Pitt Basketball Recruiting Update

By Brian Batko

There wasn't a whole lot to glean from the Hoop Group's Pittsburgh Jam Fest held at North Hills High School and other western PA sites this past weekend, as most of Pitt's presumably top recruiting targets for 2013 (Beejay Anya, Mike Young, Jaren Sina, recently offered Tony Farmer) were playing in the Nike EYBL event in Minnesota.  But there were still plenty of good teams and players in Pittsburgh, including some that either have offers or interest from the Panthers: 

Savon Goodman (6-6 F, Constitution HS/Philadelphia, 2012, New Rens 17U)

True story: Two years ago, I watched Amile Jefferson and Savon Goodman play on a really good Team Philly 16 and under AAU team and came away more impressed by Goodman.  Jefferson turned out to be a McDonald’s All-American and is still mulling over a commitment to either Duke, Ohio State, Villanova, and Kentucky.  Goodman, on the other hand, has had just as long a recruiting saga as Jefferson but it’s one that doesn’t seem to be making much progress.

Without a doubt the biggest name Pitt is still actively recruiting for the 2012 class, Goodman isn’t even sure if he wants to remain in 2012, saying that prep school is still an option.  On the court this past weekend at the Hoop Group’s Pittsburgh Jam Fest, Goodman was largely unimpressive, especially for a guy that - unlike most of his teammates and opponents on Saturday – could be playing college ball seven months from now. 

While Pitt fans and presumably the coaching staff have visions of Goodman playing the four spot – perhaps their biggest area of weakness - if he were to become a Panther, he didn’t show much of the necessary tools for that.  Playing Goodman at the four in a college game next year would essentially just be throwing him out on the court based on talent alone and telling him to be aggressive, try to get rebounds, and attack the rim.  Which is fine, I’m just not sure if that’s something worth over-recruiting for this late in the process.  He’s very much still an extremely talented and explosive player, but people should be cautious in labeling him as an elite or can’t-miss prospect. 

It also sounds like Goodman has little idea of what he wants to do recruiting-wise, which would lead one to believe that a 5^th year for him looks more and more like a possibility.  He didn’t really single out any of the schools recruiting him other than mentioning them (Pitt, UCLA, Temple, St. John’s), but did bring up Kentucky on his own.  It’s no secret that just about any recruit would love to hear from Kentucky, but in Goodman’s case, it would seem that he would be more focused on the schools that actually are coming at him for 2012.  Just a strange recruitment overall and one that could seemingly never end and move along at a very slow pace.

Kaza Keane (6-1 G, Christian Faith Center, 2012, Grassroots Canada 18U)

One of a few players, along with Goodman, that is still on Pitt’s radar for 2012, Keane did imply the Panthers seemed to be backing off of him a little bit.  Matt Steinbrink of PantherLair.com reported that Keane was on campus for an unofficial visit Monday but the 6-1 Canadian point man said Pitt hasn’t been recruiting him as hard as they once were though they are still keeping in contact with his brother.  Keane said everything is “going well” for him as a class of 2012 recruit and that he doesn’t envision himself reverting back to his original class of 2013.  He’s still very high on Pitt but also seemed to be fond of Rhode Island, who he said have been watching him a lot recently.

As for his game, Keane does seem more suited to be an A-10 player than a Big East recruit.  He’s fast and has decent size for a point guard, but his decision making skills still need improving.  Keane tends to overpenetrate at times and end up turning the ball over either on a travel or errant pass.  His outside shot isn’t bad but he doesn’t appear to be much of a scorer and pretty much needs the ball to be effective.  He played with the Canadian Grassroots team in the open division (18 and under) in Pittsburgh this past weekend.  

Kris Jenkins (6-5 F/G, Gonzaga/Washington D.C., 2013, DC Assault Gold 17U)

Jenkins had an OK weekend in Pittsburgh, not doing anything to hurt his stock or particularly help it.  He knocked down outside shots, as he’s known to do, but concerns remain about the weight and conditioning of the 6-5 wing player.  Helping lead his DC Assault squad to the semifinals, Jenkins isn’t exactly unathletic but outside of his shooting, he does have to work on the rest of his game, as he didn’t show much of a propensity for getting to the basket or scoring a whole lot inside.  He has a number of Big East and ACC schools after him thanks to a breakout high school season and no recruiting visits planned yet so it’s tough to tell where Pitt stands with him until he starts to narrow his recruitment down a little bit.

Rysheed Jordan (6-3 G, Vaux Roberts/Philadelphia, 2013, Philly Pride 17U)

Considered to be an elite 2013 guard, Jordan didn’t exactly look the part this weekend but obviously he’s built his reputation on much more than just a couple games.  He’s strong, athletic, and quick while also able to finish at the rim.  The Philadelphia native, Jordan did not cite Pitt as one of his schools of interest but he has practically everyone after him – mentioning Syracuse and Kansas, among others.  Jamie Dixon watched him play Saturday night, as did Nasir Robinson and Ashton Gibbs.  Robinson’s younger brother Darius is a 2013 guard that suits up for Philly Pride alongside Jordan.

Terrence Samuel (6-3 G, South Shore/Brooklyn, 2013, New Rens 17U)

Not a lot to say here about Samuel, as he didn’t show any more or less of a floor game than he’s known for.  A combo guard who doesn’t have great floor general skills but also lacks elite shooting guard tools, Goodman's AAU teammate is a nice player but not a top-notch 2013 prospect.  The Brooklyn native mentioned interest from Pitt and said he likes the program but that it’s a little far from home.  Ironically, he sounded very high on Iowa State and new head coach Fred Hoiberg, who could be the ones to beat for his services and watched his final game of the weekend in-person. 

