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Gueye to Pitt

That would be great if he
does. What a lot of people
on here are assuming is that
he, Horton, and Femi will
all start. Maybe they will,
but we have some pieces
now that we didn't have
not long ago. IMO Hugley,
Gueye, and Olidapo are
possibilities as is my
predicted break out player,
Jeffress. BTW Olidapo is
6'7", 220 lbs and 22 yr's old.
He should start IMO. Gueye
is 22 or23 yrs. old. They bring a
lot of experience to this
teaam.
I agree. I am not in favor of playing three gyards. Especially if two of them are not great defensively.
 
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I've never been known as a Pitt optimist, quite the opposite, but you're even making me seem like one by comparison. Maybe you're right about this guy, and all of your opinions these last months, but it's been a real bummer to see you find a dark cloud in every silver lining lately. It's almost like people gave you a ton of unnecessary crap because you were happy when we beat Duke and said Pitt was back and now you're making up for that. I dunno, but as somebody who used to look forward to your posts I generally feel the opposite now. I still like you tho. 🙂

Sorry ...I'm just trying to be honest. That's all I've ever done in any of my posts. I just don't believe these guys who we have recruited are difference makers.

I don't mind any of the crap I took for the Duke game. I was just being honest then too.

Keep in mind that about 5-6 weeks ago, I also said that if Justin returned and we got either Reid and/or Hugley, we'd have a chance to finish around 8-9 in the ACC. (And several people gave me crap of being too optimistic then)

But without Justin, I just don't see enough ability on this roster to finish better than we did last year. (And now you are giving me crap for not being optimistic enough -- geezz!!)

I can't get past the fact that we finished 6-10 last year, 12th place and we lost four starters from that team. Sure, if many things go unexpectedly right, we could improve. But I just don't see the odds in that direction. I just Capel gave credit for getting the roster back in shape enough to avoid something of a disaster year (nothing close to 0-18). But I just don't see enough pure skills or ability for this team to do any better than 7-13, at best, in the ACC. That's my take. I sure hope I'm wrong.

But I can't objectively say that adding a guy who was a decent, but not anything special, at Stony Brook does anything to change that. I'm glad he chose us and I look forward to seeing what he can do.

I feel like we had the same disagreement a few years ago about Malik Ellison, and you were speaking optimistically of your expectations for him and you were displeased with my take.
 
Last edited:


Mouhamadou Gueye

2 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks versus St. Peters
5 points, 1 rebound, 3 blocks versus Binghamton
3 points, 2 rebounds, 0 blocks versus UMass Lowell

Cherry picking games can be fun!

And hey, at least all of mine were from last year, as opposed to all but one of Doke's being from two years ago. If we want to go back to two years ago we could include four games when Gueye scored 0 points and a total of 10 games where he scored 4 points or fewer, 7 games where he had 4 or fewer rebounds, and 14 games where he blocked 0 or 1 shot.

This is a decent enough pickup for a backup to play 12-15 minutes a game. Stony Brook was only using him 25 minutes a game. If we use him anywhere close to 25 minutes a game it will mean big trouble.
 
Mouhamadou Gueye

2 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks versus St. Peters
5 points, 1 rebound, 3 blocks versus Binghamton
3 points, 2 rebounds, 0 blocks versus UMass Lowell

Cherry picking games can be fun!

And hey, at least all of mine were from last year, as opposed to all but one of Doke's being from two years ago. If we want to go back to two years ago we could include four games when Gueye scored 0 points and a total of 10 games where he scored 4 points or fewer, 7 games where he had 4 or fewer rebounds, and 14 games where he blocked 0 or 1 shot.

This is a decent enough pickup for a backup to play 12-15 minutes a game. Stony Brook was only using him 25 minutes a game. If we use him anywhere close to 25 minutes a game it will mean big trouble.

You last line would be a good factual summary for my expectations.
 
I agree, he's an ACC backup.
However, I do believe he's better
than both Brown and Coulibaly.
So, couple Gueye with Hugely,
and IMO we're better inside than
we were last year at season's end.
BTW, Capel still has another
schollie available,...you never know.

As far as those three guards
averaging 50 ppg,....forget it.
35 as you mentioned, that's
possible..... possible but not
a given.

My hope.....Jeffress makes that
great leap forward that we often
talk about on here. I feel he has
the most talent of any of our
players.

The best chance of improvement at the post over AKC and Brown will be from Hugley.
 
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You are probably right, I’m hoping he can give maybe 15-20 minutes a game and block a few shots while contesting some others. Expecting anything more than 5 points a game from him is extremely optimistic, but I do think they are a slightly better team today with him than they were yesterday without him.

I'm glad we have have him and I agree that we are slightly better with him than without him.
 
You only have West for one year. Burton has more eligibility, provides a lot more size, played better competition, and has position flexibility. If Burton is eligible this year, then hopefully we get 2 good productive seasons from him.

All good points. I believe though, that West simply could have been notably more productive.
 
Love this thread, something positive to talk about involving Pitt hoops in late May/Early June always gets my hyped up for fall...I will join the “breakout player” prediction line and say that, without a doubt, I believe John Hugley is going to be huge for this team, very soon
 
We are going to have to win with good defense, rebounding, and team basketball. If I see these 3 things, then I’ll be happy.

I think defense will be the one thing Capel will really stress. What's really confusing to me though is how the ranking for our defense under Capel (per Pomeroy) has slipped during his time here. #70 on year one to #91 to #122 last year. Hopefully, the team chemistry will improve our commitment to improve on the defensive end.

I think we will rebound ok, and we were ok last year too. But I'd really like to see good ball movement on the offensive end. It hasn't been something we've done well under Capel.
 
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Sorry ...I'm just trying to be honest. That's all I've ever done in any of my posts. I just don't believe these guys who we have recruited are difference makers.

I don't mind any of the crap I took for the Duke game. I was just being honest then too.

Keep in mind that about 5-6 weeks ago, I also said that if Justin returned and we got either Reid and/or Hugley, we'd have a chance to finish around 8-9 in the ACC. (And several people gave me crap of being too optimistic then)

But without Justin, I just don't see enough ability on this roster to finish better than we did last year. (And now you are giving me crap for not being optimistic enough -- geezz!!)

I can't get past the fact that we finished 6-10 last year, 12th place and we lost four starters from that team. Sure, if many things go unexpectedly right, we could improve. But I just don't see the odds in that direction. I just Capel gave credit for getting the roster back in shape enough to avoid something of a disaster year (nothing close to 0-18). But I just don't see enough pure skills or ability for this team to do any better than 7-13, at best, in the ACC. That's my take. I sure hope I'm wrong.

But I can't objectively say that adding a guy who was a decent, but not anything special, at Stony Brook does anything to change that. I'm glad he chose us and I look forward to seeing what he can do.

I feel like we had the same disagreement a few years ago about Malik Ellison, and you were speaking optimistically of your expectations for him and you were displeased with my take.
Good post DT! You're
not just being "honest"
as you said, but IMO very
REALISTIC. Yes, Capel has
done a somewhat decent
job of filling the holes, but
I don't see a "go to" guy
on this team. The chemistry
may have been bad, but our
three most talented players
Champ. X, and Toney are
gone. Capel has improved
the bigs, and we now have
depth in the backcourt, but
we're still very average
talent wise.

Being optimistic....if Capel
can get these guys to buy in
and jell we can improve from
last year. Capel has proven he
can get his players to play
over their heads. He's done it
with almost all of our ACC
wins. He's also had late season
"swoons" each year. IF he can
avoid that, maybe we'll see a
turn a round. I'm optimistic,
yet realistic.
 
Sorry ...I'm just trying to be honest. That's all I've ever done in any of my posts. I just don't believe these guys who we have recruited are difference makers.

I don't mind any of the crap I took for the Duke game. I was just being honest then too.

Keep in mind that about 5-6 weeks ago, I also said that if Justin returned and we got either Reid and/or Hugley, we'd have a chance to finish around 8-9 in the ACC. (And several people gave me crap of being too optimistic then)

But without Justin, I just don't see enough ability on this roster to finish better than we did last year. (And now you are giving me crap for not being optimistic enough -- geezz!!)

I can't get past the fact that we finished 6-10 last year, 12th place and we lost four starters from that team. Sure, if many things go unexpectedly right, we could improve. But I just don't see the odds in that direction. I just Capel gave credit for getting the roster back in shape enough to avoid something of a disaster year (nothing close to 0-18). But I just don't see enough pure skills or ability for this team to do any better than 7-13, at best, in the ACC. That's my take. I sure hope I'm wrong.

But I can't objectively say that adding a guy who was a decent, but not anything special, at Stony Brook does anything to change that. I'm glad he chose us and I look forward to seeing what he can do.

I feel like we had the same disagreement a few years ago about Malik Ellison, and you were speaking optimistically of your expectations for him and you were displeased with my take.
I'm impressed you could remember that. I don't remember it but I believe you. Also, I'm certainly not optimistic nor do I think this guy is an ACC starter on a good team. I guess I'm just too exhausted with Pitt sucking so much to not try to be at least a little hopeful. I'm sure that's what I was doing with Ellison too. Also, there are other posters who are way more negative I just don't pay attention to or care about them nor even remember their posts. So really it was a compliment in a way that I care so much. Thanks for responding and have a good night (or morning).
 
Good post DT! You're
not just being "honest"
as you said, but IMO very
REALISTIC. Yes, Capel has
done a somewhat decent
job of filling the holes, but
I don't see a "go to" guy
on this team. The chemistry
may have been bad, but our
three most talented players
Champ. X, and Toney are
gone. Capel has improved
the bigs, and we now have
depth in the backcourt, but
we're still very average
talent wise.

Being optimistic....if Capel
can get these guys to buy in
and jell we can improve from
last year. Capel has proven he
can get his players to play
over their heads. He's done it
with almost all of our ACC
wins. He's also had late season
"swoons" each year. IF he can
avoid that, maybe we'll see a
turn a round. I'm optimistic,
yet realistic.

Only in that early stretch this year did Capel's team ever look like it was playing above it's head. Other than that and the Florida State / L-ville shockers, we have not seen that much.
 
Only in that early stretch this year did Capel's team ever look like it was playing above it's head. Other than that and the Florida State / L-ville shockers, we have not seen that much.
Agree
 
All you need to know about where this program is at is that we just got a transfer from Stoneybrook and people are excited. Wow.
 
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I'm impressed you could remember that. I don't remember it but I believe you. Also, I'm certainly not optimistic nor do I think this guy is an ACC starter on a good team. I guess I'm just too exhausted with Pitt sucking so much to not try to be at least a little hopeful. I'm sure that's what I was doing with Ellison too. Also, there are other posters who are way more negative I just don't pay attention to or care about them nor even remember their posts. So really it was a compliment in a way that I care so much. Thanks for responding and have a good night (or morning).

Oh ... I get it. And I understood (and respected) the nature of your first post to me. I also get the exhaustion too. But I'm also not a fan of getting excited for the sake of it. Like I said, if Justin was on this team, I'd be talking about our chances to make the NCAA tournament.
 
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Sorry guys, I don't agree.
In fact almost every Pitt
ACC win (all three years) was
IMO Pitt beating a more
talented team.

No biggie, just my viewpoint.

Fair enough, I see what you are saying, but then I'd offer my concern that this situation we will more so this coming year than last year, and perhaps even the year before that.
 
Sorry ...I'm just trying to be honest. That's all I've ever done in any of my posts. I just don't believe these guys who we have recruited are difference makers.

I don't mind any of the crap I took for the Duke game. I was just being honest then too.

Keep in mind that about 5-6 weeks ago, I also said that if Justin returned and we got either Reid and/or Hugley, we'd have a chance to finish around 8-9 in the ACC. (And several people gave me crap of being too optimistic then)

But without Justin, I just don't see enough ability on this roster to finish better than we did last year. (And now you are giving me crap for not being optimistic enough -- geezz!!)

I can't get past the fact that we finished 6-10 last year, 12th place and we lost four starters from that team. Sure, if many things go unexpectedly right, we could improve. But I just don't see the odds in that direction. I just Capel gave credit for getting the roster back in shape enough to avoid something of a disaster year (nothing close to 0-18). But I just don't see enough pure skills or ability for this team to do any better than 7-13, at best, in the ACC. That's my take. I sure hope I'm wrong.

But I can't objectively say that adding a guy who was a decent, but not anything special, at Stony Brook does anything to change that. I'm glad he chose us and I look forward to seeing what he can do.

I feel like we had the same disagreement a few years ago about Malik Ellison, and you were speaking optimistically of your expectations for him and you were displeased with my take.
They are difference makers in the sense that they (and Hugley) will prevent us from going 0-20, 1-19, 2-18. These guys should get us to 4, 5, maybe 6 ACC wins and that's enough to get Capel another year.
 
They are difference makers in the sense that they (and Hugley) will prevent us from going 0-20, 1-19, 2-18. These guys should get us to 4, 5, maybe 6 ACC wins and that's enough to get Capel another year.

I don't disagree, but I was referring to making a difference in where we finish in the finish in the ACC. We've been 14-13-12 over the last three years, and at this point, I'd predict a finish in one of those three spots.
 
I don't disagree, but I was referring to making a difference in where we finish in the finish in the ACC. We've been 14-13-12 over the last three years, and at this point, I'd predict a finish in one of those three spots.
No chance teamwork and cohesion can succeed more than talent fighting over the ball?
 
I don't disagree, but I was referring to making a difference in where we finish in the finish in the ACC. We've been 14-13-12 over the last three years, and at this point, I'd predict a finish in one of those three spots.
Yea but does ANYONE think these guys put us any higher than 12th? Expectations are rock bottom.
 
