MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Based on the reaction from the moment he was introduced to the crescendo of cheers every time he touched the ball, five-star freshman Oscar Tshibewe was the focal point of Friday night’s WVU basketball Blue-Gold Debut scrimmage.
But Tshibewe wasn’t the only thing worth watching at WVU Coliseum. Indeed, his performance wasn’t even the most telling about the 2019-20 Mountaineers’ potential.
Here are five observations that stood out Friday night.
Oscar is the real deal
From an athletic perspective, Tshibewe is just operating at at a different level than everyone else on this team. He is also far from a finished product, with his first play on the WVU Coliseum floor serving as an example of both traits.
The first time he touched the ball, Tshibewe went coast-to-coast with a fluidity that shouldn’t be possible for a 6-foot-9 big man. Alas, the thunderous dunk he envisioned finishing the play with didn’t materialize when he slammed the ball off the front of the rim instead.
Tsibewe was the only guy on the floor to finish with a double-double, getting 15 points and 11 rebounds. He also had four turnovers, most of which were induced by the defense of Gabe Osabuihen.
Get Gabe Osabuihen eligible
Nothing about Osabuihen’s career stats at Arkansas screamed “game-changer.” He averaged 2.4 points and 2.5 points per game in his two seasons with the Razorbacks.
Some guys you just have to see to understand.
Osabuihen’s game is extremely well-rounded for a 6-foot-8 forward. He was arguably the most impressive passer on the floor Friday night, finishing with a team-high four assists. He did a fairly good job going toe-to-toe with Tshibewe, finishing with eight rebounds in addition to having a hand in four turnovers.
Osabuihen doesn’t project as a starter in this lineup, but the energy he brings to the floor is everything you want in a sixth man. West Virginia is in the process of seeking a waiver for him to be able to play this season, and it’s easy to see why. He’s the type of guy who can make a positive impact playing just 15-20 minutes a game.
“He’s like that every day,” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. “He plays hard every day. He handles the ball and passes very well for a big. And he’s active, just really active.”
The Mountaineers might not be holding their breath for Osabuihen to play this year, though. He was dismissed from Arkansas’ roster by new coach Eric Musselman, making a waiver uncertain.
The juco kids can shoot
Junior college transfers Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil will both give the Mountaineers a shot in the arm from long range a year after the team finished 302nd nationally in 3-point percentage.
Sherman was 4-for-6 from behind the arc on his way to a team-high 18 points, while McNeil hit two of his four 3-point attempts.
“I think they are our two best shooters,” Huggins said. “We’re going to end up playing three guards a lot. Taz can shoot it. You don’t average 26 a game in the league he played in if you can’t score.”
Sherman played at Collin (Texas) College, which is in one of the strongest traditional districts in NJCAA Division I.
Miles McBride will improve the defense
Offensively, freshman Miles “Deuce” McBride isn’t at Jordan McCabe’s level as a point guard. Luckily, West Virginia won’t need him to be.
“He can play the 1, 2 or 3. We can use him in virtually any combination,” Huggins said. “Him and Jermaine Haley are our most versatile players.”
McBride was WVU’s best on-ball defender Friday, finishing with five steals and a blocked shot. If he’s on the floor, the days of Press Virginia may actually return in earnest.
Logan Routt is more than a big body
Logan Routt’s game has refined well past the level of “guy you put on the floor when the other bigs are in foul trouble.”
Routt was a legitimate contributor in the scrimmage, finishing with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting.