Now here is a story with some actual news you can sink you teeth into. It's opinion, but it's not some sportswriter's (with a very narrow focus) opinion, but rather the opinion of the man that runs the league. His opinion I value as a true judge, and not just idle speculation.

Enjoy some real news for a change...

The Charleston Gazette Wrote:WVU's K.J. and Truck, mags and Cummings
By Mitch Vingle
Sports Editor
July 22, 2008

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- John Giammarco is impressed.

He's impressed with incoming WVU freshman Kevin Jones.

He's impressed with incoming WVU freshman Darryl "Truck'' Bryant.

And he's been a fan of Mountaineer junior Joe Mazzulla since last year at this time.

Giammarco is the man who runs the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro-Am circuit, which is staging playoffs this week in the Steel City.

And while most WVU fans will wait until the season opener to check out the Mountaineer newbies, Giammarco has the scoop now. On the older and the new.

"Joe Mazzulla might be the best guard in the Big East,'' Giammarco said on Monday. "He's had a great summer.''

The organizer said Mazzulla has handled such talent as Pittsburgh's Levance Fields and may be in line for his second straight player of the year honor. (Pitt's Sam Young is another strong candidate.)

Giammarco also likes that Mazzulla running mate Alex Ruoff "has put on 15 pounds of muscle'' since last season.

But Giammarco really begins to crow when the subject is the Mountaineer freshmen.

"West Virginia fans really have a lot to be excited about there," said the organizer. "Kevin Jones is going to be a superstar. He has a soft jump shot. He runs the court."

"And Truck Bryant ... He'll eventually take over the reigns. He's a floor general.''

Giammarco said he hasn't had much of a chance to watch Devin Ebanks, the most heralded Mountaineer recruit of the class.

Jones, though, is a different story.

"In all likelihood, [Jones will] be named our rookie of the year,'' Giammarco said. "He's gone against [last season's Pitt freshman standout] DeJuan Blair and didn't back down.''

The league is a terrific way for college players to stay honed in the offseason. West Virginia players participated last summer along with those from Pitt and Robert Morris. This season, Duquesne joined the competition.

"It's an exciting time for the Tri-State in regard to basketball,'' Giammarco said. "We have two teams that will contend for the Big East title.''

He called Pitt's Young and Blair "powerful'' and Fields the "third-best guard in the Big East.''

And of those Duquesne Dukes, coached by Fairmont native Ron Everhart?

"The Dukes are going to be back,'' Giammarco said. "They've got a kid named Melquan Bolding who will be a freshman this year. Wow. He's 6-4, 6-5 and this kid gets air.''


Closers:

* Connecticut football coach Randy Edsall recently replaced a pair of assistant coaches. And one of those replacements, David Wilczewski, spent last spring working at Marshall as a recruiting assistant.

Wilczewski will help manage the recruiting database and organize campus visits for UConn.

* A Web site called stassen.com crunched the numbers in regard to preseason magazines and said West Virginia's football team has an average ranking of No. 8 entering the 2008 season. The Mountaineers are picked to win the Big East by every single mag.

Marshall, meanwhile, is predicted to finish an average of fifth in Conference USA East play. The highest pick was third.

There are, however, other interesting notes on the site. The most underrated teams (of those who have been ranked five times) since 1989? Washington State, Oregon, Boise State, Boston College and BYU, in that order.

The most overrated? (Those not endeared with the "Product'' will smile here.) Michigan. The Wolverines are followed by Texas and, yes, Notre Dame.

Of the 50 teams listed, WVU is smack in the middle at 25, neither over- nor underrated.

And finally ...

A big shout of congrats to Jeremy Cummings, the South Charleston High grad, for making the Olympic baseball team.

It's been a heck of year for Cummings, from the Durham Bulls to the Class AAA all-star team to the Olympic roster.

Bring it from Beijing, Jeremy.

Reach sports editor Mitch Vingle at mitchvingle@wvgazette.com or (304) 348-4827.

Here's another story on this subject...

The Charleston Daily Mail Wrote:WVU basketball recruits are ready
By Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sportswriter
July 22, 2008

MORGANTOWN -- If at the end of the basketball season Devin Ebanks turns out to be the best of West Virginia's freshmen, we can be reasonably sure of three things.

First, Ebanks had a very good season. Second, the Mountaineers had a very good season. Third, "very good" might not be a strong enough description.

Ebanks is indeed the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2008, but forward Kevin Jones and guard Truck Bryant aren't too far behind. Maybe Ebanks starts as a freshman, perhaps from the very beginning, and replaces most of the production lost from the frontcourt when Joe Alexander went pro.

Just don't discount the possibility Jones and Bryant prove to be equally important in their own way.

"I feel like we're going to do some great things together," Bryant said.

Not only is each ready to contribute this season, but they're expected to contribute as either starters or key reserves for a team many figure can at least mimic its most recent postseason performance.

It's no longer unreasonable to hook NCAA Tournament hopes to a crop of freshmen. In fact, it's common because they just don't make freshmen like they used to.

"It's because we're experienced," said Bryant, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound guard from the Bronx, N.Y. "We're used to things like this. I'm not going to say I'm used to the college situation or the competition, but I've been in tough situations already. I've been on the No. 1 team in the country. In some ways we've been through things like this already."

Ebanks is known by now, the can't-miss prospect ranked somewhere among the top 12 players in his class. His decision to sign with WVU in May pushed rankings for WVU's recruiting class as high as No. 3, according to Scouts Inc.

"He's a hell of a player," Bryant said. "I'd rather have him on my side than the other side."

Ebanks also managed to overshadow those who were already on board. That itself is an achievement because Bryant and Jones -- and maybe still Roscoe Davis -- were thought to be a pretty good collection of talent. They proved as much in the seemingly endless series of opportunities for young players to establish themselves in AAU and high school.

Davis played for the Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy team that was 29-0 and won the prep school national championship this past season.

Bryant played for the New York Gauchos, one of the country's preeminent AAU programs that spent most of last summer as the top team and won tournaments all over the country. He was frequently on the all-tournament team, if not the most outstanding player.

"I'm not going to lie," he said. "I feel very confident. I feel like I work harder than everybody. That's just the way I've been for a while now."

Part of that comes from being a New York City point guard and living up to both the label and the battles.

"My game is basic," he said. "I just try to get the job done. Compared to the regular New York City guard, you won't see me doing all the dribbling and the moves and no-look passes. I'm more like one move and go."

Jones has similar faith because of similar success at high school events. He, too, was often the top player in a title run. Jones won a number of MOP and player of the year awards as a senior in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and actually appeared on the cover and was the subject of a feature story of Rise Magazine last March.

Physically, he's nearly ready at 6-8 and a trim 220 pounds with a passion for rebounding. Mentally, he's getting there, following orders during workouts and only speaking up when he wants to ask a question.

"I didn't think I knew it all coming in, but I think I've been through a lot of things to prepare me for this," he said. "I know I've got a lot to learn about the game and going through this process of workouts and bonding with teammates is helping out a lot. I think I'll fit in on offense and defense, but right now I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get on the court."