** For maximum enjoyment of the 2018-2019 Pitt Basketball season, allow me to make the following suggestion for Pitt Fans. Let’s look at this campaign not as a single season, but the first half of a two-year season. That is, a two year season that just might get Pitt Panther Basketball back on the map. A team that once again contends to get into the NCAA tournament.
** Personally, the inability for me to see last year’s campaign in the same two-year framework is what made it so difficult to watch. In short, I just didn’t believe then in the talent of our youth, nor did I believe in the previous staff’s ability to secure more parts to supplement the shortcomings.
** But this year I feel much differently, and I believe our freshman trio is the start needed to make this two year season work.
** Such an outlook makes it much easier to enjoy today’s contest for what was right instead of what was wrong.
** Such an outlook allows this fan to see a 14 point win against a decent enough Patriot League team as a decent win, instead of being dismayed that that our Panthers surrendered a hard-to-believe 25 offensive rebounds against that same foe.
** Additionally, this outlook allows me to truly appreciate a Panther record setting 9 blocks by Terrell Brown. In so many ways, this was a very good, and even promising, outing for Terrell. His shotblocking often showed the special patience needed to be an elite shockblockler.
** Offensively, Terrell also showed the various skills that makes one think he could have a brighter future as a Panther in the next year or so. His jump hook has always looked wonderful off of his hand, and it looks even better when it goes in like it did today.
** To the downside however, is that there are still questions with Terrell’s motor, and those were on display today as well. A good handful of the offensive rebounds Colgate snagged today can be directly attributed a straight out failure of Terrell to box out his man.
** And I’ll point out a fast break midway through the second half when Terrell was actually well out ahead of Xavier when X got the ball. Terrell had the chance to beat his man down the court for a chance at a finish, but he never really broke beyond a jog as Xavier flew by him.
** But blaming Terrell for surrendering 25 offensive rebounds is nowhere close to fair, as this was totally a team stat. Sure, plenty of the 25 were the long and bouncy variety. But a team without size needs to gang rebound, and our gang was rarely more than one.
** Some have suggested that my comments are a bit too hard on Terrell and perhaps that’s legit feedback. But for the two year plan to become what we’d like it to be, Terrell making the most of his length, athleticism and skills would seem to be a big part of it.
** So considering that we surrendered 25 offensive boards, it’s pretty safe to assume that the Panther’s were otherwise playing some excellent defense.
** It wasn’t the case today that the Raiders were getting open looks and just weren’t knocking them down. For most of 40 minutes, the Panthers made their life on the perimeter pretty darn difficult.
** Much of that hardship can be best attributed to Trey McGowens. While, I may have been a bit too hard on Terrell for the course of this out of OOC season, I also may have also been a bit too generous on Trey.
** But of all of our freshman, including the wonderful Xavier, I think Trey still may have the largest upside, and I feel this is starting to show itself. In his last 7 games, Trey is averaging 14.4 PPG, including hitting 9-21 threes during the same stretch. He’s also got 18 steals in his last 5 games.
** Perhaps you might be one who isn’t looking at the 2 year plan, and you are still holding out hope for what can happen this year. If so, you might be excited that Au’Diese also looks to be settling in with 34 point in his last 2 games. This includes 4-9 shooting from three after starting the season 5-26.
** While I’m encouraged with the foundation of the two year plan, allow me to resurrect the thread of this week from @gary2 asking what we have really learned from this OOC season.
** After all, we have played a very weak schedule against which a 10-3 record should not necessarily be considered an accomplishment.
** The record included two close tough losses against teams who could both be in the NCAA tournament, a good win against a team who could win the A-10, and a really bad loss against a team that won’t contend for anything.
** In between all of that, we soundly defeated the rest of the teams we played, which shouldn’t be insignificant considering that we struggled mightily with many of the same type teams in the OOC last year.
** To the contrary, last year we also never lost to a team as bad as Niagara.
** So now we begin the second quarter of this two year season. To continue my two-year season scenario, my hope is that we can scare up at least 4 more wins in the next 18 games.
** I’d feel a little better about this hope if we weren’t facing an ACC schedule where a win in our first 8 league games might be hard to come by. And if we start 0-8, can we somehow gain enough resolve to win 4 or even 5 of our final 10?
** Maybe Pitt’s biggest win in the next few weeks in my two year plan will come off the court. After all, for the two year plan to really be reality, we simply need to add more talent to our frontcourt, even if Terrell starts to put it altogether sometime soon.
** I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting nervous that these pieces have not yet been added. But I still have plenty of faith that a Head Coach who got Xaiver, Au’Diese, Trey and Sidy in his first five weeks or so to snag next year’s needed players in the next five months.
