ACC Network Extra
The season is upon us and cautious optimism reigns. Not that Pitt is going to contend in the ACC. Or even that they will get to the NIT. No. The optimism is because there is hope for the future.
Pitt has some dynamic young players. They have a coach that isn’t riding out that final paycheck. There’s flat out energy from the fanbase that has been lacking for the last three years.
Here’s the best thing Head Coach Jeff Capel has going for him as this season get’s underway. The previous year was so bad. So ridiculously horrid. It’s really, really hard not to go anywhere but up.
The goal is more than just a better roster and more victories. It’s how the team is perceived around the country and by its fan base — things that also will take time.
Eight players return from last year’s team that was 8-24, the worst record at Pitt since 1977. So, Capel didn’t have to recruit out of desperation, which was former coach Kevin Stallings’ downfall.
The key to the season might be the 13-game nonconference schedule. If Pitt can win 10 and look promising doing it, players’ confidence will soar, and the ACC will be difficult, but not impossible, to handle.
A reminder of how in just two years, Kevin Stallings did his best to send Pitt basketball to the bad place. First time in 20 years, Pitt lost their season opener. First time in 20+ years losing to Duquesne. First time since Howland was at Pitt that Pitt lost to Penn State. And of course, the first winless conference season in Pitt’s history.
The biggest issue for Pitt — I mean aside from youth — is the lack of size. This means that Pitt will be.. Bear with me, I think a Pitt basketball coach actually means it this time. It’s not something I’m used to believing. There’s a lot to overcome mentally to type this without sarcasm dripping from the keyboard. Okay. Ready.
Pitt is going to push the tempo.
Pitt’s roster is undersized and will often be overmatched from a talent perspective, so they will need to be cohesive, gritty and smart. Team rebounding and team defense — in addition to forcing and capitalizing on turnovers — will be key.
For what Pitt lacks in experience, talent and size, it can make up for with its athleticism. Pitt has multiple newcomers who will really turn heads with their speed and ability to play above the rim — an aspect that the 2017 squad lacked.
Capel and his new coaching staff stressed strength and stamina, so they began to push the players harder in practice and workouts. Senior guard Jared Wilson-Frame is a perfect example of the impact that the new coaching staff has made, losing 26 pounds since last spring. His teammate, sophomore Peace Ilegomah, has lost 37 pounds.
“We are not a big team,” said Capel, “so a lot of times the other team we are playing against can be and will be bigger than us. So we have to figure out how to use quickness, intelligence, togetherness and toughness to our advantage.”
Capel wants his Pitt teams to play in the same mold of his teams at Oklahoma — force turnovers, get out in transition and play fast. The Panthers definitely have the speed and explosiveness they need, whether it comes naturally from first-year players Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens or is developed by guys like Ilegomah and Wilson-Frame.
It’s up to coach Capel to utilize and build upon his roster’s athleticism. The Panthers’ exhibition game against Pitt-Johnstown was an early indicator — albeit against a Division II opponent — that they can succeed playing that way. The Panthers took 25 3-pointers, already outpacing their season average from a year ago, which ranked 88th in the country. They also forced 21 turnovers and scored 20 of their 78 points off of those turnovers.
This will mean some very sloppy play at times. Bad fouls. Flat out whiffs on steals leading to wide open baskets. At times, there will be a good chance that it will appear Pitt will be kicking the ball all over the place with turnovers.
The best thing I can say is that for the first time in two years, I’m looking forward to the start of this season.
Get those going and they may win a few ACC games.
Was surprised to see the first couple of comments during and post-game on the PittPOV we pretty negative. I saw a ton of promise and a team already better then the team least year at any point in the season. One night of poor 3’s means nothing either…lets talk after 3 or 4 games on whether they can shoot 3s. Or whether they have a servicable center.
Defense was at least twice as good as it was at any point last year. That is what makes me most happy at this point.
Our guards are much more athletic this year, and this allows us to play better pressure perimeter defense as evidenced last night; I believe this will translate going forward.
Overall, even beyond the guards, we defended a lot harder relative to last year, based on all the open layups we gave up every game last year.
We appear to have 3 talented freshmen, including McGowens who I felt was the best player on the team. And Toney who was a very pleasant surprise.
Underneath was frankly awful in terms of rebounding, as everyone has pointed out this will hurt us all year. That said, Kene seems to have improved and will be a big help. I do think Peace could help us in a role defensively, but not unless his free throw shooting improves otherwise he’s a liability out there. And I hope Brown works his way out of the doghouse and starts rebounding, this is a necessity.
Our rebounding
(hope that link works for you)
