Im ready for a few Predictions for next season, let's get started

[steel_curtain]

1) Ryan Luther should be given a chance to start at center. Luther averaged 9 points per game and 4 rebounds per game his last 10 ACC games as a role player. He shot over 50% in 8 of these games. He shot 58% for the season. He posted big games against Duke, Syracuse, Louisville, and Miami in the backstretch of the season. He made a 3 point basket in 4 of these games. He can shoot the ball and that is what Stallings likes. At 6'9, he isn't a smurf. He was one of the best players down the stretch, and Dixon refused, absolutely refused, to play him against Wisconsin. Dixon was an idiot for doing so. He is my starter at Center, for now. He is my projected breakout Player for Pitt next year, for now. I believe we are in good hands with Luther next year. He has everything needed to breakout with a strong training offseason.

2) Mike Young is going to have a major senior season. He has already declared he is coming back to Pitt. He scored over 12 points per game in 18 of his last 20 games of the season. He had his worst game of the season against Wisconsin. He put up some monster performances against North Carolina, Louisville, and Notre Dame among others. I think Young could very easily be an 18 and 8 player next year. His numbers are very strong going into next year.

3) Corey Manigault averaged 14 points per game and 12 rebounds per game at Paul this year. He had a very impressive offer sheet. He had a breakout senior season and a very good season. He can rebound, he can pass, and he has a nice shooting touch. He can also put the ball on the floor. Im comfortable in saying he is Nationally underrated by quite a bit. He should contribute next year and add some beef in the paint. He is a sure fire upgrade over Maia / Ododa, without question.

4) Rozelle Nix is going to be very interesting. At 7'0 300lb, he is huge. If anyone has seen his new pictures, the work this guy has put in to get into shape is borderline incredible. He is ripped. I do not have much expectations for Nix because I simply do not know. His rebound rate in JC was through the roof good. He is a big body we can throw in there to disrupt opposing teams. At worst, he will get us rebounds. He is big enough and strong enough to easily control the block in the post.

5) Sheldon Jeter averaged 9 points per game his last 13 games of the season. He shot over 60% in 7 of these games. His rebound numbers with respect to his playing time is solid. We all know he needs to step up on defense. As a senior, I would hope he dedicates to doing so, but we should limit expectations for what he can do on that end. He should be a very nice contributor next year.

-I am comfortable in saying that our frontcourt to me looks pretty rock solid going into next year, if not downright good. After seeing who is leaving in the ACC and around the country with player losses, we should put a beating on a lot of teams in the frontcourt next year. We look, almost, very strong in the frontcourt.

The 3

-Jamel Artis and his final decision is going to be very interesting. 2 years ago most thought he could jump to the NBA. This past season with respectable numbers, he disappointed a lot and that is probably an understatement. He really folded in the backstretch of the season when the team needed him. His turnover numbers were sky high. His play became so sporadic mixed in with bonehead decision making on the court no one knew what to expect. We really need this guy to come back next year to have a real nice season and for him to get his shit straitened out. This guy can light it up against any Elite team in the country, or be a total no show against creampuffs and nobodies. His best friend is Mike Young. With Young returning, it should push the chips towards him returning too. He has talent, but for whatever reason that didn't provide consistent results. If he works hard and gets his head in the game, he can elevate us by quite a bit.

-A lot of people are high on Slim Johnson, but Im not buying the hype yet. He is a good 3 point shooter, average defender, and really has zero dribble drive game into the paint. He is limited. There is not much to go by right now that he is going to be a breakout player next year. He obviously needs to get stronger. His rebound numbers are not consistent. He has nice shooting ability and we really need that, but he needs to offer more.

The guards

-Let's start with point guard. Justice Kithcart is without question my projected starter at point. Coming off a monster senior season, he is lightning quick, a lights out shooter, and a dominant leader. Pitt needs more than anything for 1 player to inject massive juice to jack up the team with fire, and he provides it. He is an Elite defender which is what we need from the get go. The guy has every tool in the book to be a future star if he works hard. He is a 2 time AAU National Champion and a State Champion. The guy is a winner, and a warrior. Pitt fans will love him.

