Bob Huggins is now recruiting against Arizona's Sean Miller for the third time since Miller became the Cats' head coach last April

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins has always portrayed the image of confidence. Some may construe it as cockiness. His argument that his team deserved to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and not be in Kentucky’s portion of the bracket might seem a bit overzealous.

The Mountaineers (27-6) captured the Big East Tournament title, beating No. 11 seed Cincinnati by three points and No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 8 seed Georgetown by two along the way. That’s a total of seven points against good but not great competiton. Cincy is in the NIT and Notre Dame and Georgetown lost to supposed inferior teams (Old Dominion and Ohio, respectively) in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday.

Add to that Marquette’s upset loss to Washington (from that weak conference, the Pac-10) and Villanova’s near loss to No. 15 seed Robert Morris, and the claim can be made that the Big East so far is overrated. Things can change because top-seed Syracuse, West Virginia, Pitt and Louisville stand a decent chance of winning in today’s completion of the first round. But chances are we won’t be hearing Huggins continue his stance that his team should be a No. 1 seed.

I’ll never forget going to Cincinnati’s practice in 1996 a day before the UA played the Bearcats and Huggins in the 7-Up Shootout in Phoenix (in which Miles Simon made that 65-foot game-winner at the buzzer). Practically every other sentence uttered by Huggins was profanity laced, a stark departure from the way Lute Olson communicated to the Wildcats.

None of the Bearcats seemed affected by it, however. They were used to Huggins being Huggins. His recipe of success is to be the obvious man in charge and to bestow confidence on his players through tough love, a poor man’s Bobby Knight, if you will. The biggest difference is that Huggins does not seem to create rifts with his players.

Arizona coach Sean Miller finds himself in another recruiting struggle with Huggins. This time the recruiting target is Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy combo guard Doron Lamb. Since Miller became Olson’s permanent replacement last April, he has recruited against Huggins for Dayton (Ohio) Jefferson center prospect Adreian Payne (who picked Michigan State) and Concord (Mass.) Middlesex forward Rod Odom (who backed out of his commtment with Arizona and signed with Vanderbilt).

Huggins, again showing his customary swagger, told the media this week that recruiting is not a concern for him because of the Mountaineers’ standing nationally.

“I haven’t worried about recruiting, honestly,” he is quoted as saying in a Charleston (WV) Gazette column. “There will be a payoff. There’s no doubt about it, there will be. To get that much good play in New York has to help us. It will help us up and down the [East] coast.”

Lamb, 6-4, 175, is originally from Brooklyn and played in the New York Gauchos’ AAU program that was once directed by UA assistant coach Book Richardson. His finalists include Arizona, West Virginia, Kansas, Kentucky and Connecticut. He will announce his decision April 17 at the Jordan Brand Classic in New York City.

It’s interesting to note that in one interview with Lamb — among the countless amount of stories regarding his recruitment the last couple of years — the highly-touted prospect refers to Huggins as “Bob”. That tells me that Huggins talks on the level with his recruits. Can you imagine a recruit calling Knight “Bob” before signing? Arizona’s players have referenced Olson as “Lute” but generally after their playing days are over. I’ve heard Solomon Hill call Miller, “Sean” a time or two but that’s also because Miller is only 41 and more on Hill’s level.

Huggins turns 57 this year but he has that down-to-earth persona — the guy at the end of the bar who will buy you drinks and talk your ear off.

The bottom line for recruits is playing time and the coach’s accomplishments of turning out pro prospects. Huggins, in his 28th season as a head coach, has a long list of former players in the NBA from his days at Cincinnati and now at his alma mater, West Virginia. Miller only has Charlotte rookie Derrick Brown to his credit from his five years at Xavier.

Huggins had his sixth first round NBA draft pick and fourth lottery pick when Joe Alexander was selected as the eighth pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2008. Huggins has coached 15 NBA draft selections as well as nine All-Americans. He has also guided 51 all-conference selections in Division I.

Here’s a comparison of Arizona and West Virginia in their recruitment of Lamb:

ARIZONA:

Already in the fold: Daniel Bejarano, SG, 6-4, 195, Phoenix North, has signed a national letter of intent. Jordin Mayes, PG, 6-1, 170, Los Angeles Westchester, has verbally committed. Lamb is the only shooting guard left on Arizona’s prospect list. The Wildcats lacked a consistent scoring threat like Lamb this season.

