Flowers on Best Virginia: “Huggins is the mastermind”

MORGANTOWN, W.Va – Former Mountaineer John Flowers at all times envisioned staying related along with his teammates and different WVU males’s basketball gamers from totally different generations.

That sparked the thought for an alumni recreation, and with the assistance of Dave Ryan and Greg Richardson, Flowers introduced it to life.

Former WVU greats from all eras got here collectively for some pleasant, and entertaining, competitors. Followers bought to see a few of their favourite gamers from years previous don the Gold and Blue as soon as extra all to learn native charities.

Seven years later, that alumni recreation has grown right into a staff representing WVU at The Basketball Match. Finest Virginia will compete in its third TBT this summer time.

“I give him [Flowers] a lot credit score as a result of he’s attempting to construct a brotherhood between all the fellows who graduated and the fellows who’re nonetheless taking part in now,” mentioned Kevin Jones, who’s a founding member of Finest Virginia.

However should you ask Flowers, WVU males’s basketball coach Bob Huggins is the “mastermind” behind all of it.

“He opened the door for us to at all times come again. He constructed us an alumni locker room for us to work out in and practice throughout the summer time. He’s at all times had open arms for his guys to return again residence. I’m simply following in his footsteps,” Flowers mentioned. “I took what he gave us and tried to construct on high of that so far as constructing an alumni staff, having an alumni recreation yearly and giving again to charity.”

Final month, Huggins was introduced as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame Class of 2022. He’ll formally be enshrined in September.

As somebody who performed on the 2010 Remaining 4 staff and has stayed in Morgantown lengthy after his Mountaineer profession, Flowers has recognized for some time that Huggins is greater than deserving of a spot within the Corridor. He was there to witness many milestones that paved the way in which for the distinction, however Flower credit Coach Huggins for educating him a lot extra than simply basketball.

“It’s not concerning the x’s and o’s and profitable basketball video games. For me, it’s extra about him turning boys into males. Educating boys who’re coming in at 17, 18 years previous and educating them learn how to survive on this world, not simply the basketball world,” Flowers mentioned. “As we all know, a number of guys don’t make it to the NBA or play professionally, so what’s there after that? Huggs teaches accountability. That’s the one factor I took from him.. and yeah, he’s received a number of basketball video games, as properly.”

Jones, who was additionally on the Remaining 4 squad, had the identical response to Huggins, the fourth-winningest head coach in Division I males’s basketball historical past, incomes a spot within the Corridor of Fame.

“It’s means overdue. Everybody is aware of how good of a coach he’s and the legacy he’s abandoning. He’s nonetheless in his prime and he nonetheless has extra to go to be left on his legacy. For me, to have the ability to play for a Corridor of Fame coach, particularly a man who at all times has open arms for his gamers and makes us really feel welcome once we come again,” he mentioned. “That’s huge for alumni as a result of I do know a number of guys who I’ve performed with that don’t have the identical reception after they return to the varsity they performed for. I respect him and the higher man and participant he’s made new all through the years.”

For 2 gamers who have been a part of probably the most profitable groups in WVU males’s hoops historical past, what they discovered from their head coach transcends the basketball courtroom. Finest Virginia is proof of simply how influential Huggins nonetheless is of their lives.

Now, they’re doing what they will to show these life classes right into a enjoyable expertise for the fan base that has supported them over the past decade.

“It’s nice to remain in West Virginia and work together with the followers and maintain this brotherhood. You’ll be able to’t take it with no consideration different faculties don’t have stuff like this,” Flowers mentioned.

Finest Virginia will begin its 2022 TBT journey on the West Virginia Regional July 24-27. Tickets are presently on sale.