Mountaineers forced to make moves on the court
In the West Virginia basketball team’s most recent game against Kansas State, Nathan Adrian made his first start of the season.
Against Florida on Saturday, another Mountaineers player may be thrust into the starting lineup as well.
Adrian started in place of freshman Esa Ahmad who was sidelined with an injury. On Thursday, it was announced that starting forward Jonathan Holton is suspended indefinitely stemming from a violation of team rules.
So, who will start for Holton?
Well, if Ahmad is good to go, Adrian will probably earn the starting nod in place of Holton. But Adrian fit well in Ahmad’s position against Kansas State. He scored the first five points for the Mountaineers and finished with 10 points in 21 minutes.
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If Adrian is filling in for Holton, he will not only have to hold down a post position on offense, but he will also be playing WVU’s most important spot on the defensive end.
Holton guards the inbounds passer following a made West Virginia basket. This season, he has led the pressing attack for the Mountaineers defense and has forced many steals and bad passes by the opposition.
Adrian doesn’t have the wingspan or quickness of Holton, so he may not be the best fit up front on defense.
That spot is more well-suited for Brandon Watkins or Elijah Macon.
Two of the taller players on the team, either will be the best bet to guard the inbounds passer of Florida.
Watkins has seen his playing time reduced in Big 12 Conference play after sitting out for the first few games of the regular season. Against KSU, Watkins played for just three minutes and did not record a point.
Macon is one of the team’s top rebounders. He had seven against the Wildcats, but only scored two points in 17 minutes.
Then, there is the possibility of burning the redshirt of Lamont West. The 6-foot-8 freshman is in the mold of Holton and came to WVU after earning all-state honors as a senior at a Georgia high school.
However, if Holton’s “indefinite” suspension is limited to three games, it makes no sense to waste a year of playing time for West.
The good part is, the Mountaineers have options. With their regular 11-man rotation utilized throughout the season, enough players have gained experience to step in when needed.