Sam Singer (6-5 G, Ransom Everglades/Miami, 2013, Gold Coast 17U)

A 6-5 guard who can play the two and probably even the one as well, Singer said Dixon called him last week to say he would be coming to watch him over the weekend at the Jam Fest and was interested to see him play.  However, it would seem that the interest from Pitt at this point is nothing beyond Dixon having ties to Singer’s family, many of whom live in the Squirrel Hill area of Pittsburgh.  Singer is very strong academically and has seen his recruitment skyrocket in the last few months but I wouldn’t consider Pitt highly involved at all at this point.

Anthony Dallier (6-6 G/F, Northfield Mt. Hermon, 2013, Ohio Basketball Club 17U)

Similarly to Singer, Dallier is a player that won’t blow anyone away with his athleticism but has an extremely high basketball IQ and knows how to play. He’s also a player with local ties, attending North Allegheny High School until transferring to Northfield Mt. Hermon – a top prep school in Massachusetts – before last year and reclassifying to 2013. Dallier, a 6-6 wing, said Pitt called him and came to see him at an open gym but again, at this point, Dixon is likely just following up on a talented local kid who he’s familiar with.

Major Canady (6-3 G, Kiski Prep, 2013, Ohio Basketball Club 17U)

Yet another player with ties to Pittsburgh – Canady is originally from North Carolina but attends Kiski Prep about an hour from Pittsburgh – Canady is one whose interest from Pitt might be a little more serious.  Canady is a very strong but athletic player who is more of a point guard but has the size (6-3) to play off the ball is well.  Offensively, his game is very unpolished, as he typically just tries to bull his way to the hoop, but on the other end he is nothing short of a lockdown defender.  The statistics at Maxpreps.com indicate that Canady averaged (!) a quadruple-double this past high school season, which is rather comical, but he does get a lot of steals and is somewhat adept at dropping the ball off to teammates for scoring opportunities once he gets into the lane.

Canady said he was surprised when Jamie Dixon called but noticed the Pitt coach had watched a couple of his games this weekend.  He’d like to commit by the end of this live period in July (which doesn’t mean all that much since no recruit says they plan on waiting until May of their senior year) and said he’ll be visiting Pitt in the near future.  He supposedly likes Pitt a lot, and plays nearby, so if the interest picks up on the other end, this could be a recruitment to watch. 

________________________________________________

In case you were wondering about how some of the 2013 prospects fared in Minnesota this weekend, here's a rundown based on stats from the official Nike EYBL website: 

Note: All EYBL teams played 4 games

Beejay Anya (6-8 C, DeMatha Catholic, Team Takeover)

25 MPG, 43% FG (12-28), 61% FT (17-28), 10.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.8 BPG

Mike Young (6-9 F, Hudson Catholic, NJ Playaz)

28 MPG, 56% FG (15-27)  65% FT (15-23), 11.5 PPG, 7 RPG

Jaren Sina (6-1 G, Gill St. Bernard's, Team Final)

26 MPG, 36% FG (13-36), 42% 3FG (10-24), 9 PPG, 4.5 APG

Tony Farmer (6-7 F, Garfield Heights, All Ohio Red)

25 MPG, 23% FG (9-40), 78% FT (7-9), 6.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG

Some Thoughts And Stats From Final Day Of Pittsburgh Jamfest

By Brian Batko

The Pittsburgh Jamfest wrapped up on Sunday and it was a much less eventful day in terms of Pitt's 2012 targets. Amile Jefferson and his Philly's Finest team and Nkereuwem Okoro and his Long Island Lightning squad both got knocked out of the playoffs on Saturday night, leaving Myles Davis as the only 2012 player that is high on Pitt's radar left in the tournament.

Davis and the New Jersey Playaz took on Team Loaded at the Petersen Events Center at 11:00 A.M. in the quarterfinals. In this one, Davis got off to a much better start than he did in the Saturday games, tallying 13 points by halftime. But it was the second half that Davis really started going to work.

Any time the Playaz needed some points or a big shot to stay in the game, Davis delivered. He nailed a three on the break to cut Team Loaded's lead to six and on the next possession got fouled on a shot from behind the arc and made all three free throws. Davis struggled with his jumper most of the weekend but when he got hot, he took advantage, as did his teammates, who made sure to look for him in transition.

He finished with 32 points on 8-15 shooting, 5-11 from three, and a perfect 11-11 from the charity stripe, but it wasn't enough for the Playaz as they lost to Team Loaded, who eventually went on to make the finals, 77-67.

But Davis wasn't the only guy Pitt is involved with that was having success on Sunday. Youngster Austin Colbert, a 2013 forward ranked #14 in his class by ESPN, was a key cog in Team Final's run to the championship of the 16 and under gold bracket.

The 6'9" sophomore struggled in the quarterfinal game, scoring only 5 points on 2-6 shooting, but he was able to get it going in the semis against Garner Road Elite (NC). Colbert posted 16 points in a win for Team Final to advance to the championship game.

Colbert, who plays for New Jersey powerhouse St. Patrick's during the regular season, showed off a beautiful face-up game against Canada's CIA Bounce and the 7'3" Tanveer Bhullar. He only scored 11 points but they didn't come off of put backs or right-place-right-time opportunities. Colbert looked very natural hitting shots from 10-15 feet away from the hoop and even handling the ball on the perimeter, which is intriguing for a player of his age and size.

The final stat line for Colbert in the 65-61 Team Final victory: 11 points, 4-7 FG (4-6, 0-1), 3-3 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1 turnover.

Lastly, some final thoughts on each player.

