The Will to Win
November 07, 2008 03:29 PM | General
November 7, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Sophomore guard Will Thomas has an opportunity to have a breakthrough year for the Mountaineers in 2008-09.
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| A healthy Will Thomas is looking for a more productive sophomore season for the Mountaineers.
Allison Toffle photo |
Slowed by a lingering leg injury that he suffered during his senior season at Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Ohio, last year Thomas wasn’t the same player he was in high school. He practiced hard and came off the bench when he was called upon, but the 6-foot-5-inch, 210-pound talent is expecting a healthy season so he can prove why he was Coach Bob Huggins’ first-ever recruit at WVU.
“I think I’m way better than I was in high school,” Thomas said, speaking of the last time when he was fully healthy. “Physically, I’m three times better. In high school it was running down the court and scoring and trying to win. Now I feel like I’m really playing for something.”
Thomas admits that it was difficult being hindered during the Mountaineers’ 2007-08 campaign that saw them once again finish higher than expected in the rugged Big East. Although he was ready to contribute in every game, the former No. 1-ranked point guard in Ohio knew that his minutes were numbered because of uncontrollable circumstances.
But no matter how difficult it was to have his all-around game limited, Thomas still found ways to be a factor in practice and benefit the squad in ways that were unseen by the general public.
“It was real frustrating but I sat on the bench and cheered for them, did whatever I could to help them in practice and be a practice player,” Thomas said. “I did whatever I could do, as long as I was learning the game and it prepared me for what I am going to do this year.”
It appears Thomas has a beaming future with the Mountaineers. He believes he is 100 percent healthy and is ready to unleash his talents as a pure scorer who can shoot from anywhere on the court.
Thomas’ ability as a scorer comes as no surprise to his teammates and Huggins, as he was solely recruited based on his ability to dribble, drive and put the ball in the basket. But although his versatility on offense makes him a tremendous threat against any opposition, the East Cleveland, Ohio, native has discovered the importance of focusing on basketball’s more gritty aspect – defense.
“I worked on a lot of defense,” Thomas said of his offseason regimen. “Coach (Huggins) tells us everyday shots won’t go in. There are games where we won’t make a shot, but you can always play defense and always can rebound. That’s what I’ve really been working on. I’ve been working on my 3-point shot as well.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal when I first came here, I didn’t care much about defense. (Huggins) puts it in your mind that if you don’t play defense, you won’t play.”
While many teams in high school basketball can thrive with a transitional scheme on offense, Thomas recognizes that he plays in a defensive-oriented conference that is known for wreaking havoc on even-the-most talented offenses.
However, the Big East has been known for manufacturing some of the country’s quickest guards, most versatile forwards and sizeable centers. The conference also has some of the strongest players in the country, no matter what position.
To help combat the brute strength he is going to face in conference play this year, Thomas has found it valuable to get in the weight room and learn the nuances from strength and conditioning coach Andy Kettler.
“He’s tough. He stays on your back,” Thomas said of Kettler. “He knows what he is doing and we don’t have a choice but to listen to him. But working with him, I will keep listening to him because I am two times better right now than I was last year. I’m happy he’s here.”
Thomas will be looking to excel at either the point guard or shooting guard spot this season. Although he feels comfortable with the ball in his hands, he is also confident in his ability as a scorer, whether it is spotting up for a jumper or creating his offense off the dribble.
Thomas is excited to make a healthy debut for the Mountaineer faithful when visiting NAIA powerhouse Mountain State enters the Coliseum for an exhibition on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m. However, he understands that the coaching staff is well aware of his offensive abilities, and is looking to see what he can do on the defensive end in determining how much floor time he will get this season.
“I think it’s real big,” Thomas said of this weekend’s exhibition. “If I get out there and stay defensively sound, I think I can have a chance to play a lot this season.”
So far, Huggins has been impressed with the conscious effort that Thomas has displayed in playing a winning brand of basketball.
“Will has been a lot better, particularly defensively. He has been a lot more physical and he’s playing with a lot more confidence,” Huggins said. “That is like everybody else, it’s up to Will. We’re going to play the guys that can win for us.”
Although he is in his second season at WVU, Thomas has found himself caught with a double-edged sword – he continues to learn new things everyday in practice, yet is doing his best to teach the talented but inexperienced freshman class about Huggins’ unified offensive attack and tough, man-to-man defensive style that requires the help of all five players.
Based on how practice has developed so far, Thomas sees a lot of progression as well as the constant need to develop as a team in learning both the offense and the defense.
“I don’t think anyone is comfortable with how we’re playing right now; everyone is still learning,” Thomas admitted. “You can never know too much because everyday in practice we’re learning something. But he expects us to know more because we were here last year and we’re expected to help teach the freshmen.”
With a new season ahead, Thomas is ready to make an impact on a squad that is ready to go even further than last year. The addition of a healthy Thomas can certainly ignite WVU’s chances of feeding off the program’s recent success and making a postseason run in March.
But for right now, Thomas is just thankful to be back out on the court with two healthy legs. He credits the coaching staff with his year-long development.
“I think the coaches knew of my ability and what I can do and how well I can play, and that’s why they didn’t give up on me,” Thomas said thankfully. “Even though I didn’t play a lot last year, they kept pushing me.”
