WVU Men’s Basketball is putting on a show in Italy this week.
Following a 78-53 win over BC Zalgiris Kaunas-2 on Saturday, the Mountaineers traveled from Portofino to Florence for their second of three games on the 10-day trip. Playing against Orange1 Basket Bassano, WVU won convincingly, 110-66.
Orange1 Bassano held its own through the first 10 minutes, trailing the Mountaineers just 22-15 after the first quarter despite 6-foot-7 senior guard Tucker DeVries getting to double-digits quick with 10 points in the period.
After the close first quarter, though, West Virginia cruised into halftime with a 33-11 advantage in the second. The Mountaineers led 55-26 at halftime, led primarily by a strong defensive effort, marked by 16 steals, as well as security on the boards, evidenced by 15 first-half offensive rebounds.
Scoring nine points and five points respectively on Saturday, DeVries and fifth year guard Jayden Stone got their turn to score on Tuesday. DeVries scored 12 in the first half while Stone scored 10.
Amani Hansberry, who turned heads with a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double on Saturday, took a back seat in the guard-heavy Florence matchup, scoring three in the first half.
Much like the second quarter, the second half was all West Virginia. Led by 6-foot-6 freshman guard Jonathan Powell, who jumped from nine first-half points to 18 at the end of the third, WVU extended its lead to 85-42 at the end of the third before finishing out the 110-66 victory.
Head coach Darian DeVries spoke positively about the Mountaineers’ victory after the game in a video posted on WVU Men’s Basketball’s X account. DeVries was particularly satisfied in targeted growth based on points of concern from the first game, such as taking care of the ball offensively.
The Mountaineers will play their final game in Italy against Stella#EBK on Thursday in Rome. The game tips off at noon.
