06-09-2008, 08:56 AM
Here's an interesting article...
OUCH!
The Charleston Daily Mail Wrote:WVU Fantasy camp fun, but West finds time to teach, tooAs if WVU's foes didn't have enough problems with the Mountaineers' good shooting. Now Jerry West is around to help 'em shoot the ball even better.
By Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sportswriter
June 9, 2008
MORGANTOWN -- The second half of a semifinal game at the Bob Huggins Fantasy Camp on Saturday afternoon began with a three-seconds call.
Seriously.
It was the sort of violation that might have normally triggered an incredulous response from someone like Joe Mazzulla, only this time West Virginia's junior point guard was the official who made the call.
The incredulity came instead from Mountaineers legend Jerry West, a coach on the offending team who openly wondered if it was permissible to do bodily harm to the officials.
The lighthearted complaints continued until Mazzulla put them to an end. Larry Harrison, a WVU assistant who shared the bench with West in the camp, went a little too far and Mazzulla whistled him for a technical foul.
If it seemed scripted, there was a reason.
"Me and Mr. West planned it," Mazzulla said. "At halftime, me and Mr. West talked and he was complaining about a three-seconds call all day. I told Mr. West, 'Why don't you fire up Coach Harrison a little bit and cause a scene?'"
"I'll "T" him up and maybe that'll fire up your team.'"
The team roared back and won easily. When the game ended, Harrison pointed at the opposing bench.
"That," he said, "is good coaching."
Laughs followed and everyone shook hands, including another WVU great, Mike Gansey. Taking a break from training in Los Angeles, Gansey was on hand as an assistant and a camp counselor and yet was somewhat humbled by the chance to coach not only against West, but with Willie Akers and Hot Rod Hundley.
If it wasn't already clear the fantasy aspect of the camp extended well beyond the 26 participants, it was crystallized a few moments later.
The camp entered its lunch break and the Mountaineers who fantasize about reaching the Final Four next season prepared for a quick afternoon workout.
Sophomore John Flowers was alone shooting free throws until West joined and started an impromptu private clinic.
"He said it was kind of frustrating to see me shooting it the wrong way," Flowers said.
The 6-foot-7 forward from Waldorf, Md., chuckled as he said this, no doubt surprised by the introduction and then the interaction. How else does a Division I player handle being told his shot is "frustrating" to witness?
"Well," Flowers said, "it's Jerry West. I'll take all the advice I can there."
He did just that. The lesson went on for 15 minutes or so as West took Flowers through the entire process: position, posture, form, backspin, follow-through.
Flowers, who missed 31 of 50 free-throw attempts as a freshman and had a 3-for-10 game when he scored a career-high 14 points against Maryland-Eastern Shore, started making everything.
"Jerry told me I was leaning back and showed me basic fundamental stuff," Flowers said. "Then he showed me drills he used to do to get rotation because he said rotation can make your shot better."
Flowers' flaws in his first season were a flat shot and a habit of falling away from the basket. West had Flowers standing upright, pushing his shot up more with his right arm and following through with a spin that allowed for more friendly bounces.
They'd make some shots and then take a few steps back or left or right and make a couple more. When it was done and West left the floor -- but only after looking around for anyone else in need of assistance -- Flowers went to another basket and kept on shooting.
He rarely missed.
"Hopefully I've got something to work on the rest of the summer," said Flowers, who was just 10-for-35 from 3-point range last season. "When Jerry West pays attention to you and the little details, you've got to listen to him."
Contact sportswriter Mike Casazza at mikec@dailymail.com or (304) 319-1142.
OUCH!