-Jon Milligan is another player that is going to be interesting. Coming off a redshirt for multiple reasons including injury and family, his stats in JC were pretty good. The guy can shoot, he averaged 40% from 3 in JC and 49% from the field along with 80% from the free throw line. He is rail thin and needs to his the gym hard. It is to be determined what he offers on defense, which, we don't know. But this team desperately needs a guy that can shoot the ball in the backcourt to open up the frontcourt. He saw limited action early in the season, and, looked respectable when he was on the court. I think he should ok.

-Crisshawn Clark has been getting some hype, but Im not buying it quite yet. He is coming off a leg injury. His stats in JC were respectable, but not dominant. As a 35% 3 point shooter and 60% foul shooter, he for sure needs to work on shooting. We cannot put another Cam Wright on the floor that can't shoot the basketball past 8 feet. He had major turnover problems in JC and did not protect the basketball. Oregon was coming after him as was a number of other schools. For now, I would limit expectations on Clark. Clark does offer some rebounding and assists and is a multi dimensional player, which for sure should be noted as that is important. This is a wait and see player.

-Damon Wilson- Let's not sugarcoat it, Wilson was a bust as a freshmen. His shooting numbers were bad, his assist to turnover ratio was bad, his rebounding fell off a cliff in the backstretch, and we didn't get any spark out of Wilson when we needed it. Wilson came into the program as a player that should be able to penetrate and get to the rack. That is where he thrived in high school. He did not get to the rack at all this year. Either because of Dixon, or because of his ability, or because of his decision making. Obviously his confidence dropped as the season progressed. With a new coach and a shooting coach, hopefully that should get him back on track. We need this guy to step up next year. He has talent, but wasted it this year.

-Chris Jones- Some credit should be given here, Jones did indeed step up on the defensive end for Pitt and his defense improved by leaps as the season progressed last year. But his offense leaves so much to be desired, and that is a massive understatement. Besides 1 game against Wake Forest, his shooting and 3 point shooting fell off a cliff. His rebounding fell off a cliff. And his fouling spiked. Whether Jones stays or leaves, we have a hole at the 2 right now.

Projected Starters

PG-Kithcart- 6'2
SG- TBD
SF-Artis- 6'7
PF- Young- 6'9
C- Luther- 6'9

-Assuming all players return, and Stallings can Coach, this team should finish in the Top 5 of the ACC next year.

-Have at it

 

[NC Panther]

Disagree on a couple of things - agree on others:

I don't expect Young to have a major senior season - I think Young and Artis have peaked unfortunately.

I think you're not giving Cam enough credit - that guy has NBA type talent and...he has yet to even scratch the surface here at Pitt. He and Artis are two good players at the 3.

I expect Wilson to really improve in Stalling's more fluid, open offense and won't get yanked on every mistake that he made under Dixon - he and Jones share the 2.

I agree - start Luther at the 5 - that to me was the most puzzling choice Dixon made in maybe his entire career here starting ANO against Wisconsin - Luther and Nix at the 5.

Very excited and relieved about Kithcart - I expect some real good things from he and Milligan at the point.

Manigault and Clark - may very well red-shirt - Stallings will sort everything out I'm sure.

Imho, we have...potentially a very good team next year and with all of the attrition in the ACC, a top 5 in the division may not be far-fetched.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Here are my opinions.

1) Luther is a nice player but dosen't have the size or hops to be an effective center in the ACC.

2) Mike Young has peaked. He should have a good season but I don't see him doing any more than this year. He looks to my eyes as a short 6-9 (really only just over 6-8)--clearly out of position when he has to play center vs taller ACC guys with better hops.

3) Manigault being a true freshman is a question mark. He might be able to contribute right away or he might not. Will he be another Mike Young? Can he play center in the ACC? How big is he really? I have seen anything from 6-8 230 to 6-9 245. If truly the latter and he has hops maybe he can be thet rim protector we lacked this year and why we finished at Sagarin #37 vs among the top 25.

4) Maybe Nix can give us a few minutes early in games to suck up a few fouls and protect whomever else plays most of the minutes at center. It would be terriffic if he could do more than that but it would be a surprise.

5) Jeter should still be that nice combo forward for us but not a difference maker.

I think Cam Johnson will have a breakout year and be an excellent 3/2 for us. Kithcart or Milligan or a combo of the two should develop into an adequate PG for us.