Amile Jefferson: One of the best players I saw all weekend. Extremely skilled but not necessarily a finesse player. Has no problem banging under the hoop with players much bigger and stronger than him. However, he does need to add some muscle and strength to his wiry thin frame. Didn't connect on many shots from the outside but his form isn't bad, so with some repetition he may be able to become a more consistent shooter. Really likes to run the floor, is pretty strong with the ball despite being so skinny, and is a decent ball handler and passer. On the defensive end, he uses his excellent length to contest and alter shots. He tends to complain to the refs a little too much, but all in all, he's a pretty smart player who lets the game come to him and doesn't try to do too much.

Nkereuwem Okoro: If he can improve his ball handling and jump shot, he could be a nightmare to guard. He's already tough to stop when he wants to go to the basket, but occasionally he gets carried away picks up charges. I think he projects to a slightly undersized three man at the college level who plays bigger than he is and can body up taller, less physical players. Okoro would fit right in with the Pitt teams of the Howland/Dixon era. I would've liked to see a little more production out of him this weekend but, in his defense, AAU basketball is a bit of a double-edged sword in that you want to see a kid be aggressive but you also don't want him to force things and chuck up shots in an attempt to look better for scouts and coaches.

Myles Davis: Certainly has a game very similar to Ashton Gibbs, who also played for the Playaz and is friends with Davis. What impressed me is that even though his three pointers weren't falling for much of the weekend, he still found ways to put points on the board against great competition. I was wondering if he would still be able to make an impact without making outside jumpers, and at times he did seem content to wait for his teammates to get him an open look, but for the most part he didn't hesitate to try to drive the lane and either score inside or get to the line. Davis didn't show a whole lot of playmaking ability, which he'll have to improve on if he wants to be a point guard at the next level like he says. He also has to work on his physique so that he can hopefully increase his lateral quickness which will help him penetrate more and play better on-ball defense.

Austin Colbert: Still two years away from the next level but it's no wonder why he's such a highly rated prospect. Coaches and scouts love guys with his height and skill set. He looked very comfortable away from the basket but needs to work on his post game since he'll probably be a four man in college. Runs the floor like a guard and showed some nifty passing ability out of the high and low post, but adding strength and bulk needs to be the number 1 priority for this intriguing prospect going forward.

Saturday Pittsburgh Jamfest Update

By Brian Batko

The three 2012 prospects that Pitt is taking a long, hard look at took the floor again on Saturday at the Hoop Group's Pittsburgh Jam Fest. Amile Jefferson (6'7" F), Myles Davis (6'1" G), and Nkereuwem Okoro (6'4" G/F) all had fairly productive days for their respective AAU clubs.

On Saturday, Jefferson pretty much picked up where he left off Friday night, going for 21 points in a 59-41 win over the Riverside Hawks for Philly's Finest to win their pool.

Okoro (whose first name is pronounced 'Kuro-wem') and his Long Island Lightning teammates had the pleasure of kicking off the all the Saturday games with an 8:30 A.M. bout with the Mitchellville Trailblazers (MD) at the Fitzgerald Field House. Both teams were pretty sluggish, which can probably be attributed to the early start time, and Okoro only managed to score 7 points on 3-7 shooting (1-2 from the free throw line). But Okoro has a reputation for being a tenacious player that always gives 100% when he steps on the floor and he didn't disappoint in that regard.

The Bronx native, who plays his high school ball for St. Raymond's, pulled down 6 rebounds and attacked the basket with fury, helping the Lightning to a 51-43 victory.

"We had a hectic car drive over here, didn't get that much sleep and we started slow but I'm just glad we got the W and we'll get ready for the next game," Okoro said.

The next game was a 59-48 victory over All-Ohio Gold, resulting in a trip to the gold bracket for the Lightning.

In the first round of the playoffs, Okoro paced the Lightning with 17 points in an easy win over the Raritan Roundballers Gold (NJ). The 6'4" swingman certainly has the look of a typical Pitt player in that he's physical, hard-nosed, and isn't afraid of contact despite being a bit undersized.

Okoro, who has scholarship offers from Arizona, Seton Hall, Iowa State, and most recently Texas A&M, said Pitt has yet to offer him but is recruiting him hard.

"Coach Dixon came to see me [work out], Brandin Knight came again the week after that, I love the coaches," he said.

The Lightning's run ended in the second round at the hands of Team Loaded (VA).

Myles Davis and his New Jersey Playaz squad, though, is still alive in the gold bracket thanks to victories over East Coast Fusion (NY), the Ohio Hoopsters, East Coast Elite (DE), and the PA Playaz.

Davis, who is known for being an elite three point shooter, was struggling with his shot today but managed to contribute in other ways. Utilizing some crafty offensive moves and a couple pull-up jumpers, the 6'1" guard out of Notre Dame Prep scored 16 points (6-14 FG, 1-6 3pt. FG, 3-3 FT) in the 71-54 win over East Coast Fusion.

The sharpshooter, who was formerly a member of the 2011 class, was a bit more efficient but didn't make as much of an impact in the Playaz' first playoff game against East Coast Elite. He finished 5-10 from the field (0-3 from beyond the arc), tallying 11 points along with 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. His outside shot just wouldn't fall and he really seemed to be frustrated by it, disappearing at times on the floor.

Davis plays mostly off the ball with the Playaz, who have the highly touted 6'8" point guard prospect Kyle Anderson, but said he sees himself as a scoring point guard in college. PSN caught up with him after the game against East Coast Fusion and here's what he had to say:

Myles Davis on Pitt...

"They're not the favorite [for me] but Pitt's always gonna be there just because they've done a lot for me, they've always been there and because of Brandin [Knight]."

On playing on Pitt's campus for the Jamfest...

"When I come here I imagine it, kind of, if I could see myself playing here for the next four years and just see how things are."

On a possible timetable for his college decision...

"I'm just trying to take my time with it. I think I'm gonna decide around the first signing period, which is around my birthday in November, so I think that's when I'll decide."

