West Virginia is in the process of discovering how all the of the pieces on the roster fit together and one that is intriguing is transfer guard Jayden Stone.
Stone transferred over from Detroit Mercy where he was a productive scorer and averaged 20.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 42-percent from the floor and 31-percent from three. He took an average of 17 shots per game and was the primary focus on the offensive end.
That was his second year with the Titans after spending his first two seasons at Grand Canyon and saw his scoring jump from the 13.9 points per game that he averaged in his first year there.
Stone won’t likely be asked to carry that type of burden on the offense end with West Virginia but there is certainly a role for what he can do on the offensive end.
“He’s figuring out how can he best utilize his talents on the offensive end,” head coach Darian DeVries said.
And that's something that appealed to him when he first picked the program.
"The adaptability is a learning curve for me but this is why I came here to adjust to playing with the best to best and give it my best shot. It’s been really fun because I've been stretched out of my comfort zone," Stone said.
West Virginia needed somebody on the roster that can score the ball and Stone definitely fits that mold. He can create off the dribble and is a natural scorer who can put the ball in the basket.
The graduate transfer has good size and also can effectively shoot the basketball across to space the floor. While that total was only at 31-percent from three this past year, Stone shot 52-percent in 13 games the season before with the Titans meaning he could be a good fit off the ball.
That makes him a strong fit for what West Virginia wanted in a scoring option that not only can generate his own points off the bounce but can play off the tandem of point guard Javon Small and wing Tucker DeVries in order to hit shots and help provide even more space for those two to operate.
But he also can help in other areas.
"Got a lot of natural scorers here as well so obviously the responsibility is to put the ball in the hoop. Really playing defense, locking down on the defensive end, hitting open shots, cutting well and obviously he knows I can score," Stone said.
Stone also is an effective rebounder which makes him a strong fit for what head coach Darian DeVries wants to do especially on the defensive end of the floor to get out in transition.
“I like what he brings because he some athleticism. He can get to the rim, he’s got a good midrange,” DeVries said. “He can shoot the three, so I think as it’s gone on he’s getting more and more comfortable with what we’re trying to do at both ends of the floor.”
But the head coach believes he will be a good fit for what the Mountaineers want to do.
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