In Huggins' Search for Rebounding, WVU Offers 6'10" 270-lb JUCO Forward
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With a mass exodus of bigs leaving WVU via the transfer portal or graduation, WVU head basketball coach Bob Huggins has his work cut out for him. The players he and his staff are currently targeting are big, physical, and hard to move in the paint. Unfortunately, the Mountaineers weren't as tough inside this past season as they usually are, and it reflected in the stat sheet each night.
On Saturday afternoon, Huggins extended an offer to Jimmy Bell Jr., a 6'10", 270-pound big from Moberly Area College in Missouri.
"I was just blessed to have earned an offer of that caliber - I'm very excited," Bell told Mountaineers Now. "I like how Coach Huggins coaches. He is more of an old school coach like my head coach at Moberly. I like his playing style and his need for bigs. He wants to give us the ball."
Bell began his collegiate career at Saint Louis, where he started 30 games as a true freshman, averaging 3.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, Bell saw his minutes cut in half the following season and decided to head to the JUCO level.
In one season at Moberly, Bell nearly averaged a double-double, going for 9.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game on 59% shooting from the field. He finished the season as the third-best offensive rebounder in JUCO (146 rebounds) and 11th in total rebounds. For a team that ranked 231st in rebounding, it's no secret as to why Huggins is targeting Bell. Not to mention, he also has the ability to block shots (1.4 bpg).
No decision date has been set, but Bell does intend on visiting WVU as soon as possible.
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