For most teams, losing your starting point guard heading into the NCAA Tournament would be a death nill, but for a team as talented as the West Virginia Mountaineers, it only served as a speed bump on the way to making to their first Final Four since 1959. News that sophomore floor general, Darryl “Truck” Bryant broke a bone in his right foot caused a soft panic among WVU fans at the start of March Madness, but junior Joe Mazzula filled in admirably in his absence, especially by putting up 17 points in the Mountaineers win over the favored Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday.
Now news came out that coach Bob Huggins may again have the services of his starting point guard for their Final Four match-up against Duke. Bryant has been fitted for a special fitted shoe which should minimize the pain and help to prevent further injury to the injured foot. Having Bryant, who averaged more than 9 points and 3 assists during the regular season could prove valuable in case the rejuvenated Mazzula gets in foul trouble and to spell the former back-up.
Although Bryant is a shoot first floor general, he helped to solidify Huggins high powered offense and guided the Mountaineers to a 24-6 regular season mark and a Big East Conference Tournament crown. In fact, West Virginia heads to Indianapolis on a 10 game win streak, which ranks 2nd to only Butler’s 24 game streak out of the Horizon League. Now with news that the “Truck” may finally be allowed out of the garage, the Mountaineers, even though they will once again be underdogs, stand a decent chance to beat the Blue Devils and make it to the National Championship Game next Monday.
Darryl “Truck” Bryant came to the West Virginia campus in 2008 out of St Raymonds HS in New York, as a highly recruited point guard who chose the Mountaineers over USC and the University of Pittsburgh. Until this season, Bryant had probably made more news off of the court rather than on it. Last Summer, Bryant was involved in two “minor” traffic incidents where he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failing to give proper information and render aid. He later had another incident where his car struck another WVU student in front of a nightclub. Even though in both cases he served no jail-time, Bryant was suspended indefinitely for his actions by coach Huggins. He eventually was cleared by the university and Huggins to again participate in all team activities prior to this season.
Getting “Truck” back against the Blue Devils, who feature 3 talented ball handlers in John Scheyer, Nolan Smith, and Kyle Singler, could be a difference maker for the Mountaineers. Let’s hope he finally gets to put his wheels back on the ground in Indianapolis.
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckblog.com, and his own site, Hoops Haven.
