WVU to appeal denial for immediate eligibility for G Perez

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — The NCAA has denied a waiver for immediate eligibility for guard Jose Perez at West Virginia, coach Bob Huggins announced Friday.

The 6-foot-5 Perez transferred from Manhattan after his coach, Steve Masiello, was fired by the Jaspers on Oct. 25, two weeks before the start of the season. Perez enrolled at West Virginia in November for the spring semester.

Huggins said West Virginia plans to appeal the NCAA's decision. Perez is eligible to start practicing with the Mountaineers on Dec. 17.

“We are disappointed by the news that we received this afternoon from the NCAA,” Huggins said. “All of Mountaineer Basketball is hurting for Jose.”

Before transferring, Perez was chosen as the preseason Player of the Year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He averaged 18.9 points, 4.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds last season.

Perez spent two seasons at Gardner-Webb and one each at Marquette and Manhattan.

On Twitter, Perez said Friday that “I did nothing but put my blood sweat tears into that college place was home and due to them firing basically a coach who took me in as his son just got no words … not going to say too much.”