Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

West Virginia forward Esa Ahmad cleared to play beginning Jan. 13

NIT Season Tip-Off

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 25: Esa Ahmad #23 of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts after a basket against the Temple Owls in the second half during the championship game of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Barclays Center on November 25, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Getty Images

West Virginia received some important news on Tuesday as junior forward Esa Ahmad has been cleared to play by the NCAA.

It was announced in late September that the 6-foot-8 Ahmad would have to sit out the first half of the 2017-18 season after failing to meet NCAA eligibility requirements. Ahmad will be eligible to play beginning with a road game at Texas Tech on Jan. 13.

Appearing in all 34 games for the Mountaineers last season, Ahmad was second on the team in scoring and third in rebounding as he averaged 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

West Virginia has been one of the hottest teams in the country, rattling off 13 consecutive wins since an opening game loss to Texas A&M. Adding a player like Ahmad will only help the No. 6 Mountaineers as they get another experienced frontcourt player to add to an already deep rotation.

One of the favorites in the Big 12, West Virginia opens conference play with a home game against No. 7 Oklahoma on Saturday.