Our front court projects to be better (couldn't get a whole lot worse) and deeper. Our guards project to be better (or at least more consistent with more depth). I see this team as being decently improved all around with the subtraction of a playmaker in JC (which is obviously a huge subtraction). But teams were able to focus on and lock down JC in conference play due to a lack of production elsewhere, especially from the bigs. If we are able to get even average production around the basket, hopefully we'll see increased production from a few guards.

So I'm cautiously optimistic that this team could be moderately improved in the win column next year, even without JC.
 
Oh ... I get it. And I understood (and respected) the nature of your first post to me. I also get the exhaustion too. But I'm also not a fan of getting excited for the sake of it. Like I said, if Justin was on this team, I'd be talking about our chances to make the NCAA tournament.
It really is a shame he left. The depth of talent with the guys they've added is better than it has probably been in over 5 years but the top end impact talent appears to really be lacking. Id have loved to have Geuye last year.
 
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No chance teamwork and cohesion can succeed more than talent fighting over the ball?
Those are nice things to have re:teamwork and cohesion. Talent is much better.

As I said, this isn’t the mighty ducks. They need more talent to compete in the ACC night in and night out.

Are you assuming that teams like Virginia and North Carolina don’t have cohesion and teamwork?
 
Mouhamadou Gueye

2 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks versus St. Peters
5 points, 1 rebound, 3 blocks versus Binghamton
3 points, 2 rebounds, 0 blocks versus UMass Lowell

Cherry picking games can be fun!

And hey, at least all of mine were from last year, as opposed to all but one of Doke's being from two years ago. If we want to go back to two years ago we could include four games when Gueye scored 0 points and a total of 10 games where he scored 4 points or fewer, 7 games where he had 4 or fewer rebounds, and 14 games where he blocked 0 or 1 shot.

This is a decent enough pickup for a backup to play 12-15 minutes a game. Stony Brook was only using him 25 minutes a game. If we use him anywhere close to 25 minutes a game it will mean big trouble.
He "cherry picked" all of his P6 games.
 
Mouhamadou Gueye

2 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks versus St. Peters
5 points, 1 rebound, 3 blocks versus Binghamton
3 points, 2 rebounds, 0 blocks versus UMass Lowell

Cherry picking games can be fun!

And hey, at least all of mine were from last year, as opposed to all but one of Doke's being from two years ago. If we want to go back to two years ago we could include four games when Gueye scored 0 points and a total of 10 games where he scored 4 points or fewer, 7 games where he had 4 or fewer rebounds, and 14 games where he blocked 0 or 1 shot.

This is a decent enough pickup for a backup to play 12-15 minutes a game. Stony Brook was only using him 25 minutes a game. If we use him anywhere close to 25 minutes a game it will mean big trouble.
I doubt very much if Capel brought him in planning to play him 25 mins/game.

But on the flip side, I’m sure Gueye is coming in hoping to play that many minutes a game.

I doubt he’ll play that many, but if he does, let’s hope it’s because he earned em and not just because there are no better options.
 
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No chance teamwork and cohesion can succeed more than talent fighting over the ball?

Certainly a chance!! This isn't a terrible roster.

Before the 0-18 season, I was telling folks that I thought we'd go 0-18 so I don't think it's anything like that.

I really like Femi, and we'll have to see if he can become the kind of guard who creates offense for others.
 
Those are nice things to have re:teamwork and cohesion. Talent is much better.

As I said, this isn’t the mighty ducks. They need more talent to compete in the ACC night in and night out.

Are you assuming that teams like Virginia and North Carolina don’t have cohesion and teamwork?
No, I am not assuming that At all.

I am assuming a Pitt team playing as a team might out perform a Pitt team that clearly had internal problems and beyond those problems fought over the ball.

Maybe a starless team will not be all that bad.
 
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After X quit the team Nike scored the following:
FSU 12
NC St 9
Wake 23
Clem 7
Mia 24

15 points per game. It seems reasonable to assume he would score at that rate next year and not the 6.9 season average as a back up.
8-10 would be great or 12 if he can do it efficiently. If he’s averaging 15, he’s either become an NBA player or is working at too high of a volume. Think Mike Cook at ECU vs Mike Cook at Pitt as a good measuring stick for what we need from him.

not saying he can’t do it, but I’d be very shocked based on his previous play. Averaging 15 PPG in the ACC efficiently is extremely difficult. Can’t remember the last time we had someone do it.
 
I think defense will be the one thing Capel will really stress. What's really confusing to me though is how the ranking for our defense under Capel (per Pomeroy) has slipped during his time here. #70 on year one to #91 to #122 last year. Hopefully, the team chemistry will improve our commitment to improve on the defensive end.

I think we will rebound ok, and we were ok last year too. But I'd really like to see good ball movement on the offensive end. It hasn't been something we've done well under Capel.
Ball movement has to start with the guy having the ball passing it !
 
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