So, how will we do? Assuming their are no further roster changes, I believe the following--

A) If Dixon were still here i think he would manage roughly a repeat of last year since he seemed to always get more out of what he had talent wise than most coaches would. His main diffciency the last few years was the inability to recruit a good post player/rim protector after Steve Adams left and Zanna graduated.

B) Stallings is an enigma as to how he will coach. He is supposed to be an excellent Xs and Os guy but has been criticized by those who know the Vandy program as being a weak player motivator. The latter view appears to have some merit because his Vandy teams seem to have played to the level of the recruiting but not beyond.

C) A lot really depends on two unknowns--

1. How good Kithcart can play as a true frosh PG.

2. Can a decent ACC level rim protector be found, or cobbled together from among Nix, Manigault and whatever the last open ship can provide if it is filled with either a grad transfer or other late signee.

On balance, I don't expect a top 5 ACC team next season. I think it is equally probable that we drop to the bottom third of the ACC as it is we reach the top third. I think the most likely outcome is middle of the pack at around 7-8 wins in conference. I sure hope I am being too pessimistic!

 

[NTOP]

TCU will be better coached.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

TCU will be better coached.

You need to give it up he's GONE. I was always a JD man but you have to admit this last year he couldn't make the team play the type of ball he wanted.Great coaches adapt to the talent they have !

 

[NTOP]

You need to give it up he's GONE. I was always a JD man but you have to admit this last year he couldn't make the team play the type of ball he wanted.Great coaches adapt to the talent they have !

Doesn't change my opinion for this coming season. Stallings had problems with his team this year, too. I hope he does well.....but if he doesn't, folks will say it's because they were Dixon's recruits. My guess is that he goes about 3-4 games over .500.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Michael Young is a talented bb player. Too much was asked of him on both ends of the court last year. On the defensive end he's not big or strong enough to man the 5 and as a 4 he needs a solid 5 beside him. On offense he forced the action to much. To much one on three he needs to learn to kick it out more ,maybe a more wide open offense will loosens things up for him. Don't write him off.
Jamel Artis at times showed how gifted he can be offensively and what contributed to his widely inconsistent play I don't know. Was he injured and playing hurt ? A new coach and style could unleash a scoring machine.
Ryan Luther needs to hit the gym and get strong enough because the effort is there and he has instincts to be at the right place at the right time.
Cam Johnson needs the confidence to put it up even if he misses the first few shots he's got offensive talent and being shy won't cut it.
Pitt needs Kithcart to come in ready to start and take control their season will hinge on his play. A lot to put on him but who else is there to run the show.
New coach ,new players ,new system ,next season might be a little rough to start but season long improvement could end up with a pretty good team.

 

[FreeportPanther]

We lost a lot of games this year because we played sloppy defense and did not rebound the ball.
This with a coach who absolutely obsessed about these things.
Stallings' teams have never been particularly good at defense and rebouding, and this plays right into Young, Artis, and Jeter's hands. None of these kids seem particularly interested in playing defense consistently.
Unfortunately, I see a lot of high scoring losses next year.

 

[steel_curtain]

We lost a lot of games this year because we played sloppy defense and did not rebound the ball.
This with a coach who absolutely obsessed about these things.
Stallings' teams have never been particularly good at defense and rebouding, and this plays right into Young, Artis, and Jeter's hands. None of these kids seem particularly interested in playing defense consistently.
Unfortunately, I see a lot of high scoring losses next year.

-Pitt was 21-1 this year when scoring over 65 points per game, and 0-11 when scoring under 65 points per game. We are not a team people are going to try and outscore us. Not speeding the game up under Dixon's lead cost us more than anything. Kithcart is going to speed the game up.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

TCU will be better coached.

Maybe. And that same great coaching enabled Pitt to score 43-points in their biggest game of the season.

Jamie needed a change. Pitt needed a change. One wit noted that both parties will regret the change.

We'll see.

 

[gary2]

TCU will be better coached.

Not a chance. Inbound to the back court. Forget you have fouls to give. Technical before the Duquesne game. List is longer. (Nova, Butler, Syr)

Jamie inherited a good situation and Jamie had a great record, but was really a better Walt Harris. Great discipline, organization and fundamental guy, poor game day coach - Got us as far as he was able - Peaked, recruiting began to falter and was in a downward spiral.

