West Virginia
University basketball coach Bob Huggins has announced the signings of
Darryl “Truck” Bryant, Roscoe Davis and Kevin Jones to national
letters of intent for the 2008-09 academic year.
A 6-foot-2, 190-pound guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., Bryant is
currently in his senior year at St. Raymond’s High in the Bronx, N.Y.
Bryant averaged more than 15 points a game the last two seasons.
In the final 10 games of his junior season, Bryant averaged 20 points
and helped St. Raymond’s to the CHSAA City Championship game. The
Ravens lost to Christ the King in the championship game, 57-54, but
Bryant scored a team-high 21 points.
“Truck gives us somebody who can play right away because of
his physical strength and experience against high level competition,”
says Huggins. “By losing Darris (Nichols), we need somebody who is
physically capable of playing minutes immediately.”
Bryant posted one of his best performances against Holy Cross.
With St. Raymond’s trailing by 19 points in the second half of the
playoff semifinal, Bryant finished with 24 points and hit two free
throws with eight seconds left in the game to give St. Raymond’s the
79-78 win.
This past summer, Bryant played AAU basketball for the New York
Gauchos, where he helped lead them to 17-and-under titles at the
Pittsburgh Jamfest, the Arizona Cactus Classic, the Nike Peach Jam and
the Nike Main Event. He was selected to participate in the NBA Top 100
Camp last summer in Richmond, Va.
As a sophomore, Bryant helped St. Raymond’s capture the
Gatorade Invitational tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was named
MVP in the championship game, leading St. Raymond’s in scoring with 19
points and five rebounds. In the Big Apple High School Challenge, he was
also named MVP, pacing the team with 15 points, nine rebounds, five
assists and four steals.
A native of Upper Marlboro, Md., Davis is in his senior year at
Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. Hargrave currently is 5-0 on
the season. Against Steven Prep, Davis posted 26 points and grabbed nine
rebounds in a 111-73 victory.
“I think Roscoe’s upside is tremendous,” says Huggins.
“He’s a 6-10 guy who is agile, skilled and can run the floor.
We’ll work with Roscoe to get the kind of strength he needs to
excel in the BIG EAST.”
As a junior, the 6-foot-10, 225-pound center attended Henry A. Wise
High in Upper Marlboro, Md. While there, he averaged 18.4 points, 13.2
rebounds, 6.7 blocks and 3.3 steals. Davis led Wise to a 13-9 record,
including a victory over eventual state 4A semifinalist Roosevelt. His
career-best game was a 34-point performance against Crossland High.
Davis was named to the 2007 Star/Gazette all-county basketball
first team. Davis has played AAU basketball for the DC Assault.
Jones, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward from Mount Vernon, N.Y., is
in his senior year at Mount Vernon High. As a junior, Jones averaged 21
points, 12 rebounds and two blocks per game. He has helped lead Mount
Vernon to back-to-back New York State PHSAA championships.
“Kevin exemplifies what the all-around basketball player ought
to be,” says Huggins. “He scores inside and out, he rebounds and he
defends the perimeter and the post. We think Kevin has tremendous upside
as well.”
As a junior, he scored 610 points, grabbed 330 rebounds and
blocked 61 shots. He was named MVP of the Bojangles High School
Shoot-out in North Carolina (57 points, 41 rebounds, 7 blocks in three
games), named Most Outstanding Player of the Riverbank State Park
Christmas tournament (47 points and 24 rebounds in two games) and named
MVP of the Prime Time Tour in New Jersey (26 points and 14 rebounds in
one game).
Jones has received numerous accolades: New York State PHSAA
all-tournament team, Tri-County 1-AA first team all-conference, all-NY
Hoops first team and NY Hoops all-suburban first team. He was selected
to participate in the NBA Top 100 Camp last summer in Richmond, Va.
Jones plays AAU basketball for the Westchester Hawks. In one game this
past summer, Jones had 43 points and 19 rebounds against the Juice
All-Stars.
“We think we filled all of our needs,” says Huggins. “We have a
point guard who can play immediately because we lose Darris to
graduation. It’s very obvious we need more size. Roscoe not only gives
us size but agility to run the floor and that fits our style of play.
Kevin gives us a player who is capable of playing multiple positions.
Because of Kevin’s physical abilities, he can be outstanding on both
ends of the floor.
“This class goes a long way towards filling many of our needs.”