In Lamb’s way: Kyle Fogg returns for his junior season. Lamb’s former Oak Hill teammate Lamont “MoMo” Jones is back as a sophomore leader. Bejarano will also be in the mix at shooting guard. However, Lamb and Bejarano can extend to the wing, if necessary, in similar fashion to the way Miller used the three-guard lineup of Nic Wise, Fogg and Brendon Lavender. Fogg had his share of blunders this season, but he also had his shining moments (against UCLA and USC, for example). A starting spot is not guaranteed for Fogg if a player of Lamb’s caliber signs. This is, after all, Miller’s team and he made the comment that his goal is to get Arizona back to the NCAA tournament as soon as possible. If Arizona does not sign Baltimore Lake County prospect Josh Selby at point guard, Lamb can also adequately run that position and get plenty of time there as well.

WEST VIRGINIA:

Already in the fold: Noah Cottrill, PG, 6-1, 175, Logan (WV) and David Nyarsuk, C, 7-1, 230, Beckley (WV) Mountain State Academy, have signed national letters of intent. Huggins is also going after lower-tier, unrated shooting guard recruits in case he does not land Lamb.

In Lamb’s way: No obstacles here. Darryl Bryant, also from Brooklyn, will be a junior but he figures to get most of his playing time at the point guard position. He is second on the team to senior Da’Sean Butler in assists (Butler has 109 and Bryant 104) but he also second to Butler in three-point attempts (173 to 126). Bryant has made only 31.7 percent of his attempts beyond the three-point line, exemplifying the Moutaineers’ need for perimeter shooters like Lamb. The next best shooting guard possibilities on West Virginia’s current roster include senior-to-be Casey Mitchell and sophomore-to-be Dalton Pepper. They each average only about 8 minutes per game. Pepper has shown a credible shooting touch (35 percent shooting from three-point range) but has never started. Lamb would demand minutes right away.

Next: How Arizona’s recruitment of Jesse Perry, a 6-8 forward from Logan (Ill.) Junior College, compares to other challengers. Perry visits the UA next weekend after one of his suitors, South Carolina, canceled his visit this weekend. Perry has scholarship offers from Arizona, UCLA, South Carolina, Southern Illinois and Iowa State.

RELATED LINKS FROM ESPN.COM:

• Where does Lamb fit best?
• Where does Selby fit best?

ALSO VIEW A POLL AT WILDABOUTAZCATS.COM REGARDING THE RECRUITMENT OF LAMB AND SELBY

Doron Lamb

Josh Selby

Baltimore Lake County point guard Josh Selby and Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill combo guard Doron Lamb have let it be known that they will announce their college choice April 17 at the Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden.

The finalists for Selby: Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas and Kentucky. (Tennessee is also making a late push to reacquire Selby, who originally verbally committed to the Vols).

The finalists for Lamb: Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Connecticut and West Virginia.

Lamb and Selby will be teammates at the Jordan Brand Classic. The possibility — nobody is quite sure how slim it is — remains that the duo will use the opportunity to announce their intentions to join the same college program. Arizona’s Sean Miller, Kansas’ Bill Self, Kentucky’s John Calipari or Connecticut’s Jim Calhoun would welcome each with plenty of playing time and a likely starting role.

Lamb’s father, Calvin Lamb, told TheShiver.com, that his son and Selby together “would be scary.”

“I’ve heard it,” Lamb told TheShiver.com about Doron and Selby playing together. “Oh man – that would be scary,” he added.

The spring signing period — April 14 to May 19 — will start by the time Lamb and Selby make their commitments.

How do Lamb and Selby stack up with Kansas, Kentucky and UConn in terms of the rosters involved?

ARIZONA:

Already in the fold: Daniel Bejarano, SG, 6-4, 195, Phoenix North. Jordin Mayes, PG, 6-1, 170, Los Angeles Westchester, has verbally committed. Detroit Country Day school point guard Ray McCallum and Mount Pleasant (Mich.) shooting guard Trey Zeigler are still listed as possibilities but they will likely choose to go elsewhere.

In Selby’s way: Nobody really. Nic Wise is gone as the starting point guard. The possibility exists that Lamont “MoMo” Jones will get more playing time at the position, especially if Selby and Lamb decide to go elsewhere. However, if Miller signs Selby, Jones will likely spell the high-profile point guard and get additional time at the shooting guard spot. Mayes is also very capable, especially as a reserve in his first collegiate season. UCLA recruited him hard until JC guard Lazeric Jones of Chicago committed to the Bruins in early December. When Mayes’ team beat Oak Hill and Lamb on Dec. 30, Mayes scored as many points (16) as Lamb and had two assists and only one turnover while Lamb had four turnovers and only one assist.

In Lamb’s way: Much more competitive at the shooting guard spot with Kyle Fogg returning for his junior season, Jones back as a sophomore leader, and the signing of Bejarano. However, Lamb and Bejarano can extend to the wing, if necessary, in similar fashion to the way Miller used the three-guard lineup of Wise, Fogg and Brendon Lavender. Fogg had his share of blunders this season, but he also had his shining moments (against UCLA and USC, for example). But a starting spot is not guaranteed for Fogg if a player of Lamb’s caliber signs. This is, after all, Miller’s team and he made the comment that his goal is to get Arizona back to the NCAA tournament as soon as possible.

