WVSports.com takes a look back at the junior college prospects that have impressed after signing with the West Virginia Mountaineers basketball program.
This list is compiled during the Rivals.com recruiting era which runs from 2002-2019 and we are examining prospects that have already completed their careers.
This list only consists of those prospects that signed out of the junior college level even if they started at another program beforehand.
Years active: 2015-16
Statistics: 9.7 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game and 90 steals
Paige played at two different junior colleges and appeared destined for Southern Mississippi but opened up his recruitment after the head coach was fired. That led him to West Virginia and he certainly made the most of his two years. Paige was one of the better players on the roster but was used off the bench effectively. He was especially impressive during his senior season where he averaged 13.7 points earning Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year Honors. Page was also an ideal fit for the press style defense and really helped make the blueprint for yet another talented junior college guard on this list.
Years active: 2015-16
Statistics: 8.2 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game
Holton started his career at Rhode Island but after an incident ended up at Palm Beach C.C. From there, West Virginia got involved as the athletic specimen was a perfect fit at the top of the press that the Mountaineers were using. Holton was a strong contributor during his two-seasons and was one of the more effective defenders that the program has had given his length and non-stop motor.
Years active: 2015-17
Statistics: 7.7 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game
Phillip was the rare junior college player that had three years of eligibility in his career and while he eased into things his first year he still made a splash by hitting the game-winning three-pointer against Buffalo in the NCAA Tournament. He would develop into a key reserve in his second season and took things even further in his third earning Big 12 Conference Sixth Man of the Year Honors. A spark-plug off the bench, Phillip was a lock down defender that more than made up for his low ranking coming into the program. He appeared in 106 games during his time with the Mountaineers.
Years active: 2010-11
Statistics: 8.3 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game
Mitchell was brought in to provide a scoring spark, especially from the outside, and while it took him some time to get settled in he didn't disappoint. The junior college guard appeared in 65 games during his career but took a major leap during his second season averaging 13.6 points and hitting 38-percent of his three-pointers. He had some memorable moments during his time in Morgantown and hit some key shots.
Years active: 2019-20
Statistics: 7.9 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 53.3-percent from the floor
Haley had an interesting career path coming from Canada and ending up at New Mexico State before heading to Odessa C.C. in Texas. He arrived at West Virginia with two years of eligibility left in his career and was a solid part of the team showcasing his overall versatility. He appeared in 66 games during that span and thrived as a strong versatile defender while he also displayed the ability to score more as his career progressed. Haley was playing the best basketball of his career when his season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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