Before arriving in Morgantown, Hewitt was one of the most decorated high school basketball players in West Virginia. The Richwood native earned West Virginia Player of the Year honors and became one of the state’s most highly regarded recruits.

At WVU, Hewitt played under both Gale Catlett and John Beilein while sharing the court with players such as Drew Schifino, Tyrone Sally, Chaz Briggs, and Lionel Armstead. Although his journey at West Virginia eventually led him to transfer, his love for Mountaineer basketball never faded.

Today, Hewitt remains closely connected to the game through his work with sports throughout the Mountain State.

In this edition of WVU Brotherhood, Jay reflects on his recruitment, his time in Morgantown, lessons learned from two legendary coaches, and what the WVU experience means to him today.

 

What was it like growing up in Richwood and becoming one of the top players in West Virginia?

I had a great childhood in Richwood. I had great friends, great parents, and great teachers, coaches, and adults around me. I followed basketball in West Virginia as a kid, so becoming one of the top players in the state was really a dream come true.

 

What did it mean to be named West Virginia Player of the Year coming out of high school?

It was awesome. Being named Gatorade Player of the Year from a small town meant a lot to me. It let me know that all of my hard work had paid off.

 

What schools were recruiting you the hardest before you chose WVU?

Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Marshall were the three schools recruiting me the hardest besides WVU.

 

Why was WVU the right choice at the time?

West Virginia was the right choice for me because I had always dreamed of playing there. When they offered me, it was a no-brainer. My parents were alumni and lifelong fans who took me to games. My sister went to school there, and I also had friends already attending WVU. It just felt like the right fit at the time.

 

What are your memories of playing for Coach Gale Catlett?

Coach Catlett was a terrific bench coach and X’s and O’s coach—probably the best I ever played for in that regard. He was incredibly impressive from a basketball standpoint. However, in my opinion, he lacked interpersonal communication skills, which may have prevented him from becoming the coach he could have been. He was old-school in a lot of ways, but he was a great basketball coach.

 

How different was Coach John Beilein from Coach Catlett?

Coach Beilein was a little more modern in his overall approach to the program. Things like nutrition and our training table changed when he arrived. They were similar in that both were outstanding bench coaches, but they had very different ways of running a program. Beilein was much more of a micromanager, I would say.

 

What was the biggest adjustment from high school basketball to the Big East?

The biggest adjustment was the size, physicality, and speed of the players. The Big East was the best basketball conference in the country when we played in it, so it was a major adjustment for all of us. I honestly think it was the greatest basketball conference ever, and there will never be another one like it. There were legitimate NBA players on every team we faced.

 

Who were some of the toughest players you faced in practice at WVU?

Honestly, you were probably the toughest player I faced in practice. The length of your arms and your overall athletic ability made you a really difficult cover. Sometimes I felt like I had you completely defended, and then you’d somehow wrap your arm around from a crazy angle and put the ball in the basket.

Lionel Armstead was another really tough player to compete against every day. I think LA is one of the most underrated players in WVU history. He’s one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen. Shooting just came naturally to him. If he got a clean look, it was probably going in. He was also a tremendous athlete. He wasn’t very big, but he played much bigger than his size.

Calvin Bowman was probably the best overall, though. He was an unbelievable basketball player and athlete. Another criminally underrated player in Mountaineer history.

 

What are your favorite memories from your time in Morgantown?

Some of my favorite memories include winning at Tennessee and the trip back from that game, playing at Madison Square Garden, and beating Marshall at the Civic Center. The trip back from that game—and the night afterward—were a lot of fun.

One memory that stands out is when we beat Rutgers at home on a buzzer-beater by Lionel Armstead. I threw the game-winning assist, which made it even more special.

We also played in a tournament in Arizona and had a great time together out there. Honestly, we had a good group of guys who got along well, and I have a lot of great memories from our time together.

 

You eventually decided to transfer. Looking back, what did that experience teach you?

The experience taught me a lot. It showed me that some things can be fool’s gold, and it gave me confidence going into adulthood because I knew I could do difficult things that required courage. It also taught me that life isn’t always fair. Sometimes circumstances outside of your control can shape the direction of your life, and you have to learn how to live with that.

 

What was your relationship like with your teammates, including guys like Drew Schifino, Tyrone Sally, Chaz Briggs, and Lionel Armstead?

My relationship with you, Tyrone, Chaz, and LA was always great. We genuinely liked each other and enjoyed being around one another.

LA and I butted heads at times, but it was never personal. We were just two ultra-competitive guys competing for the same thing. For the most part, I always felt like everyone on the team got along and liked each other.

 

Who was the funniest teammate you ever had?

Alex Chan was probably the funniest. John Oliver was probably the most entertaining, but Al was definitely the funniest. I was also kind of the locker-room comedian myself.

 

Which teammate had the strongest work ethic?

I remember John Oliver working extremely hard in the weight room. But honestly, we all worked hard. Those preseason conditioning sessions were no joke—22 trips up and down Law School Hill. Chris Moss was also a very hard worker.

 

What was a typical day like as a WVU basketball player in the early 2000s?

A typical day involved going to class, hanging out downtown between classes, and then heading over to the Coliseum, where we’d spend most of our evenings.

The Morgantown nightlife back then was unbelievable, especially if you were part of the basketball team. I always thought being on the basketball team was unique because there were only about 12 of us, so everyone knew who we were. Football players were just as popular, but there were over 100 of them, and they wore helmets. Being part of a major college basketball program was a pretty awesome experience.

 

Looking back now, what does being part of the WVU Brotherhood mean to you?

It’s awesome being part of the WVU basketball fraternity and getting to reconnect with teammates, share stories, and relive old memories. That means a lot to me.

You go through so much with your college teammates that most people don’t really understand. The bond you build is special and often lasts a lifetime.

 

What advice would you give today’s WVU players dealing with NIL, transfers, and social media?

One piece of advice I’d give is to be careful about what you put in writing and what you post online because screenshots never go away.

I don’t have much advice on NIL since I never experienced it, but if I could tell today’s athletes one thing, it would be to enjoy it. It all goes by so fast, and in the grand scheme of life, it’s only a small chapter.

 

What are you doing today, and how has basketball helped shape your life after playing?

Today, I teach school and coach basketball. Playing major college basketball taught me a lot about dealing with people, communicating effectively, and building relationships.

It’s also helped tremendously in my coaching career because I learned from some great coaches along the way. My basketball journey taught me what to avoid saying to young athletes and what lessons I should emphasize. I understand how powerful words can be to a young person, so I’m very careful about how I communicate with them.

 

When WVU fans hear the name Jay Hewitt, what do you hope they remember?

I hope WVU fans remember a guy who was a team player, did what he was supposed to do, and represented the University the best way he could.

I hope they remember a pass-first, tough-nosed player whose dream came true when he got the opportunity to play for West Virginia University.