Just call him “Deuce”

If you walk into the WVU basketball practice facility and yell for Miles, you’ll more than likely get the attention of one of the student managers. If you’re looking for the 6’2” 185 pound point guard out of Cincinnati, just ask for Deuce.

Deuce McBride could have probably played football at the school of his choice if he chose that over basketball. McBride is the type of player that Head Coach Bob Huggins loves. He chose to hang up his cleats after his junior year to focus solely on basketball. Prior to retiring from football, McBride was seemingly one of the top quarterbacks in the highest division in the competitive football state of Ohio. To begin his junior season, he threw for 956 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown in just five games for Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller before he suffered a foot sprain in the first half of a game against perennial power St. Xavier.

The injury kept him out for the rest of the football season and the first 28 games of the basketball season. McBride returned to action in the state final four, where his team cruised to a DI basketball state championship.

As a senior, McBride was all-in on preparing himself for Big 12 basketball. He led Moeller to a ridiculous 29-0 record in the toughest division in the state, where they were the first DI school to run the table since 1995.

After the trip to Spain, we may know just a little more about how Deuce will contribute to the team. The first game against the Madrid All-Stars, he tallied 14 points while going 6-9 from the field. Also gathering five rebounds and snatching up four steals. Following the game, Huggins had a few positive words about the youngster.

“I thought Deuce McBride was really good. He gives us size at the guard position, he gives us strength and toughness that we haven’t had in a while. He’s got an opportunity, I think, to be a special kind of guy.”

The Mountaineers then hit the road to Valencia to face CC Basketball Academy where Deuce put up another impressive stat-line. With 11 points, five boards and two steals, you can see that he doesn’t mind getting underneath with the big guys. McBride has quick hands and a nose for the ball, something we got to witness a couple years ago with a guy named Jevon Carter.

Wrapping up the tour in Barcelona to take on the Barcelona All-Stars, McBride didn’t reach double figures in the scoring column this game, but that’s because he was the one dishing the ball out for others to score. He finished with just six points, but had seven rebounds, seven assists and another four steal game.

That type of energy defensively is something that has to have Huggins salivating at the mouth. Now you know who Miles McBride is, but don’t call him that.

Just call him Deuce.