Both had their recruiting change. Walt when the Big East lost members and was seen as a lesser league and Jamie with the switch to the ACC. (a change he never embraced or even came to grips with) Both had become stale and had the administration and fan base looking to move on. Both left for positions with ADs they were comfortable with.

We know what happened with Walt at Stanford. We will see what happens with Jamie at TCU.

 

[goodinsider]

History favors Good experienced coaches doing very well in year one with others players in FB and BB... Mostly the new voice and approach takes over and seems to change results... Unfortunately a lot fall off after year 1 or 2 but not always... Not predicting that for Stallings but I'm highly confident Pitt has a really good year next season under his guidance... Particularly if all parts return and the incoming guys plus Miiligan help a lot... Longer term I think Stallings has high potential if he can deliver higher rated recruiting classes and a little less academic pressure... I guess I've really come around to the change though I do believe Dixon was taken for granted... He had a 4 year swoon going but if like Boeheim you stick by him and support they also can make runs... I think he would have had another run soon, perhaps I'm just being optimistic but I actually believe that, however I'm now invested in Stallings and hoping this all works out... I still think Dixon will regret or at least in 3-4 years realize it was a mistake and maybe short of regret since it's his alma mater... We shall see... Hail to Pitt!

 

[FreeportPanther]

-Pitt was 21-1 this year when scoring over 65 points per game, and 0-11 when scoring under 65 points per game. We are not a team people are going to try and outscore us. Not speeding the game up under Dixon's lead cost us more than anything. Kithcart is going to speed the game up.

Of course teams will try to outscore us, that's how you Win.
I fear you are putting a lot of faith on an unproven freshman. He's probably going to be good, but ACC good?
JRob was a pretty good distributor, but our "scorers" couldn't score!
Guess we'll find out, but a lot of that high scoring success was against a very weak OOC schedule, and the lesser teams of the ACC.

 

[Scruffy the Panther]

Borderline NCAA/NIT team.

 

[steel_curtain]

Of course teams will try to outscore us, that's how you Win.
I fear you are putting a lot of faith on an unproven freshman. He's probably going to be good, but ACC good?
JRob was a pretty good distributor, but our "scorers" couldn't score!
Guess we'll find out, but a lot of that high scoring success was against a very weak OOC schedule, and the lesser teams of the ACC.

-Not really. Pitt routed Duke. We were routing Notre Dame on the road. We beat Syracuse 3 times and blew them out twice. That's a Sweet 16 team, an Elite 8 team, and a Final 4 team.

 

[Jeffburgh]

General thoughts.

I missed Young confirming he was coming back. That is pretty big.

I have absolutely no expectations that Nix will do anything.

Luther took some very promising steps. Gotta see if he can keep progressing.

Under the assumption that Nix is not going to do much, Manigault probably will see time, and help a bit on the boards.

Probably will see Luther, Young, Jeter play most of the minutes at the 4 & 5.

I can live with or without Artis, unless he has a major fire lit under him. He was a stud for about a half dozen games, a contributor in a half dozen games and a wash or net negative in the rest, roughly.

Cam John is pure speculation - next year will tell one way or another. Just can't say, either way.

Jones ... He will be a fifth year guy. He has some limitations, but plays with toughness and heart. He might do a serviceable job on his last go round as a starter at 2G.

I LOVE Kithkart, but still, just can't know until we see him play a bit.

Milligan looks VERY lively, but again, we just can't know until he steps on the court.

Clark was going to be a project prior to the ACL. He is a complete wildcard.

I do think the change in coaching could help some of these guys development.

There is enough here that you would want to see a veteran coach like Stallings at least make the NCAAs.

Past that, this team could surprise and make a run at a top 5 ACC spot, or scrap just to make the NCAAs.

 

[goalieman]

Interesting thread but a little hard to predict next season with so many unknowns right now.

Anyway, some thoughts ......

- Two big areas of concern are still PG and Center ...... PG - Milligan and Kithcart are very inexperienced at the ACC level and at present it is hard to know how they will do but inexperience at PG is usually not a good thing .... they have talent which should help but there is no way to predict with a high degree of certainty how these two will do ..... not saying that they won't develop quickly and do well but there is a BIG question mark with those two at PG ...... if Milligan and Kithcart don't get the job done at PG, Wilson could be called upon although I think he is better suited for and will play the 2 position...... Center - another HUGE question mark with Manigault and Nix ..... no experience at this level and no idea how they will do next season ...... Luther and Young could play the 5 if needed and may well have to but are much better suited for the 4 position.

