Busy day for basketball. There’s USA-Brazil at 5pm Eastern and Greentree Summer League action kicks off tonight.
In the USA U18 competition, the USA team has had it easy so far. Beating Mexico and the US Virgin Islands by a combined 215-101. James Robinson has been coming off the bench in the games, but still has played 33 minutes in the first two games.
Robinson has 9 assists and only 1 turnover through those games. Robinson leads the team in assists. Plus 5 rebounds (all defensive). He has 3 steals — all in the game against Mexico. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he is shooting only 2-7 so far, and 0-3 on three-pointers. He’s gotten to the free throw line but he is only 3-6. In the Mexico game, he committed 5 fouls in 16 minutes of action. Not a problem. Based on his highlights on YouTube, and what recruiting sites have said about him, the problem is that Billy Donovan isn’t using him right. He has to start and play at least 25 minutes a game. That or it is obvious he is an overhyped bust (I kid, I kid).
There’s plenty of firepower on the USA squad, so Robinson’s shooting isn’t a major concern for the squad. And he’s not the only one struggling. Jerami Grant, his high school teammate and Cuse commit is 1-9 shooting and while getting to the free throw line, is only hitting 2/3 of the FTs.
The USA-Brazil game will be on a live feed at the FIBA site.
A little closer to most of us, the Greentree Summer League kicks off tonight.
New Pitt shooting guard Trey Zeigler liked what he saw on his team’s Green Tree summer league roster.
There was the star of Pitt’s recruiting class, 6-foot-11 New Zealand center Steven Adams, along with incoming top-50 point guard James Robinson and junior small forward Lamar Patterson, the Panthers’ fast-rising co-MVP from last season.
“Getting to play on the same team — me, Steve, James and Lamar — is great,” Zeigler said. “We’re four guys who will possibly be in the rotation, and we can learn from each other.”
Pitt coach Jamie Dixon was more pragmatic.
“It’s probably more about making sure (the freshmen) are getting rides (to Green Tree),” he deadpanned.
Here are the rosters for the teams (PDF). The Robinson-Zeigler-Patterson squad (PGT Trucking) plays the opening game (PDF) tonight at 7pm. They get to face the squad that includes Dante Taylor and Durand Johnson. (Steel City Tickets).
The other member of the 2012 recruiting class, Chris Jones is on a squad with Talib Zanna and John Johnson (SPK Law). There are reports that Levance Fields and Gil Brown will be making appearances in some games during the season. The only alumni who are currently on a roster are Chevy Troutman and John DeGroat (South Hills Audi). Malcolm Gilbert and Cam Wright are on another squad (UPMC). Tray Woodall and J.J. Moore are still recovering from off-season surgery.
The best write-up on what to look for from the various Pitt players can be found over on Pitt Script blog.
While it’s only 2 games it sounds like Robinson is what most reorts said…gritty, physical and an excellent floor general. Maybe not an elite athlete or shooter, but very good and solid. Looking for great things from him…
Pitt should have a front court that can play with anyone. It is important that the guards are a compliment to that strength. Zeigler show fit the bill with his ability to go the basket and create and his understanding of the limitations of his outside game.
Robinson and Zeigler, if they get playing time early in my opinion have the most talent as a guard combo then Pitt has had in years. In a way this is by subtraction, fewer turnovers, less forced outside shots.
So instead of pouting, Mr. Robinson seems to be making the most of his minutes. A bunch of fouls in a shirt span, 9 to 1 assist to turnover….
I love it!!! Shows me more between the ears than 30 a game and 60% from beyond the arc ever would. But I’ll take 30 a game & 60% if he’s got it!!
Watching the tapes when Adams played against Nolens and Twarski he is on another level compared to them. Adams has everything to be a one and done 1st draft pick in 2013. Look at the NBA it is devoid of atheletic strong 7’0″ cneters such as Adams.
For Pitt to make a run to the NCAA’s, in my opinion, it is Adams. The other four on the court must be players that compliment him not hurt him, i.e., Woodall.
When Gibbs was injured 2 years ago, you may remember that the team barely missed a beat with Woodall strating in his place. There should be no question now just how limited Gibbs’ overall skills are.
Pitt may well have the best raw skills that they ever had this coming season … and the best part is that Adams doesn’t necessarily have to be the big scorer every game. Patterson, Moore and Zeigler are very capable of taking up the slack not to mention that we have 2 real point guards; it’s just a question of chemistry and maturation.
Greentree. By Ray’s account looked good overall. Adams acknowledged himself in the article that he has relied on his athletic abilities up to this point and needs to work on skills. Everything he says is about contributing to the team is great.
They take hoops very seriously in Brazil..almost as seriously women take their thong bikinis, but I can’t think about that now.
Again, playing against international competition away from home is a great experience.
Adams is no stranger to new things and neither is Mr. Robinson. Pittt will have two freshmen next year with serious stamps on their passports.
There’s a lot of differences between how they came up, I acknowledge. I just want to point out that we may want to be realistic about his ceiling, which he very well may already have reached. Relying on him too much will be problematic i think. Not only will there likely be diminishing returns on any increasement in role, there may even become detrimental. I’m thinking largely in terms of opportunity cost when he has the ball. His skills are solid, but not great. Meanwhile we have players who could potentially be great or at least add dynamics that Patterson does not have.
I’m definitely thinkgin this because of hte Gibb’s as star experiment that went wrong. A historically solid as hell player, who when asked to take too much of the load was not only unable to take the pressure, but took the ball out of other players hands. Gibbs was similar to Patterson a solid kid who got our (and esp Dixon’s) expectations way too high, then could not live up to it once the game plan was written on the assumption he actually could. It was a disaster.
I dont think this will happen with patterson. he seems to have less ego, and the other players are too obviously good to not get all kinds of touches. And patterson is actually more dynamic than Gibbs was. Gibbs is strictly a shooter, Patterson is more than that. But he’s not the best player on the floor — or rather if he happens to be the best player on the floor with this roster any given night something has gone wrong. He’s built to be a rock solid starter who stabilizes your offense, consistently makes the right plays but thats about it. That’s plenty. He’s an asset. Dont get me wrong. I’m just freaked out by how bad the Gibbs’ experiment.