West Virginia adding high-level high school options in roster build
West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries understands the importance of the transfer portal in building a roster but isn’t forgetting about high school options either.
DeVries already has signed Memphis (Tn.) Cordova 2024 guard KJ Tenner. The high-scoring point guard averaged 21.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game in route to winning Mr. Basketball in Division 4A in Tennessee. He was originally signed with Drake but committed to the Mountaineers when given the opportunity to follow DeVries to Morgantown shortly after he took the job.
And now has added a commitment from Centerville (Oh.) 2024 guard Jonathan Powell. The 6-foot-6 guard came available late after requesting his release from Xavier. The first-team all-Ohio selection averaged 19.1 points per game last season and was the second-leading scorer in the Greater Western Ohio Conference.
Powell had a long list of scholarship offers before signing with the Musketeers in November and once he became available the West Virginia coaching staff quickly got him to campus for a visit a few days later.
It’s not often that you can add a high-level player from the high school ranks like that this late in the process, but the Mountaineers were able to secure the nation’s No. 144 ranked prospect. And it’s especially key because Powell fits what West Virginia is looking for as a smooth shooting off-guard who can score in a variety of ways and has the length to defend multiple positions on the other end.
The Mountaineers are now up to nine scholarship players on the roster, with those two directly coming from the high school ranks along with two transfer additions from Illinois with three years left in forward Amani Hansberry and guard Sencire Harris. Both were high-level high school recruits and along with sophomore Ofri Naveh, the lone holdover from last season’s roster, could make up the nucleus of the team down the road.
It’s exactly the type of roster build that DeVries discussed in his introductory press conference when he described that the Mountaineers would be a mix of high school recruiting and the transfer portal.
There’s no question that the program has been hitting the portal for more experienced, ready-made options to fill major roles immediately, but the other additions could benefit not only this year but also the future.
“We’re not losing sight. We want to continue to build from within. Find really talented high school players that want to be here and get this and retain them,” DeVries said. “And have them have a great experience over the course of their career here.”
And the program also has already been very active with future classes as well with a long list of scholarship offers going out to 2025 targets along with other pieces for the future.
It’s all part of the plan for DeVries and so far things are certainly moving in the right direction on all fronts.
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