With Mountaineer Madness approaching fast and WVU entering the new season with what many feel could be the program’s best team in years, the coaching staff is looking to parlay its on-court momentum into an impressive haul on the recruiting trail. Today, EerSports.com -- your FREE home for WVU sports and recruiting news -- has an overview featuring many of the prospects on WVU’s radar.
2010
PG Noah Cottrill (6-1/180), Logan, WV: There’s been lots of hype about Cottrill ever since he verbally committed to WVU before his sophomore season, and with good reason. Rated the No. 16 point guard and No. 68 player overall in the Class of 2010 by ESPN.com/Scouts Inc., Cottrill is expected to be the leader of WVU’s backcourt for years to come. Cottrill spent last year at Mountain State Academy, but transferred to Logan over the summer when his father got a job there, and he’s impressed so far.
“We’re not allowed to practice with them yet, but when it comes to weightlifting and conditioning, he really goes at it 100 percent. You’re going to see a difference, he’s a stronger kid this year, and he has always been a strong guard,” said Logan coach Mark Hatcher. “He seems to attract other kids and he works as hard as anyone we’ve had here.”
Needless to say, the people in Logan are thrilled to have Cottrill in the fold -- not only because of his talent, but because they’re big-time WVU supporters. Longtime Logan coach Willie Akers, Hatcher’s predecessor, was Jerry West’s roommate at West Virginia.
SF Tobias Harris (6-8/210), Brookville, NY: Harris, rated No. 3 nationally at his position and No. 7 overall, would be the gem of any class. A smooth and rangy big man with except
ional offensive skill, he’s narrowed his list to seven schools he says he’ll visit: Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Tennessee, Syracuse and West Virginia.
Some insider talk says the ‘Cuse or Louisville could be the teams to beat, but Huggins has made an impression on Harris. With Da’Sean Butler graduating and Devin Ebanks almost sure to bolt for the NBA, Harris could be the staff’s top prospect.
PF Adreian Payne (6-9/215), Dayton, OH: It’s difficult to get a great gauge on who the favorites are for Payne. The nation’s No. 23 prospect in the 2010 class, he doesn’t do a lot of talking. What we do know, though, is that he’s got five finalists -- Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State and West Virginia and plans to visit all five. He’s already checked out Kentucky.
“They’ve done a great job of recruiting him,” said his Jefferson High School coach, Art Winston. “He knows that coach Huggins has the ability to make players better.”
Taking a Look
C David Nyarsuk (7-1/230), Sudan/Beckley, WV: Nayarsuk is a newcomer at Mountain State Academy, where he’ll suit up for coach Rodney Crawford, who played for Huggins at Cincinnati. He’s massive, with a good motor and athleticism, but like many of his fellow imports, lacks offensive refinement and needs to achieve satisfactory test scores to qualify. Should WVU’s coaches deem him worthy of an offer this winter, though, they’ll have a great shot and landing Nyarsuk, ESPN.com’s 20th-rated center in the Class of 2010.
G Bryon Allen (6-3/205), Mitchellville, MD: Allen (pictured left) verbally committed to WVU in January, but plans changed in August when the coaching staff informed him of a scholarship crunch resulting from point guard Joe Mazzulla’s successful application for an NCAA medical red shirt. Allen has transferred from famed Oak Hill Academy (Va.) to St. Thomas More (CT) in search of more opportunity to shine.
Several colleges have already inquired about Allen, who could possibly land with the Mounties in 2011 if he chooses to attend prep school for a year and await a open scholarship. We don’t see that scenario as highly likely, though.
G Chad Jackson (6-4, 175), Georgetown, KY: At some point, WVU reportedly offered Jackson, but he seems likely to stay closer to home, with Dayton being a possible destination.
C/PF Enes Kanter (6-10/250), Turkey: When Kanter, a heralded import with a likely NBA future, showed up abruptly at Mountain State Academy this fall, there was hope WVU would be in position to land the blue-chip rebounded. But he left just as abruptly, heading back overseas. Sources say it’s highly unlikely he’ll ever play college basketball in America.