- Another huge question mark is whether Artis comes back ..... if he doesn't, it will significantly hurt us ..... we need his offense and if he can improve his handle and defense some, he can be outstanding.

- 2G - I think will be somewhat better ..... Jones came on fairly well late last season and Johnson and Wilson should be better with the experience they gained and both have potential. Cam can shoot but needs to improve defense and his ball handling as well as strength ...... Wilson also needs to improve all around (shooting, handle, defense, strength) but he was pretty highly ranked out of high school and IMO has potential just needs to work hard on his skills to get better.... Clark is an unknown at this point in time.

- 3 position - again big question is Artis ..... if he is back then Artis, Cam, and Jeter will make the 3 position a strength ....... without Artis, Jeter and Cam will need to step up.

- 4 position - With Young, Luther, and Jeter this should be our strongest position.

- How the new coaches will do and how the players will adopt to a new system and new coaches is just another set of question marks at this time.

- If Milligan and Kithcart can run the PG position efficiently, if we can get some defense/rebounding/and a little offensive production from the 5 position (and I suspect Young and/or Luther may have to play some 5 position to do this), if Artis stays, and if the new coaches do a good job and players adopt to the coaches system well, then we can have a good season coming up ...... a lot of if's and question marks at this point in time to be able to predict next seasons results accurately ...... let's support the team 100%, enjoy the ride, and see how things unfold....... I'm cautiously optimistic at present !!

 

[steel_curtain]

Interesting thread but a little hard to predict next season with so many unknowns right now.

Anyway, some thoughts ......

- Two big areas of concern are still PG and Center ...... PG - Milligan and Kithcart are very inexperienced at the ACC level and at present it is hard to know how they will do but inexperience at PG is usually not a good thing .... they have talent which should help but there is no way to predict with a high degree of certainty how these two will do ..... not saying that they won't develop quickly and do well but there is a BIG question mark with those two at PG ...... if Milligan and Kithcart don't get the job done at PG, Wilson could be called upon although I think he is better suited for and will play the 2 position...... Center - another HUGE question mark with Manigault and Nix ..... no experience at this level and no idea how they will do next season ...... Luther and Young could play the 5 if needed and may well have to but are much better suited for the 4 position.

- Another huge question mark is whether Artis comes back ..... if he doesn't, it will significantly hurt us ..... we need his offense and if he can improve his handle and defense some, he can be outstanding.

- 2G - I think will be somewhat better ..... Jones came on fairly well late last season and Johnson and Wilson should be better with the experience they gained and both have potential. Cam can shoot but needs to improve defense and his ball handling as well as strength ...... Wilson also needs to improve all around (shooting, handle, defense, strength) but he was pretty highly ranked out of high school and IMO has potential just needs to work hard on his skills to get better.... Clark is an unknown at this point in time.

- 3 position - again big question is Artis ..... if he is back then Artis, Cam, and Jeter will make the 3 position a strength ....... without Artis, Jeter and Cam will need to step up.

- 4 position - With Young, Luther, and Jeter this should be our strongest position.

- How the new coaches will do and how the players will adopt to a new system and new coaches is just another set of question marks at this time.

- If Milligan and Kithcart can run the PG position efficiently, if we can get some defense/rebounding/and a little offensive production from the 5 position (and I suspect Young and/or Luther may have to play some 5 position to do this), if Artis stays, and if the new coaches do a good job and players adopt to the coaches system well, then we can have a good season coming up ...... a lot of if's and question marks at this point in time to be able to predict next seasons results accurately ...... let's support the team 100%, enjoy the ride, and see how things unfold....... I'm cautiously optimistic at present !!

Luther. Dixon never gave the kid a fair chance. Look at these numbers in the backstretch of the season

vs Duke- 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4-5 shooting
vs Louisville- 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 6-8 shooting
vs Miami- 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 5-6 shooting
vs Syracuse- 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 6-11 shooting

-Luther did this as a bench player backup. He never got starter minutes. If those numbers aren't eye popping as a pure backup,I dont know what more to really say. These were 4 of the best teams we played all season, and look at the numbers. Everything about him is almost screaming breakout player. Just give him a chance and let him run.

