Harlan Obioha improved his health within the offseason and has change into an inside pressure for West Virginia.
There will likely be dueling huge males working the paint when the Mountaineers host Lafayette on Monday in Morgantown, W. Va.
In a 71-49 win in opposition to Pitt on Thursday, the 7-foot Obioha led West Virginia (4-0) with 19 factors and transformed 8 of 9 area purpose makes an attempt.
“We challenged him within the offseason,” West Virginia coach Ross Hodge mentioned. “He is a big man amongst giant males. He has nice ft, steadiness and arms and that is a very good mixture. He will get his place, does not get off steadiness and if he can get the ball to his chin, he finishes it.”
Honor Huff leads the Mountaineers in scoring at 15.5 factors per recreation. Brenen Lorient (13.8 factors), Obioha (12) and Jasper Floyd (11.8) all rating in double digits for West Virginia.
Lafayette (1-3) has dropped two straight video games. The most recent setback was a 97-78 dwelling loss to Cornell on Thursday.
The Leopards had been led in scoring by Caleb Williams, who racked up 19 factors. However their huge man, Shareef Jackson, whose father Marc Jackson starred at Temple earlier than taking part in professionally within the NBA and abroad, added 13 factors.
A 6-foot-8 freshman ahead, Shareef Jackson mentioned he is seen the margin for error when taking part in in opposition to school gamers is significantly lower than highschool. He is averaged 10.3 factors and 5 rebounds per recreation.
“I’d actually say that it isn’t a lot getting sooner,” Jackson mentioned. “It’s the surprising issues (which can be completely different). From highschool to school, these moments (the place the sport is) the identical velocity. … However that break up second the place a man makes a transfer or a man makes a mistake, that is the place the distinction is. In highschool they’re quick however they don’t seem to be, ‘I am to the basket in half a second.’ In school it is completely different. In the event you make a mistake you have to reply fast or it is a three, a basket, a dunk, any of these.”
–Subject Degree Media