** Happy New Year to all of my Fellow Panther Hoops Fans!
** Personally, the inability for me to see last year’s campaign in the same two-year framework is what made it so difficult to watch. In short, I just didn’t believe then in the talent of our youth, nor did I believe in the previous staff’s ability to secure more parts to supplement the shortcomings.
** But this year I feel much differently, and I believe our freshman trio is the start needed to make this two year season work.
** Such an outlook makes it much easier to enjoy today’s contest for what was right instead of what was wrong.
** Such an outlook allows this fan to see a 14 point win against a decent enough Patriot League team as a decent win, instead of being dismayed that that our Panthers surrendered a hard-to-believe 25 offensive rebounds against that same foe.
** Additionally, this outlook allows me to truly appreciate a Panther record setting 9 blocks by Terrell Brown. In so many ways, this was a very good, and even promising, outing for Terrell. His shotblocking often showed the special patience needed to be an elite shockblockler.
** Offensively, Terrell also showed the various skills that makes one think he could have a brighter future as a Panther in the next year or so. His jump hook has always looked wonderful off of his hand, and it looks even better when it goes in like it did today.
** To the downside however, is that there are still questions with Terrell’s motor, and those were on display today as well. A good handful of the offensive rebounds Colgate snagged today can be directly attributed a straight out failure of Terrell to box out his man.
** And I’ll point out a fast break midway through the second half when Terrell was actually well out ahead of Xavier when X got the ball. Terrell had the chance to beat his man down the court for a chance at a finish, but he never really broke beyond a jog as Xavier flew by him.
** But blaming Terrell for surrendering 25 offensive rebounds is nowhere close to fair, as this was totally a team stat. Sure, plenty of the 25 were the long and bouncy variety. But a team without size needs to gang rebound, and our gang was rarely more than one.
** Some have suggested that my comments are a bit too hard on Terrell and perhaps that’s legit feedback. But for the two year plan to become what we’d like it to be, Terrell making the most of his length, athleticism and skills would seem to be a big part of it.
** So considering that we surrendered 25 offensive boards, it’s pretty safe to assume that the Panther’s were otherwise playing some excellent defense.
** It wasn’t the case today that the Raiders were getting open looks and just weren’t knocking them down. For most of 40 minutes, the Panthers made their life on the perimeter pretty darn difficult.
** Much of that hardship can be best attributed to Trey McGowens. While, I may have been a bit too hard on Terrell for the course of this out of OOC season, I also may have also been a bit too generous on Trey.
** But of all of our freshman, including the wonderful Xavier, I think Trey still may have the largest upside, and I feel this is starting to show itself. In his last 7 games, Trey is averaging 14.4 PPG, including hitting 9-21 threes during the same stretch. He’s also got 18 steals in his last 5 games.
** Perhaps you might be one who isn’t looking at the 2 year plan, and you are still holding out hope for what can happen this year. If so, you might be excited that Au’Diese also looks to be settling in with 34 point in his last 2 games. This includes 4-9 shooting from three after starting the season 5-26.
** While I’m encouraged with the foundation of the two year plan, allow me to resurrect the thread of this week from @gary2 asking what we have really learned from this OOC season.
** After all, we have played a very weak schedule against which a 10-3 record should not necessarily be considered an accomplishment.
** The record included two close tough losses against teams who could both be in the NCAA tournament, a good win against a team who could win the A-10, and a really bad loss against a team that won’t contend for anything.
** In between all of that, we soundly defeated the rest of the teams we played, which shouldn’t be insignificant considering that we struggled mightily with many of the same type teams in the OOC last year.
** To the contrary, last year we also never lost to a team as bad as Niagara.
** So now we begin the second quarter of this two year season. To continue my two-year season scenario, my hope is that we can scare up at least 4 more wins in the next 18 games.
** I’d feel a little better about this hope if we weren’t facing an ACC schedule where a win in our first 8 league games might be hard to come by. And if we start 0-8, can we somehow gain enough resolve to win 4 or even 5 of our final 10?
** Maybe Pitt’s biggest win in the next few weeks in my two year plan will come off the court. After all, for the two year plan to really be reality, we simply need to add more talent to our frontcourt, even if Terrell starts to put it altogether sometime soon.
** I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting nervous that these pieces have not yet been added. But I still have plenty of faith that a Head Coach who got Xaiver, Au’Diese, Trey and Sidy in his first five weeks or so to snag next year’s needed players in the next five months.
** Happy New Year to all of my Fellow Panther Hoops Fans!
