** In so many wonderful ways, for this particular mddle aged man, this evening felt so much like old times. That is, old times with old friends.
** Before flowing into the PPG Paints Arena, I ducked into Buford’s across the way for a quick pregame beverage.
** I was thrilled to bump into my friend Heather, who used to sit the row in front of me and my better half for our first three years at the Pederson Events Center.
** She remembered when my Wife was pregnant with my now 13 year old son. After exchanging wonders about how we got so old so fast, we also both lamented for a few moments about how wonderful “those days” were. Heck we even agreed on how good even the last few “down” years of Dixon actually were.
** There were other old friends to be found this night. After the game, I was so glad to run into my favorite ever manager-turned-played Nick Rivers, along with my Hawaii and otherwise Pitt Hoops friend, Jim.
** And there even a few pleasantries exchanged with courtside mainstays Lou and Dr. James.
** While I’m at it, I’m also thrilled to send a shout out to my new friends, recent Pitt grad Chris the Geek and his friend Dominick, who were my neighbors for the second half.
** My point isn’t simply to name drop individuals for the purpose of this post, but instead to recognize the common denominator between everyone I spoke to tonight.
** Every single Panther Hoops Fan, either old or new, seems just so dammed happy.
** I don’t know for sure what exactly is really going on for the Panthers this year. I don’t know how it all ends. But dammit is it fun, isn’t it?
** After the Panthers defeated Duke in Madison Square Garden in December 2007, I recall remarking that the Panther’s defeated the Blue Devils that night because they turned the game into a rock fight. In the “old days,” we almost always won rock fights.
** Tonight we won a rock fight.
** As always seems to be the case when we play the Dukes from the other end of Forbes Avenue, they jump out to a big lead with a couple of threes. A slow start for the Panthers for sure.
** But after 10 points in the first three minutes, the Panthers surrendered only 43 points to our Uptown friends in the games’ final 37 minutes.
** This feat was accomplished with some of the toughest, hardest nosed, most get-after-it defense that I’ve seen the Panthers play since we used to gather old friends for Gamewatches at Rock Bottom in Waterfront in Homestead.
** I honestly don’t know how good Duquesne really is offensively. Still, much more than any other of the Panther contests this year, I was so remarkably impressed with how well we played defensively. Don't you agree that we were busting our tails?
** That is, with the exception of a terrible trip while playing zone in the first half. But still …
** I was impressed with the Panther’s defense in the second half of the Iowa game, and it looks to be carrying over.
** Unfortunately, another hallmark of a rock fight is a less than fluid offense, and that’s what we saw tonight too.
** Of course, we shot the ball like it was a rock, and the 15 turnovers were also an issue.
** That being said, once the Panthers took a first half lead, I had no doubt they would win easily. About midway through the first half, it was so clear the Panthers were so much the tougher team, even if they weren’t always showing that they were the more talented team.
** Individually, Kene continues to impress, and even amaze. After an “off” and even “erratic” (if not undisciplined) first half, Xavier wowed the crowd in the second, or at least the crowd around me. I giggled to myself that this was a pretty darn good “worst” game yet by X.
** Au’Diese played every bit the part of the fierce and worthy warrior. JWF stepped forward, Malik rebounded well from a substandard Iowa game, while Sidy is proving to be more valuable by the minute.
** But Trey was the Panther player of the game.
** I love each and every special minute we’ve watched so far this season from Xavier, but count me among those who still see Trey as the player who has the ultimately higher upside. On the defensive end, he impressed me more than any other Panther. He just doesn’t seem to let dribblers get by him. And even though he suffered with his shot like every other Panther at the Paint Place this night, he realized the value of getting to the line.
** For those who wonder what this game may mean in the big picture, allow me to offer the following thought. I believe this was our worse overall offense game of the year, which we managed to win going away by 21 points. AKA … a rock fight.
** In many ways, I’m seeing progress in the Panthers, mostly in the sense that I see improving defense.
** And if we can hit a few more than 3 three pointers next week in Morgantown, our progress might be more evident.
** During the “old” times back a decade or so ago, a win 90 minutes south seemed like an almost certain task. Lately its flipped to almost unattainable.
** But after watching the Eerrs play tonight, I’m started to think now more than ever that this could be a win for our Panthers.
** I think Heather and Lou and Jim and Nick and Chris and Dominick and James would agree. We should all get together next Saturday for a Gamewatch at Rock Bottom.