On what he's focusing on this summer to improve...

"Right now just eating right, my athleticism, my strength, and my speed. That's what I know I need to work on because I know I'm not gonna play two-guard in college and even if I do make it further than that, I'm not gonna play the two so I know I have to be a scoring point guard. But I gotta work on everything."

On being labeled as strictly a shooter...

"I would just say watch me play the next game and I'll show you. I prove people wrong when they say 'he's just a shooter, he's just a shooter.' No, I can play the one, I can pass the ball, I can get rebounds if you really need me to. I'll do whatever it takes. So to just label me as a shooter, I take that as offensive. I guess I just have to prove everybody wrong."

On the role he sees himself playing in college...

"I see myself as a combo, not necessarily just a point guard...basically someone like Ashton [Gibbs]."

Davis and the New Jersey Playaz will take on Team Loaded in a quarterfinal match-up Sunday morning at 11:00 A.M at the Petersen Events Center.

Amile Jefferson Gets Off To A Nice Start At Jamfest

By Brian Batko

Amile Jefferson, a 6'7" class of 2012 forward ranked #9 overall by ESPN, is very high on Pitt's radar and turned in a solid performance Friday night at the Hoop Group's Pittsburgh Jam Fest.

The Philly product put up 18 points on 7-10 from the field, 4-5 from the charity stripe, along with 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers in Philly's Finest's double-digit win over Syracuse Select. Jefferson, a lanky point forward that runs the floor like a gazelle, was one of the tallest players on his team so he didn't get much of a chance to show off much of a perimeter game but did show off his impressive skill set a bit in transition. He's a strong ball handler for his size and a good passer, but doesn't force the issue, which is refreshing to see in AAU ball.

Even though he needs to bulk up a bit, or at least add some muscle to his skinny frame, he's not afraid to mix it up down low. He got scored on a few times in the post, but he was defending bigger, stronger players all night and that's something he won't have to do if he plays the 3 position in college.

Jefferson was jawing with the refs a little too much at some points but for the most part, he's a humble, well-spoken kid who is pretty vocal on the floor. While the Panthers are showing the Friends Central (PA) star a lot of attention, he said he doesn't let that affect him when he plays in the Jamfest, located on Pitt's campus.

"We're just out here playing, we just want to play good basketball," Jefferson said. "I think we played a little sluggish tonight but this is a brand new team and we're all still getting to know each other so I just have to be focused on the team."

Philly's Finest will take on the Riverside Hawks at 3:35 Saturday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center in their last game of pool play before the playoffs begin.

Cty Game (11:58 to play in 1st half)

At the 11:58 mark in the first half, the Panthers lead the Dukes 15-12. Much like last year's game, the Dukes got out to a VERY hot start. This year, the Panthers caught up a bit quicker, as they trailed by 17 at the half in last season's contest.

The Bad News: Brad Wanamaker picked up 2 early fouls.
The Good News: The Panthers have PLENTY of depth to counteract any foul trouble, and they're also getting whatever they want inside against the very undersized Dukes.

City Game

Well, it's a little less than an hour until tip-off of the annual City Game here in the beautiful Consol Energy Center. The Pitt Panthers and Duquesne Dukes are currently on the floor getting loose in anticipation of their 79th all-time meeting.

Not a whole lot of fans here yet, but the Duquesne student section seems to have a bit of an edge over the Oakland Zoo thus far.

PSN Men's College Hoops Top 25

Without further (or any) ado, here is the first edition of the Panther Sports Network Top 25 for the 2010-2011 Men's College Basketball season.

(Nov. 23, 2010)

1. Duke
2. Kansas
3. Kansas State
4. Michigan State
5. Pittsburgh
6. Ohio State
7. Villanova
8. Syracuse
9. Kentucky
10. Washington
11. Purdue
12. Baylor
13. Georgetown
14. Missouri
15. Minnesota
16. Memphis
17. San Diego State
18. Temple
19. Tennessee
20. Florida
21. Texas
22. Illinois
23. BYU
24. Gonzaga
25. Louisville

Pitt Basketball back in action, improves to 134-11 at the Pete

Since I wasn't at home last night, there was no post about the Pitt basketball opener. It was a tough game as expected, but it was made much closer than it should be due to some inexcusable missed lay-ups and the rock solid hands of Gary McGhee. Rhode Island is a pretty good team, so I didn't think it was going to be a runaway win for Pitt, but if they make half of those lay-ups it's a 15 point win. Brad Wanamaker and Ashton Gibbs did their usual thing and accounted for 46 of Pitt's 83 points. Talib Zanna added what appears to be an inside presence, something Pitt has lacked since DeJuan Blair's departure. Zanna used his athleticism to grab 11 rebounds and added some transition game to the Pitt effort. One thing Pitt is going to have to address is having a third banana. Gil Brown added 10 points, but only shot 2 for 8 from the field and just never got in the zone. As we saw at the end of last season, Brown can carry the team for periods of time and then disappear just as easily. This team can't just rely on Gibbs and Wanamaker to carry them night in and night out. They need someone else to step up in their absence. Look at the 2008-2009 Pitt team. You has Sam Young, DeJuan Blair and Levance Fields all capable of leading the team every night. You also had Brown, Wanamaker and Gibbs that could also contribute when needed. Unless something dramatic happens in the near future, none of the bigs are going to add a ton of offensive punch. Nas Robinson did have that huge game against Louisville last year where he could do no wrong, but those type of efforts out of him are going to be few and far between. Gary McGhee is not an offensive threat in any way, shape or form. Dante Taylor hasn't shown any huge offensive output either, so this team needs Brown and/or Patterson to step up and be the number three guy.