 

[goalieman]

Luther. Dixon never gave the kid a fair chance. Look at these numbers in the backstretch of the season

vs Duke- 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4-5 shooting
vs Louisville- 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 6-8 shooting
vs Miami- 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 5-6 shooting
vs Syracuse- 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 6-11 shooting

-Luther did this as a bench player backup. He never got starter minutes. If those numbers aren't eye popping as a pure backup,I dont know what more to really say. These were 4 of the best teams we played all season, and look at the numbers. Everything about him is almost screaming breakout player. Just give him a chance and let him run.

steel ..... I do agree that Luther should be an important player for the team next season and I too like him a lot but would not anoint him All-ACC just yet.

Some other thoughts ....
- The four games you referenced were his best games and agree were impressive especially against the competition ..... in those 4 games he averaged 13.0 PPG and 25.25 MPG which is or very close to "starter minutes"..... in the other 28 games that he played, he averaged 3.86 PPG and played 11.43 MPG which if you extrapolated that to 25.25 MPG would mean about 8.53 PPG often against much lesser competition.

- I think Ryan really improved as the season progressed and his MPG went up accordingly which makes his 4 minutes in the Wisconsin game so mind baffling and possibly cost us the game.

- I think Ryan is better suited to play the 4 position to reach his full potential but suspect he may end up playing significant minutes at the 5 next season ....... we'll see how he does, but I agree that he has potential to be a very good player.

 

[steel_curtain]

steel ..... I do agree that Luther should be an important player for the team next season and I too like him a lot but would not anoint him All-ACC just yet.

Some other thoughts ....
- The four games you referenced were his best games and agree were impressive especially against the competition ..... in those 4 games he averaged 13.0 PPG and 25.25 MPG which is or very close to "starter minutes"..... in the other 28 games that he played, he averaged 3.86 PPG and played 11.43 MPG which if you extrapolated that to 25.25 MPG would mean about 8.53 PPG often against much lesser competition.

- I think Ryan really improved as the season progressed and his MPG went up accordingly which makes his 4 minutes in the Wisconsin game so mind baffling and possibly cost us the game.

- I think Ryan is better suited to play the 4 position to reach his full potential but suspect he may end up playing significant minutes at the 5 next season ....... we'll see how he does, but I agree that he has potential to be a very good player.

-The minute distribution made zero sense by Dixon. Luther played 4 minutes against Wisconsin, 10 vs Virginia, 6 vs Virginia Tech, etc..

-Ironically, the stats I shared were Luther's 4 highest minute per game for the entire season. He played 23 minutes against Syracuse, 24 against Duke, 28 against Louisville, and 26 against Miami.

-The only other game in the entire season Luther played over 20 minutes was against Detroit. Ironically, he had 15 points and 11 rebounds in that game.

-Obviously, when this guy gets over 20 minutes per game, he produces quite a lot. No stats were cherry picked here. When he gets very limited minutes, he doesnt produce a lot. Goes hand in hand.

 

[Jeffburgh]

-The minute distribution made zero sense by Dixon. Luther played 4 minutes against Wisconsin, 10 vs Virginia, 6 vs Virginia Tech, etc..

-Ironically, the stats I shared were Luther's 4 highest minute per game for the entire season. He played 23 minutes against Syracuse, 24 against Duke, 28 against Louisville, and 26 against Miami.

-The only other game in the entire season Luther played over 20 minutes was against Detroit. Ironically, he had 15 points and 11 rebounds in that game.

-Obviously, when this guy gets over 20 minutes per game, he produces quite a lot. No stats were cherry picked here. When he gets very limited minutes, he doesnt produce a lot. Goes hand in hand.

There is no defending JD not using him the last game, but I don't think just playing him a lot of minutes from day one would have had him doing what he did later in the season.

I think he simply made a rather normal progression as a second year player.

Again, no defending JD not playing more at the end, but he had some pretty rough moments on the court earlier in the season, too.

I am optimistic, but we just have to see if he is stepping up to be a solid, reliable starter or not.

 

[steel_curtain]

There is no defending JD not using him the last game, but I don't think just playing him a lot of minutes from day one would have had him doing what he did later in the season.

I think he simply made a rather normal progression as a second year player.