PF JayVaughn Pinkston (6-6/200), Brooklyn, NY: West Virginia recently attempted to jump back into the mix with Pinkston, but the powerful inside banger is already reaching the home-stretch of his recruitment and is not looking to add to a list that includes Villanova, St. John’s, Marquette and Seton Hall. Good chance he ends up at ‘Nova.
PF Devon Collier (6-7, 212), Jersey City, NJ: Though some lists show West Virginia among Collier’s suitors, the Mounties haven’t been recruiting him for some time. He’ll end up at Oregon State, Providence or Seton Hall.
SF Shaquille Thomas (6-6/180), Montclair, NJ: Though gifted with raw talent and athleticism and a frequent visitor to WVU games last season, Thomas has changed schools frequently and will need to set roots academically. He’s also said recently that he’d like to stay close to his grandmother, who lives in New Jersey. West Virginia’s pursuit of Thomas likely ended the minute he left Mountain State Academy in Beckley.
PF Luke Cothron (6-8/205), Red Springs, NC: Cothron, like Thomas, is a big-time talent who’s bounced around frequently. He committed to N.C. State last week, but the question remains as to whether he’ll qualify. Regardless, it won’t happen at WVU.
SF Rod Odom (6-8/200), Bellport, NY: West Virginia wowed Odom on a late-summer visit and appeared to be very much in the mix for his commitment, but he committed to Arizona recently, making Harris an ever bigger priority.
2011
Top Priorities
man (6-8, 195), Upper Marlboro, MD: Goodman is a multi-skilled big kid with NBA potential, but he has also moved around quite a bit and continues to work on maturation. A member of the ESPN.com Super 60 for 2011, WVU has reportedly offered him a scholarship and appears to stand a good chance. “I think he’s going to go to Kansas State or West Virginia, if I had to say,” said one source very close to Goodman’s recruitment.
Goodman transferred this fall to Progressive Christian Academy in Camp Springs, Md., this fall in an effort to shore his transcript. He’ll visit Kansas State next weekend and could be making a trip to Morgantown soon as well, assuming he doesn’t commit to K-State first.
PF/C Keith Coleman (6-9/233) Philadelphia/Lee, ME: Coleman is a Philly native who made the long trek to Maine to work on academics and basketball. A physical inside presence, he also has interest from Villanova, Pitt, Nebraska and others. It’s unclear whether or not WVU has offered him, but he’s definitely on the radar. His AAU coach, Lonnie Lowry, has known WVU assistant Billy Han for years
SG Trevor Cooney (6-3/180), Wilmington, DE: Cooney is a big-time shooter and an object of affection for many of the region’s top programs. Villanova appears to be in the driver’s seat. Hahn is looking to work his Philly area connections here, but we see Cooney staying a bit closer to home
2012
PF Elijah Macon (6-8/210) Columbus, OH: Like Cottrill, Macon committed to WVU very early, after his freshman season. Unlike Cottrill, though, Macon is not a West Virginia native and his commitment 
was somewhat of a surprise. There’s a long ways between now and signing day, though. Will hometown Ohio State make a push at some point?
SF Anthony Bennett (6-7/200), Beckley, WV: A native of Canada, Bennett has high-major written all over him. He’s a jumping jack who finishes high above the rim and has interest from schools everywhere. An offer from West Virginia seems likely, and again, it won’t hurt that he’s playing for Huggins protégé Crawford.
F Amile Jefferson (6-6/170), Philadelphia, PA: WVU already has verbally offered the touted sophomore, whom some rank among the top 10 players in the nation in his class. But then again, so have several dozen other programs; Jefferson’s recruitment will likely be a full-scale national affair, with schools such as Duke involved.
PF Grant Jerrett (6-8, 195), La Verne, CA: Though the West Coast isn’t traditionally its recruiting grounds, WVU’s staff is said to be keeping tabs on the gangly but skilled sophomore.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This list was compiled entirely through independent EerSports.com staff reports, without confirmation from West Virginia’s coaching staff, and is not an entire or official list of West Virginia's basketball recruiting prospects.
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