MORGANTOWN — The bond amongst the WVU men’s basketball team was created to handle adversity.
At least that’s the way WVU forward Amani Hansberry attempts to describe what the Mountaineers have overcome so far.
Just a little more than a week from the start of Big 12 play — with a trip to No. 8 Kansas looming in the near future on New Year’s Eve — WVU is already weaving the second chapter to Darian DeVries’ first season with the team.
The first chapter was no gimme, that being bringing in a new coach, a new roster and somehow making it seem functional.
“It’s about learning what it takes to win every day, said Hansberry, the Mountaineers’ staring center who is averaging 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game heading into Sunday’s 2 p.m. home game against Mercyhurst. “We have a relationship with our coaches and they haven’t let us get casual. We’ve found a better bond with each other on the court. We trust each other continually, even through the hard games. We keep instilling confidence in each other, which is going to be key for us as we get closer to Big 12 play.”
No one really knew what to expect from this group a month ago.
No one knew point guard Javon Small could play as if he was one of the top players in the Big 12.
No one knew Hansberry — at just 6-foot-8 — would be able to hold his own down low, while also creating an offensive identity as another 3-point shooter.
It led to a shocking overtime upset of Gonzaga and an 8-2 start that has WVU just one game from matching last season’s win total, not that reaching nine wins was a major goal.
The next chapter is whether or not WVU can find similar success without guard Tucker DeVries, who has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Lakers (6-8), who are in their first season of Division I hoops.
The only news there is Darian DeVries confirmed all options are on the table with his son, including holding him out the rest of the season and seeking a medical redshirt in order for him to play next season.
“That is a possibility,” Darian DeVries said.
And while the moment would seem to call for any number of reactions, including frustration or panic, there was simply order amongst the Mountaineers.
“It was more about looking to the bench and to guys like K.J. (Tenner) and Joe (Yesufu),” Hansberry said. “We never doubted each other, even though those guys may not have been getting a lot of minutes early. We know everyone is capable of success. We look to bring each other up and stay together.”
That is quite possibly the biggest testament to what DeVries has brought with him to Morgantown, a never-wavering sense of determination that gets passed down to his players.
When the roster was intact with Tucker DeVries, the Mountaineers never spoke publicly about the odds they faced or how the expectations were low going in.
With Tucker now out for what appears will be, at the very least, a lengthy amount of time, it continues to be a straight-forward process of adjusting, getting better and continuing to move forward.
“A lot of the stuff we’ve done is just getting back to basics,” Darian DeVries said. “Our positioning on defense, we’ve put more emphasis on defensive rebounding. Offensively, we’ve had to clean up some sets with guys in different positions and things.”