Tonight we saw another edition of the Gibbs and Wanamaker show. Ashton scored 24 and hit five of 10 threes and Wanamaker added 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Before the game got out of hand, Gibbs and Wanamaker combined for 41 of the teams first 74 points. This was a non-conference home game and a blowout of a team picked to finish ninth in a mid-major conference. This team can't rely on two guys to score nearly 3/5 of their points when the games against tournament teams roll around. So what i'm looking for in the next few games is how Brown, Patterson, Woodall and Zanna play in the first half. #4 Pitt ended up winning 97-54 in a much easier bout with Illinois-Chicago. Pitt improved to 2-0 in 2010-2011 and 134-11 at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers will host North Florida on Saturday before they take a step up in competition against Maryland, when they head to their home-away-from-home, Madison Square Garden, where they are 21-10 since 2001. Recently, Pitt has captured two Big East Championships and notched an unforgettable upset against the undefeated Duke Blue Devels on December 20, 2007. Gibbs will be taking his Big East Player of the Year campaign back to the area where he grew up and try to make his imprint on the Garden. These games against high profile opponents will serve as a measuring stick for this years Panthers.

There are two other important sporting events going on tonight.

First, my Sixers are in Oklahoma City attempting to slow down the 2010 FIBA World Championship MVP and defending scoring champion, Kevin Durant. The Sixers are hanging tough without Andre Iguodala thanks to a heel injury. Jrue Holiday and Elton Brand have carried the Sixers so far in what has been a relatively close contest. Kevin Durant has been quiet (for him) and yet has managed to put up 17 points and four rebounds. A few things that I have learned from this game (other than about Eric Snow's insistence on talking non-stop about his mediocre NBA career) is that the Sixers desperately need a center. Spencer Hawes has looked awful (although still better than Jason Smith). If we are dead set on having a white center, please find a good one. I'd even be happy with playing Brand at center and Thaddeus Young at power forward. The best line-up I've seen for this team includes Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Elton Brand. With a few trade chips, Marreesse Speights, Lou Williams and Jason Kapono's expiring contract, I believe that getting a solid center is highly possible.

Second, we have the Ultimate Fighter semifinals. I apologize to those that thought I was going to talk about that Toledo-Bowling Green barn burner. Not happening. I'm hoping that Koscheck's guys can get it done tonight in a few tough match-ups. Actually, I'm hoping for another fight between Koscheck and someone GSP brings in to piss Koscheck off, but I highly doubt that will happen. GSP's guy, Jonathon Brookins, looks like Clay Guida, so how appropriate would it be if he were to win this thing and get the UFC contract. You'd have Clay Guida and a guy that looks like Clay Guida. It's like how in the NBA when the Nuggets play the Suns. On the same court, you have Shelden Williams and the Suns mascot, a guerrilla.

Pitt vs. Illinois-Chicago Halftime Update

Pitt 43
UIC 29

The Panthers take a 14-point lead into the half, certainly nothing to scoff at considering this pesky Illinois-Chicago squad. Brad Wanamaker is already doing his usual stat sheet-stuffing routine, putting up 11 points, 7 assists, and 3 boards in the first half. Ashton Gibbs leads the scoring with 13 points and also has 4 assists.

Pitt - Rhode Island Post-Game

Pitt hailed victorious in the first game of the season.

The Panthers defeated the Rhode Island Rams by a score of 83 - 75.

Going into the game many wondered why such a challenging game was scheduled to open the season. In the post-game news conference, Jamie Dixon joked about not having to answer any more questions playing URI to start off the season.

Defeating the Rams definitely leaves Pitt on an optimistic note

Not only does the team have a reputable non-conference team, but Brad Wanamaker and Ashton Gibbs have established themselves as the leaders of this team on and off the court; this was ever-more prevalent when in the final few minutes of the first half when the two helped lead the Panthers to nine consecutive point, and in the final few minutes of the second half when the two remained poised to help solidify the game.

Throughout the game, the Panthers should a relentless ability to drive to the hoop and obtain close-range shots; however, the Panthers missed nine lay-ups which kept the Panthers back in the first-half.

During the second-half, the team was more effective from the field as it finished more close-range buckets. The Panthers' ability to penetrate will be a driving force behind the success of the team throughout the season.

For the Rams, Delroy James was a stand-out player. His enthusiasm, versatility, and deep three point shooting under pressure helped keep the Rams in the game.

The Pitt defense held up well as URI was forced into mostly contested long range shoots. URI shot a surprisingly high percentage from the field despite being limited to the perimeter. This could be an extremely useful asset to fall back on in tough games if the team finds itself struggling in what will be a competitive A-10.

All in all, Pitt can take out a lot of positives from such a game. The only disappointing facet was the Jamie Dixon could not find an effective solution for containing a dynamic forward-guard like Delroy James which could be threatening in the Big East which is filled with mirror players such as Jimmy Butler (Marquette), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), D.J. Kennedy (St. John's), Corey Stokes (Villanova), and Kevin Jones (West Virginia). In the press-conference Dixon said that he expected everything he saw from James but that there wasn't anything in particular that he had immediately taken away in terms of guarding a player like James.

Pitt - Rhode Island Half-Time

Pitt leads URI 37 - 36 at high due to last minute run of 9 - 0. The run concluded with a Lamar Patterson dunk to electrify the crowd.

Foul trouble will surely be addressed by Jamie Dixon in the locker-room at half.

The Panthers committed 9 personal fouls; most of them being off-the-ball giving the Rams easy opportunities.

The Rams have capitalized at the free throw line making 7 of 9.

The rest of URI's baskets have mostly come from perimeter shooting and mid-range shots. URI is an impressive 7 of 14 from outside the arc.

The underlying question will be if the Rams can maintain this shooting percentage in the second half because Dixon and the Panthers will surely secede the long range shots as opposed to inside penetration.

