wow… what a season. Long post incoming.
-For the first time since I was in elementary school the Panthers were playing meaningful basketball games. This team fought through so much and is easily my favorite panthers team I’ve gotten to root for.
-Who would’ve EVER thought we would have gotten not one BUT TWO tourney wins when Pitt was 1-3 and down at half to Alabama State. The turnaround by Coach Capel and the team since halftime of that game should be talked about for a long time because he did one of the best coaching jobs this year of anyone in the country.
-This team wasn’t the traditional winning Pitt basketball team (in fact it was kind of the opposite) but it was one of the most fun teams to watch in the country and that’s an unbiased view.
-I’m so glad this teams legacy wasn’t the blown ACC title and the blowout vs Duke. We should be grateful the committee gave us the chance to prove it in March and thank the conference tourneys for somehow not having A SINGLE BID STEALER (when was the last time THAT happened)
-If it wasn’t for Jerome Tang, Jeff Capel would be my national COY. What a job he did this year and that started with the offseason. After the BC game he stated “We need better players” and well look what happened when he got better players. I think Capel is a great coach and my dream scenario is that he becomes our Leonard Hamilton and is here for a long time with continued success.
-JB, Nelly, Nike, Greg, Aidan. Could you ask for a better group of seniors? Pitt men through and through. Never complained (except Greg to the refs), always stuck up for eachother and just represented this university tremendously.
-Speaking of JB…. That’s two straight amazing players that wore 11 at Pitt. Maybe that can become a pattern that turns into a tradition. Burton was such a fun player to watch and while I don’t know if his future is in the NBA, I think he will be paid handsomely to play pro hall somewhere.
-Nelly. After years of rumors the damn thing finally happened and Renell “Nelly” Cummings got to put on the blue and gold. THATS A PROUD PITT MAN right there. He was streaky at times but he was the glue that kept this thing together. He stuck to his promise to bring Pitt back.
-Nike. He’s the best 6th man that will ever step foot on Pitts campus. The man was an almost 2000 point scorer and was coming off the bench. I don’t think you’ll ever find that again. Unselfish and always playing hard. Also it may just be me but it felt like he somehow got MORE athletic after the ACL tear if that’s even possible.
-Greg. Things kinda fell apart for him at the end of the year. Maybe it was an injury, or maybe it was just a slump we’ll really never know. Anyways an amazing shooter who’d always put a smile on my face after hitting a three and hitting his 3 point celebration. I think after years of being on the bench he was just glad to finally be a featured player and that showed.
-Aidan. What a story and inspiration. I think Pitt fans everywhere will remember the layup vs Cuse. “The Best Two Points in the Game”.
Now moving on to the others
-Blake. In my eyes the most clutch player in Pitt history. No moment too big. No shot too deep. Cant wait to watch him next year if he returns. Will always wish that shot vs Miami went in cause that final minute of his wouldve been the most memorable in Pitt history and that shot would no doubt be the greatest in Pitt history.
-Fede. Maybe the biggest shock in a while. Future is bright for this young man. If he develops any semblance of a real offensive game things could get scary.
-The Twins. What a week for them. I think after hearing the Hugley news they somehow made me more confident for next year than I was before hearing it. Guillermo will have a real shot to be starting next year and he deserves it. Jorge is coming along real nice and I can’t wait to see them on the court again.
-Nate. I wish he played more this year at times but I get it. Kinda crazy how he’s pretty much become a defense first player because a year ago we were talking about how great his shot was and how he was the next 3 point sniper for Pitt. I think he’s gonna go portaling but I’d be more than happy to have him back.
-What a team. What a group of guys. Hopefully this is the group that starts the resurgence, rather than an outlier.
It’s now time to begin the most important offseason in Pitt history. Hope to be able to bring some scoops very soon. Hail To Pitt.
(Blake probably just hit another logo 3 as I typed this)
-For the first time since I was in elementary school the Panthers were playing meaningful basketball games. This team fought through so much and is easily my favorite panthers team I’ve gotten to root for.
-Who would’ve EVER thought we would have gotten not one BUT TWO tourney wins when Pitt was 1-3 and down at half to Alabama State. The turnaround by Coach Capel and the team since halftime of that game should be talked about for a long time because he did one of the best coaching jobs this year of anyone in the country.
-This team wasn’t the traditional winning Pitt basketball team (in fact it was kind of the opposite) but it was one of the most fun teams to watch in the country and that’s an unbiased view.
-I’m so glad this teams legacy wasn’t the blown ACC title and the blowout vs Duke. We should be grateful the committee gave us the chance to prove it in March and thank the conference tourneys for somehow not having A SINGLE BID STEALER (when was the last time THAT happened)
-If it wasn’t for Jerome Tang, Jeff Capel would be my national COY. What a job he did this year and that started with the offseason. After the BC game he stated “We need better players” and well look what happened when he got better players. I think Capel is a great coach and my dream scenario is that he becomes our Leonard Hamilton and is here for a long time with continued success.
-JB, Nelly, Nike, Greg, Aidan. Could you ask for a better group of seniors? Pitt men through and through. Never complained (except Greg to the refs), always stuck up for eachother and just represented this university tremendously.
-Speaking of JB…. That’s two straight amazing players that wore 11 at Pitt. Maybe that can become a pattern that turns into a tradition. Burton was such a fun player to watch and while I don’t know if his future is in the NBA, I think he will be paid handsomely to play pro hall somewhere.
-Nelly. After years of rumors the damn thing finally happened and Renell “Nelly” Cummings got to put on the blue and gold. THATS A PROUD PITT MAN right there. He was streaky at times but he was the glue that kept this thing together. He stuck to his promise to bring Pitt back.
-Nike. He’s the best 6th man that will ever step foot on Pitts campus. The man was an almost 2000 point scorer and was coming off the bench. I don’t think you’ll ever find that again. Unselfish and always playing hard. Also it may just be me but it felt like he somehow got MORE athletic after the ACL tear if that’s even possible.
-Greg. Things kinda fell apart for him at the end of the year. Maybe it was an injury, or maybe it was just a slump we’ll really never know. Anyways an amazing shooter who’d always put a smile on my face after hitting a three and hitting his 3 point celebration. I think after years of being on the bench he was just glad to finally be a featured player and that showed.
-Aidan. What a story and inspiration. I think Pitt fans everywhere will remember the layup vs Cuse. “The Best Two Points in the Game”.
Now moving on to the others
-Blake. In my eyes the most clutch player in Pitt history. No moment too big. No shot too deep. Cant wait to watch him next year if he returns. Will always wish that shot vs Miami went in cause that final minute of his wouldve been the most memorable in Pitt history and that shot would no doubt be the greatest in Pitt history.
-Fede. Maybe the biggest shock in a while. Future is bright for this young man. If he develops any semblance of a real offensive game things could get scary.
-The Twins. What a week for them. I think after hearing the Hugley news they somehow made me more confident for next year than I was before hearing it. Guillermo will have a real shot to be starting next year and he deserves it. Jorge is coming along real nice and I can’t wait to see them on the court again.
-Nate. I wish he played more this year at times but I get it. Kinda crazy how he’s pretty much become a defense first player because a year ago we were talking about how great his shot was and how he was the next 3 point sniper for Pitt. I think he’s gonna go portaling but I’d be more than happy to have him back.
-What a team. What a group of guys. Hopefully this is the group that starts the resurgence, rather than an outlier.
It’s now time to begin the most important offseason in Pitt history. Hope to be able to bring some scoops very soon. Hail To Pitt.
(Blake probably just hit another logo 3 as I typed this)
