JUCO Big Jimmy Bell Jr. Includes WVU in Top Four

Will the Mountaineers add another big man through the JUCO level?

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West Virginia has two scholarships remaining and I would expect they use at least one, if not both on bigs. One guy to keep your eyes on throughout the next week or so is JUCO forward Jimmy Bell Jr. from Moberly Area College in Missouri. 

WVU offered Bell back in late March and is starting to make some serious progress recruiting him. On Monday, I spoke with Bell to get an update on how things are going and he said that he has narrowed down his options to four schools: East Tennessee State, Oakland, Sam Houston, and West Virginia.

"I like how Coach Huggins coaches," Bell said of WVU. "He is more of an old school coach like my head coach at Moberly. I like his playing style and his need for bigs. He wants to give us the ball."

In one season at Moberly, Bell nearly averaged a double-double, going for 9.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game on 59% shooting from the field. He finished the season as the third-best offensive rebounder in JUCO (146 rebounds) and 11th in total rebounds. Adding Wague and Bell, two of the best rebounders in JUCO, would certainly make the Mountaineers more competitive on the glass.

A decision is expected to be made sometime next week. 

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.