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Mitch Vingle: WVU football, basketball, state recruiting -- and more

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By Mitch Vingle

Ye olde jammed notebook:

* West Virginia will host more than Maryland's football team this weekend.

Much, much more.

First, Dana Holgorsen and staff are hoping to host some very big name recruits on the football side. Among them is Clairton, Pennsylvania, cornerback Lamont Wade. Holgorsen is trying to capitalize on his secondary's strength this season to entice the five-star 2017 recruit. Wade is rated among the top five corners in the nation.

Also, according to the father of blue-chip St. Clairsville, Ohio, linebacker Brendan Ferns, plans are in place to visit Morgantown.

And then there's the potential that four-star wide receiver Binjimen Victor could make the trip from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. That would be big because Victor has WVU in the mix with Ohio State, Florida and Tennessee.

Word from around Milan Puskar Stadium is the 3 p.m. kickoff - rather than one at noon - helps pull in more visitors.

That's not all though. From the basketball side, Bob Huggins and staff are hosting two big men.

One is Maciej Bender, a 6-foot-10 standout from Mountain Mission in Grundy, Va. I've written he reminds many of ex-Kentucky and Gonzaga player Kyle Wiltjer. Well, late last week I spoke to Bender's coach Paul Mrozik and put it to him.

"Yes," Mrozik said, "I don't think [Bender] is as good as a shooter but he's more athletic for sure. He's sort of like [ex-Wisconsin standout] Frank Kaminsky. Maciej has better feet than both, though. He just needs to work on his strength and shooting."

Mrozik said Bender visited Mississippi last weekend and is headed to Morgantown this weekend.

"The bottom line is he's very interested in West Virginia and Ole Miss," said the coach. "He has tons of interest from other schools, but those are the ones that have offered. He wants to go on two to three visits."

Mali product Sagaba Konate of Kennedy Catholic High in Pennsylvania is also visiting Morgantown. He's also being pursued by Wichita State and Pitt.

And then there's a young player WVU is hoping to get in on early. Expected to make an unofficial visit is Dwayne Cohill, a 6-3 combo guard from Holy Name High around Cleveland, Ohio. Cohill is a 2018 recruit who is already recognized as Ohio's best player of the class. Oh, and, yes, WVU has offered.

* There have been whispers around the state that Huggins made his way to Ripley on Friday.

Sure enough, he was there to check on Vikings standout Chase Johnson, who is 6-7. And here's the scoop: WVU really, really likes Johnson.

Those within the Mountaineers' circle think Johnson reminds them of former Princeton High standout and Duke player Allen Williams. He has that kind of bounce.

The question is, can West Virginia take him in the 2017 class? Word is, the coaches in Morgantown would rather him reclassify and hit a prep school and move to the 2018 class. Still, he's not out of the question as a 2017 recruit. The coaches like him that much.

* More recruiting news?

OK, I can confirm that Michigan was in Clarksburg last Thursday checking out Notre Dame junior Jarrod West.

"He's had a very good summer," said West's father of the same name. "He had a great workout [when Michigan assistant Jeff Meyer visited]. A very, very good workout. He shot the ball well. It was a little more difficult for me as a father, knowing the magnitude of the visit, but he handled it well."

The father, you might know, played at WVU. Michigan coach John Beilein coached at WVU.

"Michigan hasn't offered yet," West said. "They said they will be signing a 2016 point guard and Jarrod is one of three they are looking at. He went up there and visited a month ago and had a great time. I know they're very interested. Coach LaVall Jordan saw Jarrod in Myrtle Beach.

"It's in the flirting, dating stage."

Marshall, Liberty, Longwood, James Madison and East Carolina have offered West. The father said an offer from Michigan wouldn't happen until next July or August.

* Remember how ex-WVU standout Juwan Staten signed with the NBA's Golden State Warriors?

According to a source within the league, the move was probably made to ensure Staten would be on the team's developmental league team. The word is Golden State is aggressive in regard to its D-league team. And there's also the fact that ex-WVU player Jonnie West is the associate general manager of the Santa Cruz Warriors.

* And finally...

Get out your fake unibrow.

In case you've forgotten, Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans are coming to the Mountain State next week.

The Pelicans will be in White Sulphur Springs for training camp at The Greenbrier from Sept. 29-Oct. 2.


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