West Virginia getting more time, seasoning for sophomore guards

West Virginia was without Emmitt Matthews against Buffalo but that opened the door for others.

Namely a pair of sophomore guards in Kobe Johnson and Seth Wilson who saw extended playing time as the Mountaineers used more three-guard lineups with Matthews unavailable. The two Ohio guards played a combined 35-minutes and made the most of their time on the floor.

Johnson started the game and finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds, while connecting on all three of his field goal attempts. Wilson scored 10 points on 4-7 from the field with a rebound.

“We’re trying to give the other guys some time. Kobe deserves more time; Seth deserves more time than what they’ve been getting,” head coach Bob Huggins said.

The non-conference portion of the schedule is for experimentation and the absence of Matthews allowed the Mountaineers to get some experience for other pieces on the roster. That is critical because while Matthews will return soon, the program is going to need each of those pieces to contribute.

That’s especially true if transfer guard Jose Perez doesn’t get good news on the appeal of his denied waiver. While Perez gives the Mountaineers another seasoned guard if he isn’t able to see the floor this season that means that both Wilson and Johnson become a necessity off the bench for this team.

Wilson has worked hard on improving his shot and overall game and the same can be said for Johnson. The pair didn’t see a lot of time last season, but the pair could become critical from a depth standpoint. Both are developing into more consistent options than at any point in their careers.

“We really need them to help us. We really need them to have a strong core,” Huggins said. “We didn’t get them in enough; they have to play more. The more they play, the better they’re going to be.”

Just because the two share a similar background as tough-nosed guards from Ohio doesn’t mean that they bring the same things to the court. Wilson has improved his shot and while a solid defender isn’t necessarily as impactful there as Johnson due to his length and versatility to defend one through four.

It seems that anytime Wilson has gotten in the game this season that he has made an impact on the offensive end. That was on display yet again against Buffalo where hit several big shots including a one-foot fall away that got the attention of his teammates.

“That’s not even his go-to move,” guard Erik Stevenson said.

Still for Wilson, it was about working on what he needed to improve in order to become a better overall player. He believes he is a better on-the-ball defender and understands rotations more than he did a year ago. While, offense it comes down to confidence.

But ultimately it simply comes down to winning the games instead of worrying about how he fits into the rotation with minutes.

"As long as we win I don't care," he said.

The Mountaineers won’t know what will happen next when it comes to the waiver for Perez, but Matthews will return in short order from his knee injury likely for the start of Big 12 Conference play. Still, both figure to play a key role in just how far this team can go with their contributions off the bench.

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