On the other end of the floor, the Panthers have had great penetration.

Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker have driven in the lane with ease. These high percentage opportunities will hold the Panthers in this game even if their poor shooting doesn't heat up.

It is unlikely that the Panthers will continue to shoot 14.3% from 3-point range.

Additionally, the Panthers have been able to offset this poor percentage with offensive rebounds: the Panthers grabbed 11 with Lamar Patterson leading the team with 3 offensive rebounds.

Pitt vs Northwood Postgame Notes

Final score: Pitt 104, Northwood 62

This is the most points scored by Pitt in an exhibition game ever, save for a 112 point performance in Ireland this past summer.

Now, I know this game is mostly a glorified practice for Pitt, and we played without Nas and Gil, but if this game is any indication, Pitt freshmen Moore, Epps, and Wright will all get more playing time this year than the typical freshman does at Pitt.

Talib Zanna continued to be the story of the second half, finishing with 13 points and 9 rebounds. He'll likely be in the starting lineup at the beginning of the season with Gil and Nas battling injuries.

Ashton Gibbs is still the clear leader of this team, finishing 5-8 from beyond the three point line, and ending up with 25 points overall.

Check back Thursday for more game blogs when the Panthers take on IUP.

Pitt vs Northwood Halftime Notes

Well, the Pitt basketball season is officially underway. (Sort of). After the 1st half of the Panther's exhibition game against Northwood, Pitt is up 48-26. Some notes from the 1st half:

1. Ashton Gibbs has not lost his touch from beyond the arc, shooting 3-4 in the half

2. Northwood's team looks like the size of the guys I play pickup basketball with

3. Redshirt Freshman Talib Zanna is the real deal, he had a few great drives to the basket and definitely shows athletic ability

4. Northwood's first points didn't come until 9.5 min into the half

That's all for now, check back later for some postgame notes

Wacky Week 7

It's been a very interesting season thus far in the National Football League but this past week was especially wacky. While I was sitting on my couch Sunday (and Monday Night) stuff just kept happening that made me say "wow, what is going on?" Here are ten storylines from Week 7 in the NFL that really had me scratching my head.

10. The Chargers are officially in "Panic Button" mode

Obviously the San Diego Chargers are off to a slow start this season, but heading into the week at 2-4 and residing in a rather weak AFC West, there was still reason to be optimistic. Now, not so much. The Bolts failed to get it done against New England on Sunday. I know, I know, the Patriots are a good team and the Chargers are banged up, but when your backs are against the wall and you're playing at home, you have to find a way to win. Philip Rivers and the gang couldn't do that this week.

9. Panthers finally win, San Fran returns to patheticness (I realize it's not a real word but it's just so perfect for the 49ers)

You might not agree that a match-up between an 0-5 team and a 1-5 could possibly make for a good storyline, but give me a chance here. When a team's two quarterback options are Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore, being able to win even one game is no small feat. Some guy named David Gettis scored two touchdowns for the Panthers. The 49ers got their first win last week against the Raiders but this week they were determined to show that beating Oakland was just a fluke. They are, in fact, completely terrible. Next week they head to London. Great timing.

8. Buffalo Bills remain winless but nearly nip the Ravens

Those damn Panthers. They had to go and win a game and leave the Bills by themselves at the bottom of the NFL standings. But Buffalo didn't go down without a fight. Thanks to a great performance by Mark Zuckerberg, woops wrong Harvard grad, I meant Ryan Fitzpatrick, they nearly upset the Baltimore Ravens, a trendy Superbowl pick. In fact, the Bills were actually driving down the field in overtime looking to get into field goal range until Fitzpatrick completed a pass to tight end Shawn Nelson, who got swallowed up by a gang of Ravens and was trying to fight for more yards when Ray Ray Lewis was able to strip the ball. It appeared that the play should've been called dead and Nelson given forward progress, but nonetheless, questionable call. More on that later.

7. Suddenly dominant Raiders destroy Broncos

As I mentioned earlier, the deplorable San Francisco 49ers got a win last week, at long last, against the Raiders. So, it's pretty safe to say that the Raiders are horrendous. Or is it? After watching the 1:00 PM slate of games, I went to Five Guys to grab a quick bite to eat. Upon my return to my room, my computer told me the Raiders were beating the Broncos 38-0. I then proceeded to refresh the screen approximately 384 times. How did this happen? Did the Broncos accidentally trot out a team of third graders? Lo and behold, they didn't. The planets simply aligned in some sort of crazy way. And the Raiders went on to win. 59-14. Go ahead, start refreshing.

6. Unreal, video game-type wide receiver performances

Anyone that has ever played football video games knows that 230-yard, 3-TD games for receivers are pretty commonplace. In the NFL, not quite. But on Sunday, they were. Falcons wide-out Roddy White went off for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns. Not to be outdone, Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt decided he'd go out and record 225 yards and 3 touchdowns. Madden-like performances, indeed. Interestingly enough, in my Fantasy league White's team and Britt's team squared off this week. The only problem is Britt was on my team. And on my bench, as well. Niiiiiiiiiice.

5. Suddenly dominant Browns destroy Saints

This sounds familiar. Only even more flabbergasting. Where do you start with this one? The Browns punter, Reggie Hodges, nearly led them in rushing yards. It only gets crazier from there. Many believe Drew Brees to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league, if not the best, and he led the Saints to a Superbowl ring last year. But this week, he was atrocious. He threw 4 interceptions, against the woeful Browns, no less. Two of those interceptions were by 6-3, 265-pound, 34-year-old linebacker David Bowens, and he took them both back to the house for touchdowns. To be fair, Brees has a lot going on in his life right now. His wife just had a baby last week. They named the baby Bowen. I guess that's karma for giving your baby a weird name.

