MORGANTOWN. W.Va. — Junior college point guard Tarik Phillip, a target for West Virginia ever since Eron Harris announced plans to transfer March 24, committed to the Mountaineers on Sunday afternoon, according to WVSports.com.
The 6-foot-3 Phillip, originally a 2012 South Carolina signee who failed to qualify academically, was attracting interest from Kansas, Oklahoma State and Memphis, but chose West Virginia after visiting campus this weekend.
Phillip starred at Independence (Kan.) Community College this past season as a redshirt freshman. He earned Jayhawk Conference MVP honors while averaging 18.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Independence coach Tony Turner described Phillip as a point guard capable of playing on or off the ball. He shot 55 percent from the floor and 38 percent from 3-point range this season.
“Tarik can really score from anywhere you need him to—he can get to the rack or shoot jumpers—but he likes to get his teammates involved,” Turner said. “He’s really a pass-first guy.”
WVU could use the new recruit in tandem with Juwan Staten and Terry Henderson in a three-guard lineup, though Phillip would be valuable even backing up Staten, who was forced to play more than 37 minutes per game last season.
Phillip can’t officially sign with West Virginia until April 16.
The Mountaineers’ two earlier signees for this 2014 class are also guards—the 6-2 Jevon Carter out of Maywood, Ill., and 6-3 Daxter Miles, a Baltimore product who’s attending prep school in Massachusetts this year.