KANSAS:

Already in the fold: Royce Woolridge, SG, 6-1, 175, Phoenix Sunnyslope. The Jayhawks are also hot on the trail for high-profile undecided recruits who play similar positions as Lamb and Selby: Brandon Knight, a 6-3, 175 pound, point guard from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Pine Crest, and Terrence Ross, a 6-5, 185 pound, shooting guard from Portland (Ore.) Jefferson. Knight will announce his choice March 31 at the McDonald’s All-Star Game, more than two weeks before Selby and Lamb announce theirs. If Knight chooses Kentucky or Kansas (he lists Florida and Syracuse as other possibilities) that will immensely help Arizona’s chances for Selby and Lamb.

In Selby’s way: More competitive than Arizona at this spot. Sherron Collins will be gone. Tyshawn Taylor was on the Big 12′s all-freshman team last season and he started 23 games this year, mostly at off-guard or wing as part of Kansas’ three-guard lineup. He has an almost 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio with 114 assists and only 60 turnovers this season. Elijah Johnson will be a sophomore but he hardly played behind Collins this season. After starting two games and averaging 11.5 minutes during Kansas’ non-conference slate, Johnson played in only nine Big 12 games, averaging only 2.7 minutes. Tyrel Reed will be a senior but he is a career sub, only starting twice in three years despite averaging 15.1 minutes per game.

In Lamb’s way: Plenty of playing time available. As noted, Taylor will demand minutes at either guard spot but can play at the wing. Freshman sensation Xavier Henry, who already has an NBA body at 6-6 and 220, is a projected top 10 draft pick and will likely abandon his starting shooting guard role for the NBA. Reed is also a reliable sub at this spot. Don’t be surprised if Self asks Woolridge to redshirt, or at the very least Woolridge will play limited minutes (especially if Lamb signs). Travis Releford, 6-5, redshirted this season and will factor into the competition at shooting guard next season. As is the case at Arizona, if Lamb signs with the Jayhawks, he will get penciled in the starting lineup because of the value he brings to the lineup. Check out video of Lamb shooting from the perimeter and you will be convinced. Arizona lacked that consistent scoring threat this season.

KENTUCKY

Already in the fold: Stacey Poole, SF, 6-5, 180, Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson. Poole is listed as a wing player but he can also play as a shooting guard. Kentucky is also recruiting Knight and Ross.

In Selby’s way: John Wall will be a one-and-done player because he is forecast as the No. 1 pick overall in the NBA draft. That opens the door for Knight to verbally commit to Kentucky, which is included in the rumor mill these days. Also, sophomore-to-be Eric Bledsoe might return and compete for playing time at the point. Bledsoe is rated as a possible first-round choice but not a lottery pick. Because of this, Selby’s interest in Kentucky has turned lukewarm. He canceled his scheduled official visit to Lexington last month.

In Lamb’s way: Darius Miller, Darnell Dodson and DeAndre Liggins are all listed as guards at 6-6 or 6-7 and they will be juniors next season. With that size, the trio can also be slotted at the wing position, leaving an opening at shooting guard. However, if Knight commits to Kentucky, he will likely start at the point, which places Bledsoe — if he does not enter the NBA draft — at the No. 2 spot, in the same role he has alongside Wall now.

CONNECTICUT:

Already in the fold: Roscoe Smith, SF, 6-7, 185, Oak Hill Academy; Jeremy Lamb, SG, 6-4, 165, Norcross (Ga.); and Michael Bradley, C, 6-10, 210, Chattanooga (Tenn.) Tyner. The Huskies are also vying for Knight and point guard Cory Joseph of Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep.

In Selby’s way: First is the weather. His mother Maeshon Witherspoon indicated to me through a message last month that they do not like snowy conditions. They canceled a trip to Storrs, Conn., last month, when by chance snow was in the forecast. In terms of the roster, Jerome Dyson will be gone. Kemba Walker will be a 6-1 junior. He leads the Huskies with 5.1 assists per game. He is projected to be more of an NBA first-round pick in 2011 than this year. Donnell Beverly (10 minutes per game) and Darius Smith (four) will also return but they were not used extensively. The possible addition of Joseph is something else Selby must consider in addition to health concerns regarding Calhoun.

