I have to admit to being a bit disappointed by all the “chicken little” reactions to Pitt basketball so far. There seems to be a disconnect between the realism before the season that this was going to be a rebuilding year and a team that would be a NCAA bubble/NIT team to seeing it actually happen. Players not as good or as experienced as Young, Fields and Blair. Struggling to execute on offense, shaky defense, lots of turnovers.
Things not seen from Pitt basketball in a while. Leading to frustration and anger. Angst over how the talent level could possibly dip or coaches could possibly miss on evaluations. Frankly, just plain silliness.
Pitt has the longest streak of making the NCAA in the Big East. A conference that includes teams that perennial top-ranked programs with top coaches. Few are the programs that don’t suffer a down year. Whether it’s a dip in talent, injuries, inexperience, lack of chemistry and/or any combination. Regardless of the recruiting and coach. Florida, Ohio State, Syracuse, UConn, Georgetown, Louisville, UCLA, Illinois and Washington are just some recent or present examples.
After last season ended and DeJuan Blair declared, the expectations of this team doing well were not based on Nasir Robinson, Gary McGhee, Travon Woodall and Brad Wanamaker. Those were supposed to be the supporting players. Like Keith Benjamin, Antonio Graves, Levon Kendall and so on. Guys who were not stars but role players and part of the system. Players who had the time to learn and know their roles. They provided energy and sparks at times. They were not the stars but they were vital to the team.
The hope was that Gilbert Brown was going to be the latest Pitt junior to make the “leap” to centerpiece of the team. That Dante Taylor would be at worst DeJuan Blair-light. That Jermaine Dixon would provide the strong defense and leadership. That Ashton Gibbs would continue to be the 3-point assassin to make teams pay.
Well, that has not worked that way. Gilbert Brown has been suspended, and who knows for sure how well he’ll play when he comes back (and if he can avoid being injured for the 245th time). Jermaine Dixon has been hurt all season and is only now trying to play his way back into shape. Dante Taylor is a freshman playing a new position — and while talented — looks that way frequently. Gibbs has been forced to do a lot more than simply spot-up and fire.
As for the supporting players. Well they have had to do a lot more than expected and many would want. This seems to be the source of much of the frustration. Seeing guys who should be supporting or role players have to be almost central to the team exposes more of their flaws, rawness and how far they still have to go. Which in turn fuels fan frustration and hyperbolic statements as to their ability and skills (more specifically, their lack thereof). With more than a little vitriol and annoyance focused on Nasir Robinson and Brad Wanamaker.
I understand the frustration with both — to varying degrees. I like Wanamaker, except for the fact that he perpetually looks out of control. Even when he isn’t. I think it hurts him with the officials who hesitate to give him calls because it appears that he is barreling around and into people — almost like the antithesis to Duke players that flop upon being a light breeze striking them.
With Robinson, well, I touched on him before. That inability to finish just kills. In that, he has shown no growth from last year in spots to this year as a starter.
To me the biggest factor this year is that there is no focal point for the team on the court. Whether a guy on offense or a true leader at the point. You look at the guys on the team, and they are all really good teammates. Guys that want the team to succeed. Who will work hard. They say the right things. Put their egos aside. Every cliche like that, and would have us speaking glowingly of them — if they were winning.
Unfortunately, this team has been struggling and this team needs some sort of alpha dog on the team. Wanamaker, Gibbs, Woodall or Jermaine Dixon. Almost by virtue of their experience and position played on the team. One of them has assert some control out there.
One final thing this season should have made clear to everyone. Coach Jamie Dixon did not reject the overtures of Arizona and USC in the spring because he felt he was coming back to a special team this year.
