggins looks to make his stamp on his alma mater.