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April 27, 2010

No Gibbs Bro, More Bond

Filed under: Basketball,Recruiting — Chas @ 9:42 am

The little brother of Ashton Gibbs, Sterling, committed to Maryland last night. I can’t say I’m particularly disappointed over this.

A year ago I would have, but both sides have not seemed overly interested in the other. Especially since Pitt has a PG in the 2010 class and a verbal from John Johnson — another PG in 2011.

Sterling has seemed interested in finding his own place, not simply being Ashton’s little brother.

Interestingly, like Ashton, he seems to have fallen in recruiting rankings after his junior year.

Gibbs is rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 22 point guard in his class by Scout.com. Rivals.com also lists Gibbs as a three-star recruit and the No. 135 overall prospect in the Class of 2011.

This after Sterling being considered a top PG prospect as early as his freshman and even in his sophomore year. His stock seems oddly down. Of course, just look at who was after him: Pitt, Indiana, Wake Forest and others. That suggests a little better than a 3-star kid. Not to mention he was a top player on the USA U-16 team last summer.

He did have Ashton’s support.

Despite Ashton’s ties to the Panthers, Sterling said that his older brother helped him out throughout the entire recruitment.

“He was on the phone with coach [Chuck] Driesell and coach Williams trying to set everything up,” Gibbs said. “He felt like it was the right decision.”

If he had gone to Indiana, then I might have been annoyed. Maryland, though, doesn’t bother me so much.

Meanwhile a little more on Jaylen Bond. He’s nursing a groin injury that is limiting his AAU playing time. While he plays power forward on his HS team — because he’s the biggest player on the squad — he plays more small forward when it comes time for AAU ball.

Bond is projected to play more of a swingman role at Pitt and not power forward, a role he plays for Plymouth Whitemarsh. It will be an interesting transition for Bond, who plays exceptional defense, but will be working on extending the range of his jump shot and ballhandling over this summer.

It’s almost going to be a different world for Bond, who does play small forward for his AAU teams.

“I am used to playing away from the basket, and it’s something I obviously feel I can do, and it’s something Pitt’s coaching staff feels I can do, too,” Bond said. “I’ll be lifting on the off-season, I want to try to play at around 230, 235 next year.”

Coach Dixon was directly involved in his recruitment and it impacted on Bond.

“I knew I wanted to go there the week before, but I wanted to talk it over with my family a lot and think about it a lot,” he said.

“When I went up there, there was no other reason to wait. I knew where I wanted to go.”

Bond had made an unofficial trip to the campus last weekend, also swinging by to check out West Virginia.

“We liked the coaching staff, the surroundings,” he said of Pitt. “They made it clear I was their No. 1 choice for that position.”

Dixon had to like what he saw of Bond when he was in attendance for the Colonials’ 71-47 state semifinal victory over North Allegheny on March 24. As the runner-up in the District One Class AAAA tournament, PW (30-2) was in the western half of the bracket, the semifinal game taking place at Chambersburg High. Dixon, whose Pitt team had just been knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by Xavier, witnessed Bond’s 26-point, 15-rebound performance against the Tigers.

“He said he saw me a couple times,” Bond said of Dixon, “but I remember him being at that game.”

Sort of the silver lining of not making the Sweet 16. I guess.





Sterling and Ashton? Somebody’s mom loved Masterpiece Theatre on PBS…

Comment by Patrick 04.27.10 @ 11:42 am

So, I heard a rumor yesterday with someone that has ties to people on the inside that Gilbert Brown is failing out and is planning on going to play in Europe next year, and that they are trying to force out Dwight Miller…dunno how much to believe, but doesn’t seem to be too out there…

Comment by Snala the Panther 04.27.10 @ 1:12 pm

I thought the issue with Gil was something along the lines of plaguerism. I was under the impression that he was doing well in school otherwise. Maybe I am wrong, or maybe that was what helped him to do well? Either way, I hope he stays cuz he could be a major piece next year.

Comment by PITTapotamus 04.27.10 @ 1:37 pm

Not true.

Comment by Omar 04.27.10 @ 2:07 pm

Those two rumors in tandem don’t make sense to me. Miller was supposed to get forced out only if JJ Moore qualified. Haven’t seen anywhere that he has (anyone?). So if Brown is actually considering Europe over finishing school, why would they need to boot Miller?

Seems to me like someone is recycling old rumors, unless Jamie has a surprise recruit in the wings.

Comment by TampaT 04.27.10 @ 2:08 pm

Gil Brown is not failing out.

Comment by TJ 04.27.10 @ 4:07 pm

Not buying the Gil Brown rumor. I’m pretty sure I heard Coach Dixon, speaking at a sports banquet over the weekend, say that his team was aiming at a 3.0 GPA for the semester. I can’t see that happening if Gilbert Brown is failing unless there are a few undisclosed scholar athletes on the team. I also recall reading that Gil had pretty solid grades but his academic issue was with a plagerism problem.

Comment by Dock71 04.27.10 @ 5:18 pm

I also remember hearing rumors in December that Ray Graham was sure to transfer … but please look at the next blog for what Graham really thinks about playing at Pitt.

(and then again there were those rumors about a month or two ago that Pitt was already in as the 12th team in the B10)

Comment by wbb 04.27.10 @ 7:24 pm

that gil rumor is completely false. him sitting out this year had nothing to do with his grades. this is coming from someone who works within the athletic dpt.

Comment by jtads14 04.27.10 @ 10:12 pm

[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Pitt Panthers Buzz. Pitt Panthers Buzz said: Pitt Blather >> No Gibbs Bro, More Bond link to buzztap.com […]


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