One leads to more for West
When marred in a prolonged shooting slump, sometimes all it takes is one.
Just one shot to go through the net to get things going again. Just a single in rhythm attempt to help recapture a spark of confidence and the good feelings associated with a successful shooting operation.
Just one.
At times, basketball is a game that is every bit as mental as it is physical and good shooters can find themselves trapped in their own prisons of sorts by simply overthinking things.
But all it takes is one and to get to that one, confidence is required.
“I know I hadn’t been shooting it well. It felt good to watch that first one go in,” redshirt sophomore Lamont West said following the game against Kansas State.
West had made only 6-23 of his three-point attempts during the stretch where West Virginia lost five of six games, while falling out of the starting lineup in the process. But watching that first one go through the net, led to another against the Wildcats.
In post-game interviews, West was oozing a quiet confidence that had eluded him for the past couple games. Was this the start of a turnaround?
There wasn’t a long wait to find out.
Playing in its second game in three days, West came off the bench against Oklahoma in the first half to hit five consecutive threes in a span of only three-minutes. His shooting touch put the Mountaineers out front with a 17-2 run, all but two of that by West and they’d never relinquish that edge hold beating the Sooners 75-73 for their first loss on their home floor.
“He did a good job. I told him don’t hesitate let it go. You’re a shooter what’s what you do,” senior guard Jevon Carter told him before the Mountaineers took the floor.
The pep talk apparently worked.
The Georgia native finished the game 5-9 from three, putting him at 7-12 over the past two. That is more made threes in the past two games than the previous six combined.
It isn’t all related to that lone issue, but perhaps more importantly the Mountaineers are 2-0 in that span when West has made shots. It all helps.
“We as a staff have been telling Lamont to just shoot the ball. He’s been analyzing every shot and we’ve just said shoot the ball. You catch it, shoot it,” head coach Bob Huggins said.
That last part is particularly important because while West has proven himself to be a marksman at times from beyond the arc, shot selection has caused his numbers to dip. He’s simply at his best when he catches the ball in rhythm and goes up with a shot as opposed to forcing things.
That isn’t his game and the coaches reminded him of that late against the Sooners.
“We were all upset with him on our next to last possession. He had a shot, but he pump faked and dribbled it and it was a shot clock violation,” Huggins said. “He’s got to shoot the ball when he’s open. Make or miss he’s got to shoot it.”
There are several factors at play, but there is no question that West Virginia is a better team when West and redshirt sophomore James Bolden are making shots. Perhaps this is the start of another run for West that will yield much more positive results.
“I just told him to play. Sometimes you can over think things and I think he was overthinking things,” Huggins said.