4. Romo down (and out)

Perhaps the most significant injury of the season took place on Monday Night Football, as Tony Romo suffered a broken clavicle and is most likely done for the year. The Cowboys dropped to 1-5, essentially eliminating from playoff contention, and now their quarterback is gone. It's Jon Kitna time now in Dallas. Fun, fun, fun.

3. Interception-prone Jay Cutler throws lots of interceptions...to the same guy

You'd think after being picked off by DeAngelo Hall once, Cutler would give him a little more respect the rest of the way. You'd think after being picked off by DeAngelo Hall twice, Cutler would really start to shy away from his side. You'd think after being picked off by DeAngelo Hall three times, Cutler might just stop throwing the ball entirely. But no, Cutler got picked off by Hall a fourth time. Of course one of them was returned by Hall for an interception. This one really baffles me.

2. Brett Favre

After the Sunday Night game, it was discovered Favre has two fractures in his ankle. I know he's a warrior and all that, but c'mon. TWO FRACTURES IN YOUR ANKLE. If he plays through this next week, it's not gutsy. It's not honorable. It's not courageous. It's dumb. Just plain dumb. I really think that if Favre tries to play Sunday, it's a particularly selfish moment by him. You could argue that a hobbled Favre is an upgrade over backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, but Favre was especially awful against the Packers. He threw three interceptions, one of which was a pick six. Just break the streak Favre. Don't do anything stupid.

1. Questionable calls

At long last, my top storyline for this wild week 7. There were a lot of iffy calls by officials this week, probably the most controversial week for referees since the week one Calvin Johnson issue. In the Steelers-Dolphins game, Ben Roethlisberger fumbled a ball inbounds and no one recovered it. Yes, apparently that can happen. The head official, who did a great job all game explaining his rulings and the reasoning behind them, just so happened to be from Pittsburgh. So when he ruled that the play in question was not a Steelers touchdown, as originally called, Dolphins fans erupted in cheers, as they would now almost surely have the football. But no, much like the Calvin Johnson catch/no-catch call from week one, a strange NFL rule awarded the ball to the Steelers about an inch away from the goal line. This is a polarizing issue, with some pleading for basic common sense to be exercised, and some saying that the rule, while it may be a bad one, was properly applied. Either way, the Steelers came away with the victory. Wait til Seahawks fans see this one.

Join the Team! First PSN Meeting Sept. 1 9PM @ the William Pitt Union

Welcome to Panther Sports Network (PSN)! We are the University of Pittsburgh's student run media organization covering the whole campus sports scene. Throughout the year we will show highlights of Pitt sports, produce our own original shows, and post articles on this blog. If you are interested in sports or television production come to our first meeting of the year on Wednesday September 1 at 9PM in the William Pitt Union. There will be many opportunities to be involved on camera, or behind the scenes depending on your skills and interests.

Pitt vs Rutgers Halftime Update

Pitt has jumped ahead to a massive 40-16 lead at the half. They started out slowly, with no baskets in the first two minutes. Gibbs broke the drought with a quick jumper, and since then they have not let up. Rutgers has done nothing to help themselves out with atrocious 6-22 shooting.

Dixon is the only player in double digits, with 10 points in 11 minutes, but he left early with a foot injury. No word on how serious it is, hopefully it's just a tweak and not a repeat of the injury that had him out for 6 months earlier this season.

Most impressive in the first half is the play of Dante Taylor, who's biggest knock so far has been physical weakness. Thus far in the first half, Taylor has been hitting screens with power and dunking hard, allowing Dixon and Gibbs to dribble out and score. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come.

Pitt vs. Rutgers Pregame Blog

The Pittsburgh Panthers enter today's game against Rutgers with seeding in the Big East Tournament at stake. Following Villanova's loss to West Virginia earlier today, the Panthers can secure a #2 seed at Madison Square Garden with a victory.

After Ashton Gibbs had to come up with 25 foot buzzer beater to beat Providence on Thursday night, the biggest concern for the Panthers is a similar weak defensive performance against another Big East bottom feeder. The Panthers are a team that can beat the best and lose to the worst, and they need all the momentum they can get heading to New York this week.

Look for Jermaine Dixon to come up big today, as he will be recognized along with Chase Adams as part of senior night. If Pitt wins today, Dixon will join rare company as one of the few players to only ever lose game at home. Anybody who watched the Providence game saw that Dixon is clearly savoring these last few moments in the Petersen Events Center, and he'll go out with a bang today.

Since the University of Pittsburgh decided to close the student union this weekend for no apparent reason, we are unable to get our equipment, and there will be no videos of this game. To make up for it, we're sending two members of Panther Sports Network to the Big East Tournament for the first time. Check back for videos and analysis later in the week.

Looking back on the 2009 NBA Draft

Obviously, it is March and it's almost time for the conference tournaments to start, but we're also most of the way through the 2009-2010 NBA season. I felt like now is as good a time as ever to step back and look at how some of June's draftees have fared so far in the NBA. What's remarkable is that two of the top six picks have not participated in an NBA game this season. What's even more remarkable is that Mike "Dumbleavy" as Bill Simmons calls him and David Kahn still have jobs. Chris Wallace also gets credit for turning three top 36 picks into an 8th man (Sorry Sam), 9th man and a D-League Player. So here we go...

1. Blake Griffin-Blake suffered a devastating injury during the pre-season and hopefully he'll be able to recover from it, but when you take a guy #1 overall, you expect some type of contribution. Hopefully he'll come back from this and be the same explosive player he was before.

2. Hasheem Thabeet-Shocking! A terrible draft pick. I bet the Dakota Wizards are very happy to have him. The sad thing is that he's probably not even the best player in the D-Leauge. Every that has seen Thabeet play knows he's soft and has no offensive skill whatsoever.

