West Virginia wants to empower roster with opportunities available
With several players out of the lineup or off the roster, West Virginia head coach Josh Eilert believes that it has created a chance to empower the rest of the team with the opportunities available.
Jose Perez, who joined the team late last year, didn’t suit up during his time with the program after his eligibility waiver was denied last season and then the Mountaineers parted ways with him before the start of this year.
Then guard RaeQuan Battle's immediate eligibility waiver was denied although the Mountaineers are appealing. Next came an emergency health issue with forward Akok Akok which forced him to be carted off the floor in the exhibition game. Lastly, guard Kerr Kriisa will be ineligible for nine games after accepting impermissible benefits.
With each of those players now out of the mix, along with several other situations that are keeping players off the floor, there are going to be opportunities for a number of players that might have felt they were previously in the background.
Related: West Virginia building for the future despite uncertainty
“Those guys have done everything the right way and I think it’s going to empower them and give them the confidence to move forward and really help this program,” he said.
And while many had pegged Perez as a starter on this year’s edition of the team, Eilert is quick to shoot down that notion and said that there was an open competition across the board. The head coach acknowledges that Perez was going to be a part of the equation, but beyond that it was unsettled.
“There was nothing at this point that I said, or anybody said that promised he would be at this level. We had a lot of guys competing,” Eilert said.
One of those players that could fall into that category would be sophomore Josiah Harris. After playing in just 17 games last season in a reserve role, Harris could be primed to see more minutes for the Mountaineers in large part because of his approach and understanding of what he can do.
Harris has been one of the best rebounders on the team in practice and that can translate into games.
“He understands where he can be effective for us and we want to keep empowering him and give him that confidence to come in and keep helping us,” Eilert said.
Seth Wilson also is another player that is going to be asked to provide major minutes in the backcourt, while junior Kobe Johnson should also be a major factor given the fact, he is one of the most improved players from last year. He has to continue to stay aggressive on the offensive end but could see major minutes at point guard given what he is able to do on the defensive end of the floor.
Finally, forward Quinn Slazinski will be pushed into the starting lineup moving forward with Akok out for the immediate future.
West Virginia still has time to sort it all out, but when one door closes another opens and Eilert is excited to see how it all comes together.
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