MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —
The new WVU summer session is now underway and two men’s basketball signees have officially enrolled in school, according to tweets sent out this morning from the school’s official Twitter account @WVUhoops.
Isaiah Cottrell, a Huntington Prep and ESPN.com 100 prospect, and Taj Thweatt, a two-time Atlantic City Player of the Year choice from Wildwood Catholic High in North Wildwood, N.J., are now in the fold and will be able to participate in voluntary workouts when student-athletes are permitted to return to campus as part of athletics’ COVID-19 phased return plan.
Cottrell, who is originally from Las Vegas, was the nation’s No. 71-rated player this year after averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game at Huntington Prep. The 6-foot-10-inch, 220-pounder had a long list of suitors before finally choosing the Mountaineers.
Cottrell’s other top choices included Arizona, Arizona State, Cal and Creighton, according to the website 247sports.com.
Thweatt was a repeat pick as area player of the year after averaging 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during his senior season at Wildwood Catholic. He led the Crusaders to the South Jersey Non-Public B title and their third straight Cape-Atlantic League Tournament championship.
The 6-7 forward finished his prep career with 1,773 points and 1,028 rebounds.
Thweatt’s final top five included DePaul, Florida, Penn State and Rhode Island, according to 247sports.com.
Last month, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins called his most recent signing class one of the better ones he’s had at WVU.
“They’ve got to learn — that’s their biggest thing — but they’re talented,” he said. “They have a lot of physical ability and their skill is pretty good.”
West Virginia is returning nearly all of its key performers from last year’s team that won 21 games and finished the season ranked No. 24 in the country in the Final Associated Press Top 25 poll.