In Lamb’s way: Jeremy Lamb (no relation) has already committed, but the Huskies will probably need more reinforcements for their woeful perimeter shooting. UConn feels the void in that category this season as Dyson, their most experienced player, shoots only 29 percent from three-point range. Walker is shooting at a 34.3 percent clip. UConn overall is shooting only 31.3 percent from behind the three-point line. Both Lambs would be welcome with open arms.

Summary: The battle for Selby might be down to Kansas and Arizona, as Zagsblog.com has reported. In this case, Arizona has less talent than Kansas to challenge Selby for playing time at that position. Selby, the No. 4 prospect in the Class of 2010 according to Rivals.com, would undoubtedly start and play extended minutes at Kansas. If he plays at Arizona, he would instantly be the best point guard prospect in the talent-starved Pac-10. … Lamb will play 30 minutes or more a game wherever he signs. If Selby decides to attend Kansas, Lamb could come to Arizona and play both the point guard and shooting guard positions. He could co-exist with Jones the way they did with Oak Hill when that storied prep school won 40 consecutive games with them leading the way. If Knight goes to Kentucky and Bledsoe stays another year with Calipari, it’s difficult to see Lamb in that situation. In terms of Kansas, Lamb, the No. 21 prospect according to Rivals.com, can essentially replace Henry in the Jayhawks’ lineup. UConn? Questions surround the program with Calhoun’s health and the way the Huskies dropped off this season. Also, Jeremy Lamb has already committed to the Huskies. The same can be argued with Bejarano already signing with Arizona, but it’s a safe bet that Miller will often use Bejarano as part of a three-guard lineup next season because Bejarano has some height (6-5) and aggressiveness to go after rebounds.

NEXT: A look at how Arizona stacks up with West Virginia for Doron Lamb.

Kyle Fogg should be one of the experienced leaders of the UA next year, but he will be challenged by younger talent

Amid the hoopla of a pep rally on campus Thursday night, UA basketball coach Sean Miller talked about the program’s future beyond Sunday’s important game against ASU at McKale Center.

Miller discussed his plans for the recruiting class of 2010. Of course, he did not talk about particular players, per NCAA rules, but he did mention that he and his coaching staff hope to land two more recruits before the April signing period. Miller already has in tow Phoenix North guard Daniel Bejarano (who signed a national letter of intent in November) and Los Angeles Westchester guard Jordin Mayes (who verbally committed to the UA last month).

The most frequently asked question: How will Miller bring in a four-player class when he only has three spots to fill?

Let’s take a look at the 2010-11 roster as it presently stands if the Wildcats stay intact:

1. Jamelle Horne, senior forward. Although Miller’s patience has run thin sometimes over Horne because of Horne’s lack of rebounds, there’s no reason to believe Horne will not be back for his senior season.
2. Kyle Fogg, junior guard. Will Fogg, mired in a funk for the last couple of weeks, accept being a bench player next year behind a freshman (either Bejarano or Doron Lamb, for example)?
3. Brendon Lavender, junior guard. Lavender has shown signs of life of late beyond the three-point line, but will he accept what looks to be a reserve role for the rest of his career at Arizona?
4. Alex Jacobson, junior center. Don’t expect Jacobson to go anywhere. Jacobson, an asset in practice for his size around the hoop, does not want to lose another year after redshirting as a freshman.
5. D.J. Shumpert, junior forward. Shumpert is another holdover from the Lute Olson era who has hardly played for the Cats. Miller promised Shumpert a scholarship for as long as he is eligible. Can that scholarship be an academic one instead, or might UA academic advisors find other ways to keep Shumpert around?
6. Kevin Parrom, sophomore forward. Has developed into the backbone of Arizona’s starting lineup with his aggressive yet steady style of play. He’s going nowhere.
7. MoMo Jones, sophomore guard. Like Parrom, Jones provides the Cats some toughness, mentally as much as physically. He should be back because a starting assignment is a strong possibility.
8. Solomon Hill, sophomore forward. He has a strong upside because of his versatility. He’s not jumping ship.
9. Derrick Williams, sophomore forward. Interesting angle here is Williams will likely be the Pac-10 freshman of the year. How will that play on his mind when the NBA draft deadline comes around? UCLA coach Ben Howland thought Jrue Holiday would be back this season and Holiday is gone to the NBA.
10. Kyryl Natyazhko, sophomore center. The Ukrainian has shown promise as of late. However, any coach must have guarded optimism that a foreign player will stay his entire career because of family being far away.
11. Daniel Bejarano, freshman guard. He will immediately challenge for a starting spot because of his perimeter shooting ability.
12. Jordin Mayes, freshman guard. His basketball smarts and controlled play will be a necessary component Arizona lacks this season.

This leaves one available scholarship. Again, the ways for another to open up include a player transferring, going pro or attending the UA via other means. Miller would not target a four-player class if he did not think any of these scenarios are possible.

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