** Yep, seems like old times.
** Before flowing into the PPG Paints Arena, I ducked into Buford’s across the way for a quick pregame beverage.
** I was thrilled to bump into my friend Heather, who used to sit the row in front of me and my better half for our first three years at the Pederson Events Center.
** She remembered when my Wife was pregnant with my now 13 year old son. After exchanging wonders about how we got so old so fast, we also both lamented for a few moments about how wonderful “those days” were. Heck we even agreed on how good even the last few “down” years of Dixon actually were.
** There were other old friends to be found this night. After the game, I was so glad to run into my favorite ever manager-turned-played Nick Rivers, along with my Hawaii and otherwise Pitt Hoops friend, Jim.
** And there even a few pleasantries exchanged with courtside mainstays Lou and Dr. James.
** While I’m at it, I’m also thrilled to send a shout out to my new friends, recent Pitt grad Chris the Geek and his friend Dominick, who were my neighbors for the second half.
** My point isn’t simply to name drop individuals for the purpose of this post, but instead to recognize the common denominator between everyone I spoke to tonight.
** Every single Panther Hoops Fan, either old or new, seems just so dammed happy.
** I don’t know for sure what exactly is really going on for the Panthers this year. I don’t know how it all ends. But dammit is it fun, isn’t it?
** After the Panthers defeated Duke in Madison Square Garden in December 2007, I recall remarking that the Panther’s defeated the Blue Devils that night because they turned the game into a rock fight. In the “old days,” we almost always won rock fights.
** Tonight we won a rock fight.
** As always seems to be the case when we play the Dukes from the other end of Forbes Avenue, they jump out to a big lead with a couple of threes. A slow start for the Panthers for sure.
** But after 10 points in the first three minutes, the Panthers surrendered only 43 points to our Uptown friends in the games’ final 37 minutes.
** This feat was accomplished with some of the toughest, hardest nosed, most get-after-it defense that I’ve seen the Panthers play since we used to gather old friends for Gamewatches at Rock Bottom in Waterfront in Homestead.
** I honestly don’t know how good Duquesne really is offensively. Still, much more than any other of the Panther contests this year, I was so remarkably impressed with how well we played defensively. Don't you agree that we were busting our tails?
** That is, with the exception of a terrible trip while playing zone in the first half. But still …
** I was impressed with the Panther’s defense in the second half of the Iowa game, and it looks to be carrying over.
** Unfortunately, another hallmark of a rock fight is a less than fluid offense, and that’s what we saw tonight too.
** Of course, we shot the ball like it was a rock, and the 15 turnovers were also an issue.
** That being said, once the Panthers took a first half lead, I had no doubt they would win easily. About midway through the first half, it was so clear the Panthers were so much the tougher team, even if they weren’t always showing that they were the more talented team.
** Individually, Kene continues to impress, and even amaze. After an “off” and even “erratic” (if not undisciplined) first half, Xavier wowed the crowd in the second, or at least the crowd around me. I giggled to myself that this was a pretty darn good “worst” game yet by X.
** Au’Diese played every bit the part of the fierce and worthy warrior. JWF stepped forward, Malik rebounded well from a substandard Iowa game, while Sidy is proving to be more valuable by the minute.
** But Trey was the Panther player of the game.
** I love each and every special minute we’ve watched so far this season from Xavier, but count me among those who still see Trey as the player who has the ultimately higher upside. On the defensive end, he impressed me more than any other Panther. He just doesn’t seem to let dribblers get by him. And even though he suffered with his shot like every other Panther at the Paint Place this night, he realized the value of getting to the line.
** For those who wonder what this game may mean in the big picture, allow me to offer the following thought. I believe this was our worse overall offense game of the year, which we managed to win going away by 21 points. AKA … a rock fight.
** In many ways, I’m seeing progress in the Panthers, mostly in the sense that I see improving defense.
** And if we can hit a few more than 3 three pointers next week in Morgantown, our progress might be more evident.
** During the “old” times back a decade or so ago, a win 90 minutes south seemed like an almost certain task. Lately its flipped to almost unattainable.
** But after watching the Eerrs play tonight, I’m started to think now more than ever that this could be a win for our Panthers.
** I think Heather and Lou and Jim and Nick and Chris and Dominick and James would agree. We should all get together next Saturday for a Gamewatch at Rock Bottom.
** Yep, seems like old times.
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