BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: WEST VIRGINIA

July 10, 2008

Commitment Alert: Demetrius 'Dee' Proby, 6'10 BF/C Angelina College (TX)

Projected 2008-2009 Roster


Seniors: Alex Ruoff (WF)
Juniors: Joe Mazzula (PG), Wellington Smith (F), Desean Butler (WF), Dee Proby (BF/C)
Sophomores: John Flowers (F), Will Thomas (G), Cam Thoroughman (F), Jonnie West (G)
Freshmen: Darryl Bryant (PG), Kevin Jones (F), Devin Ebanks (F)
2009 Commitment: Roscoe Davis (F)
2010 Commit: Noah Cottrill (G), Storm Stanley (C)

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins Completes 2008 Recruiting Class (msnsportsnet) with the signing of JUCO recruit Dee Proby to a grant-in-aid. Also this week, WVU added a second commitment from the class of 2010 with Storm Stanley, we recently caught up with Stanley's high school coach to learn more on the future Mountaineer as well.

-
Read More on WVU's recruiting...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-


As has been speculated for a couple weeks, the Mountaineers add a late addition to the class of 2008 as JUCO transfer Dee Proby, who was let out of his commitment with Oklahoma State when Travis Ford was hired, has joined the WVU program. The 6-foot-10, 240 lb Proby signed a grant-in-aid and it is official and he will add some size to the WVU line-up for 2008-2009.

Proby averaged nearly 14 points and six rebounds a game as a sophomore at Angelina college. He will have two years of eligibility left at WVU. The skilled big man, who would rather face up from the perimeter than post up in the paint, is a native of Round Rock, TX and will now call Morgantown home to finish his college career.


The early recruiting prowess of WVU coach Bob Huggins is evident in the fact that 6'1 (rising) junior Noah Cottrill from Poca High School (WV) has made an early pledge to WVU. Cottrill is one of the top rated prospects in the class of 2010 and is now joined by his Ohio Basketball Club teamate Storm Stanley.

Stanley is a 6'10 center who is from Toledo (OH) and attends St. Francis DeSales High school where he played for coach Nick Lowe. For more on Stanley, see our recent story for an Introduction to Storm Stanley where coach Lowe gives our readers the lowdown on the Mountaineer's newest verbal commitment.

Bob Huggins aggressively pursued options to close out the 2008 recruiting class. The Mountaineer fans and staff got their wish as Devin Ebanks is willing to accept a scholarship offer. Ebanks, the nation's top uncommitted player remaining in the class of 2008, recently visited West Virginia and the Mountaineers definitely helped themselves. The 6'8, 185 lb Ebanks has the versatility and talent to step into Joe Alexander's vacated role and be productive. Ebanks visited Rutgers, Memphis and Texas after re-opening the process and found the Mountaineers to be the right fit for his talents.

Ebanks is a native of NYC and played the last couple seasons at St. Thomas More in Connecticut under Jere Quinn. This past seasn, Ebanks averaged 23 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists and eclipsed the 1,000 point mark in just two seasons.

Ebanks is long and lean and a versatile scorer who could fill a role similar to that of Joe Alexander if the talented WVU junior keeps his name in the NBA draft. The chance to make an immediate inpact at the college level played a big role in Ebanks decision to choose WVU over Memphis and Rutgers, his other finalists.

Ebanks joins a class with Kevin Jones, a 6'7 combo forward, as well as NYC PG Darryl 'Truck' Bryant as part of one of the conference's top classes. Roscoe Davis was originally part of the class, but it is looking like the 6'10 forward will take an additional prep year to square up his academic standing, as of know, we will list him as a tentative 2009 commitment, but there is still hope that he arrives for the fall.


Coach Bob Huggins is still moving ahead with his efforts in the class of 2009 and it looked like he was off to an intriguing start when Keith DeWitt made a verbal commitment to WVU on April 30th. However, a week later DeWitt withdrew his verbal, and although still considering the Mountaineers, will look at all his options first. With one scholarship currently open for 2009 on paper, players such as Dalton Pepper, 6'5 guard from Pennsbury (PA), who recently made a visit to WVU and could be deciding between the Mountaineers and Villanova by the end of the summer. Durand Scott, 6'4 guard from Rice (HS), 6'6 forward Kevin Parrom of St. Raymond's (NYC), 6'8 power forward Dan Jennings of Oak Hill Academy and 6'10 big man Aaric Murray of Glen Mills (PA) are also being heavily pursued this spring by the staff.


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.