Life as a Mountaineer - Lamont West
January 24, 2019 04:55 PM | Men's Basketball
Lamont West can still remember the first time he played basketball, although it's an occasion he'd prefer to forget.
"My first game was at the YMCA in downtown Cincinnati and I was not that good at all," he recalled. "I caught the ball and dribbled it past half court in the opposite direction of where I was supposed to go so it was not a good experience."
But soon Lamont got better … and better … and better.
"Between the 10thand 11thgrade during the summer that's when I felt like I was starting to get good. I felt like I could really do something with the game of basketball," he recalled. "I was getting better and I was playing more so it was more enjoyable."
Today, West is one of four Mountaineer players averaging double figures at 10.6 points per game heading into Saturday's SEC/Big 12 Challenge game at No. 1-ranked Tennessee.
West said those tough afternoons on the hardtop back in Queen City helped prepare him for what he now faces on a nightly basis in the Big 12.
"Cincinnati is tough basketball. We've got a lot of outside courts and a lot of fouling so you learn to play aggressive and hard-nosed basketball," he said. "It really taught me a lot of things."
It also helped him adjust to the way veteran coach Bob Huggins runs his Mountaineer program.
"Coach Huggs is a hard-nosed coach," West admitted. "I used to watch him all the time and he's really hard on you and he wants the best out of you. That's really why I came here. I wanted him to bring the best out of me and that's what I really needed."
West understands that Mountaineer basketball, in his words, is a "microcosm of this state." He realizes the performance of the team carries great meaning to the people of West Virginia.
"Every day we go out and play we play for this state and this University and we just want to make them proud," he said.
Presently, the Mountaineers are not having the type of season Mountaineer fans have grown accustomed to over the last four or five years when NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances were the norm.
It's also been difficult for the players such as West who have experienced nothing but success since coming to WVU.
He admits he's learning a lot about himself as the team fights through some of its recent struggles.
"In basketball, you go through a lot of adversity and a lot of ups and downs," he said. "It's like real life. I feel like West Virginia has really taught me how to overcome adversity and what I'm going through. Basketball gets you off that bad mindset, and if you're going through something you get over it."
This episode of Life of a Mountaineer was produced by Sarah Ramundt.
Life of a Mountaineer is presented by Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration.
"My first game was at the YMCA in downtown Cincinnati and I was not that good at all," he recalled. "I caught the ball and dribbled it past half court in the opposite direction of where I was supposed to go so it was not a good experience."
But soon Lamont got better … and better … and better.
"Between the 10thand 11thgrade during the summer that's when I felt like I was starting to get good. I felt like I could really do something with the game of basketball," he recalled. "I was getting better and I was playing more so it was more enjoyable."
Today, West is one of four Mountaineer players averaging double figures at 10.6 points per game heading into Saturday's SEC/Big 12 Challenge game at No. 1-ranked Tennessee.
West said those tough afternoons on the hardtop back in Queen City helped prepare him for what he now faces on a nightly basis in the Big 12."Cincinnati is tough basketball. We've got a lot of outside courts and a lot of fouling so you learn to play aggressive and hard-nosed basketball," he said. "It really taught me a lot of things."
It also helped him adjust to the way veteran coach Bob Huggins runs his Mountaineer program.
"Coach Huggs is a hard-nosed coach," West admitted. "I used to watch him all the time and he's really hard on you and he wants the best out of you. That's really why I came here. I wanted him to bring the best out of me and that's what I really needed."
West understands that Mountaineer basketball, in his words, is a "microcosm of this state." He realizes the performance of the team carries great meaning to the people of West Virginia.
"Every day we go out and play we play for this state and this University and we just want to make them proud," he said.
Presently, the Mountaineers are not having the type of season Mountaineer fans have grown accustomed to over the last four or five years when NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances were the norm.
It's also been difficult for the players such as West who have experienced nothing but success since coming to WVU.
He admits he's learning a lot about himself as the team fights through some of its recent struggles.
"In basketball, you go through a lot of adversity and a lot of ups and downs," he said. "It's like real life. I feel like West Virginia has really taught me how to overcome adversity and what I'm going through. Basketball gets you off that bad mindset, and if you're going through something you get over it."
This episode of Life of a Mountaineer was produced by Sarah Ramundt.
Life of a Mountaineer is presented by Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration.
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