3. James Harden-Harden has been making a solid contribution (9.8 ppg) on a playoff team. He's shooting about 38% from beyond the arc which is more than anyone though he's be able to shoot. You expect more from a top three pick, but you can't be disappointed with Harden so fan.

4. Tyreke Evans-Evans was one of the most NBA ready players in last summer's draft so no one should really be shocked that he's been one of the best rookies thus far. Sacramento must be very happy.

5. Ricky Rubio-I have no doubt he'll be a very good NBA player, but when? He hasn't helped the T-wolves at all.

6. Jonny Flynn-He's been better than I thought he would be, but what he's doing is about right for a #6 overall pick.

7. Steph Curry-I was wrong. He's more Monta Ellis than J.J. Redick. He's right there with Evans for Rookie of the Year.

8. Jordan Hill-When you are a throw-in in a trade halfway through your rookie year, that's usually a bad sign. He didn't fit NY's system at all so I wonder why the Knicks took him in the first place.

9. DeMar DeRozen-The only thing he's accomplished this season was boring me during the dunk contest. Another mistake.

10. Brandon Jennings-I can't say i'm shocked with what he's done, I didn't think he'd overtake Ramon Sessions so quickly. Jennings is a future star.

11. Terrence Williams-The Nets are terrible so he's had the chance to get lots of minutes. I think he could be a 18-7-5 type guy in two or three years. You could have done worse with the #11 pick.

12. Gerry Henderson-He's one of the biggest busts in this draft. Surprise! I expect him to be joining Thabeet in the D-League any day. Who would have ever thought that a two-guard that couldn't shoot in college would somehow be able to do it in the NBA. Nice pick MJ!

13. Tyler Hansbrough-He's played pretty well when he's had the chance. He provided energy off the bench. I expect to see a little more from him next year.

14. Earl Clark-He was drafted as a project and that's exactly what he's been. He could be Amar'e or he could be Hilton Armstrong. We'll know in a few years.

Coming Soon...The rest of the 1st round.

Hockey Victory Headlines Sucessful USA Olympic Weekend

The quick highlights of great showing by the US this weekend:

The men's hockey team took on Canada on Canadian soil and pulled off a pretty stunning 5-3 victory. Despite being outshot 45-23, the Americans pulled off what is being hailed as their biggest upset since the 1980 Miracle. Clearly it did not carry the importance of the medal round, but the victory guarantees the US a bye into the quarterfinals. In addition the US earned the number one seed, which means avoiding the powerhouse teams until the semifinals or later.

The only disappointment I had from this game was that the game was on MSNBC rather than NBC and wasn't even available in HD. NBC instead aired tape delayed skiing and ice dancing. Seriously, Ice dancing? They should have aired the skiing LIVE when it happened earlier in the day, and honestly, ice dancing couldn't have been on one of the other 3 channels or aired around the biggest hockey game of the three big games of Sunday (the others being Russia-Czech Republic, and Sweden-Finland) Hockey fans, the NHL, and sports fans in general should be irate at NBC. They missed a chance to showcase absolutely riveting theater and a sure chance to enthrall the American public with hockey. The medal round promises more riveting action and I am disappointed that NBC is not showcasing it on its main channel especially with the fact that it could help grow ratings for their regular season NHL broadcasts.

Moving on from NBC outrage (bring back Conan!) to the chaos probably taking place across Canada right now. The outcry and angst in Canada must be insane right now, with all the pressure and expectations. The media and fans are going nuts. The Canadians want that gold. They need it. It is comparable to the US expectations in basketball, except that Canada care a lot more. Hockey, the Olympics, and Olympic hockey are way more important to Canada than basketball or international basketball are to most Americans. I'd be surprised if Martin Brodeur, who gave up 4 goals, starts the next game. Hometown boy Roberto Luongo should get the nod over the Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury. Canada now has to play Germany for the right to face Russia in the final. I have been eagerly anticipating the showdown of the 2 powerhouses and their thrilling superstars, but not so early in the tournament.

The other USA highlights included Apollo Anton Ohno winning his seventh career Olympic medal, an American record. Definitely check out short-track speed-skating, it is an intense contact race around the rink.

Two of my favorite USA 'bad boys' also picked up medals this weekend. Shani Davis picked up his second medal of these games, a silver on Saturday. Bode Miller won his first career gold, third medal of 2010, and fifth career medal overall. I look forward to seeing Apollo and Bode picking up some more medals this week as they each have a couple events left.

I just saw an ad for freestyle skiing aerials and it looks absolutely insane: a guy just did some crazy back-flip-corkscrew-1080-god knows what off a ramp while going very fast. Can't wait till that starts.

Weekend Highlight #1: Pitt beats Nova

Pitt rode another rollicking Petersen Events Center Crowd to a 70-65 victory over No. 3 Villanova. The Panthers were led by Ashton Gibb's 21 points and Gilbert Brown's 16, and 7 points and 10 rebounds from Gary McGhee. 8 of those rebounds came on the offense end, and Pitt's 18 offensive rebounds overall was the key to victory on a day when the Panthers shot only 35% from the field.

The win puts the Panthers into a tie with West Virgina for third place in the Big East with 10-4 conference record. The top 4 teams receive a double-bye in the Big East Tournament, and Pitt is one game ahead of fifth place Louisville and holds the head-to-head tie breaker. All this remember, after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason Big East coaches poll. With another marquee win against a top 5 opponent, the Panthers have also put themselves in position for a good seed in the NCAA tournament as well. Hopefully, they will move up when the new polls are released this week. If the Panthers finish off their remaining slate (at Notre Dame, at St. John's, Providence, and Rutgers) and thus get the automatic bye into the Big East quarterfinals, they could go as high as a 3 seed in the NCAAs.