West Virginia Basketball: How can the Mountaineers recover after departures?
West Virginia basketball always finds a way to be one of the best teams in the nation. After losing a lot of talent, though, how can they stay near the top?
Even though Kansas has reigned over the Big 12 with a vice-like grip over the past several years, West Virginia has been seemingly always nipping at their heels. The program has reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons but whether or not this streak continues remains to be seen. Thanks to Daxter Miles and Jevon Carter, West Virginia was transformed into “Press Virginia” in the past few seasons. However, both players are no longer with the program and their absences will be felt tremendously next season.
On the surface, it is easy to see that replacing Carter (17.3 points, 6.6 assists) and Miles (12.7 points, 3.1 assists) will be hard to do given their offensive production as the team’s two leading scorers. However, this does not put into perspective how impactful these players were defensively. This backcourt was among the best in the country on that end of the floor, coming away with a combined 4.3 steals per game. On an individual level, Carter was clearly the best perimeter defender in the nation over the last two seasons.
With both of them gone, it is hard to imagine that West Virginia will look the same. Is “Press Virginia” gone? What will Bob Huggins do without his incredibly experienced and talented backcourt? While the answers are obviously still yet to be seen on the court, there are a few players likely to step into big roles next season.
Is freshman Jordan McCabe ready to play right away?
A 5’10” guard from Kaukauna, Wisconsin, Jordan McCabe looks to take over a major role as a freshman. He is a fringe top-100 recruit in the 2018 class but this is mainly due to his size. Throughout high school, McCabe continuously outplayed taller and more physical athletes with his craftiness and scoring ability. As he steps into the big shoes left by Carter, there is no reason to believe that he cannot outperform expectations once again.
The expectation is that Beetle Bolden will be the starting point guard but McCabe will be needed in order for WVU to succeed. Even if he is not a starter as a freshman, he will still excite the crowd with his razzle-dazzle moves. One of the most creative passers and ballhandlers in the country, McCabe has made his fair share of highlight reels over the past few years. He might not be the star player for the Mountaineers as a freshman but he could easily be the one making the most headlines.
Who takes over as the starting shooting guard?
There are two solid options to step into the hole left by Miles: Brandon Knapper and incoming freshman Trey Doomes (No. 160). After suffering a knee injury prior to last season, Knapper will return next season with hopes that he recovered well. He was a top-250 recruit out of high school and could provide some solid scoring. However, there will be a bit of competition.
Doomes, a 6’3″ guard from Florida, was a fast-riser up the recruiting rankings over the last year. He is excellent in attacking the basket and finishes well through contact. Regardless of whether or not Doomes is starting, he should be a valuable scorer next to the playmakers in Bolden and McCabe.
Next: Potentially influential 2018 recruiting classes
It is clear that the Mountaineers could struggle to be as dominant as they have been in the past. Yet, with a few excellent newcomers helping out in the backcourt, not to mention top-100 big man Derek Culver, the program should be in good shape. Coach Huggins should have WVU dancing once again.