Again, no defending JD not playing more at the end, but he had some pretty rough moments on the court earlier in the season, too.

I am optimistic, but we just have to see if he is stepping up to be a solid, reliable starter or not.

-Would you agree that if he was used more, he would have improved with experience over the course of the season rather being on the bench? There is a learning curve when you actually play as opposed to watching.

-Luther averaged 8 points per game his last 13 games of the ACC season. I think that is a large enough sample size to conclude he can play.

 

[Jeffburgh]

-Would you agree that if he was used more, he would have improved with experience over the course of the season rather being on the bench? There is a learning curve when you actually play as opposed to watching.

Maybe, maybe not. In the earlier portions of the season, his PT mostly was based on his performance, the standard for any other player.

-Luther averaged 8 points per game his last 13 games of the ACC season. I think that is a large enough sample size to conclude he can play.

As I noted, his development later in the season was promising. Enough to say "he can play" but not enough to say definitively to what extent.

Again, I am optimistic, but four games if four games.

 

[goalieman]

steel .....

Pretty much agree with "Jeffburgh" ..... Ryan's playing time was based on performance probably in practice as well as games and he earned and received more playing time as the season progressed .... those games where he got more playing time and did well were later in the season.

There were some games late in the season where he didn't play as much ..... I'm not sure if Jamie was worried about matchups or if Ryan was ill for a game or two as I believe the flu went through the team later in the season ...... in any event, the reason given by Jamie for not playing Ryan against Wisconsin just did not make sense and I believe was a mistake.

There is a new coaching staff and we'll see how Ryan develops and what the new coaches think of him and how they use him ..... I expect Ryan to improve and play more next season, we'll see how much.

Again I'm cautiously optimistic for next season but there are many question marks to be answered ...... I can't wait to see how it unfolds !

 

[lunzhegu]

Thanks to steel_curtain for his continuing optimism. As I have posted, I don't count losses in advance, and I always appreciate a hopeful approach. One of the reasons why we loved Dixon was that he projected the attitude that we could win every game. The players commented on it at times. We may have left some games disappointed with a loss, but we never went to a game expecting to lose. Watching North Carolina move the ball, defend the lane, and destroy Syracuse on UNC's defensive glass, I was reminded of the way Pitt used to play in Dixon's better years. We used to be that kind of team, beating BE teams as good as any in the ACC. Did anyone else feel that way watching UNC last night?

Regarding the issues at hand, the consensus is clear that consistency was our major problem. Almost every professional coach I've read about talks about players making the routine plays. Most players make spectacular plays from time to time, but the ones who consistently make the routine plays are the ones who become elite enough to be pros. For those of us who listen to the broadcast durings games, how many times did we hear Dick Groat say, "Come on, guys! You've got to make that shot." For a game as mental as basketball, the Board could not decide whether the players were getting messed up by Dixon's system or whether the player just were not that good.

The consistency issue is paramount with Artis, assuming he stays. He has shown lots of skills from the start of his career here, and he has tremendous potential. Let us hope he returns. After the way Justin Jackson ate his lunch, he should know that he still has work to do to develop his game. I am not sure that Young has reached his plateau, as some have suggested. His game got out of whack when other things were falling apart for the team. He desperately wants to compete. Jones had already exceeded the ceiling a lot of posters had for him. His presence ensures most depth and competition at his position. Jeter has potential to improve as well.

I was impressed with Kithcart from the original mixtapes and from an early report that he was getting into the lane at will. His performance this past year was very impressive, to the extent that I am ready to hope that he will make a splash.

Wilson's problems with decision-making were obvious from start, and the failure of his game to mature is cause for concern. In contrast to Kithcart, his high school team underachieved, another cause for concern. At the same time, his talent, especially in terms of speed and strength, impressed a lot of people on the Board even when he was driving into traffic or missing open guys. Part of that may have been that the team was so tuned in with Robinson that they just did not get in sync with him. I am expecting him to play much better this year.

In contrast to some of the posts in this thread, I felt that Cam Johnson showed quite a bit of defensive disruptiveness. I did not think he was that easy to drive past, either. I am among those who are hopeful that he will develop into a major contributor.

Regarding Nix, I was encouraged by Harve's comments when Nix was being recruited, to the effect that Harve had observed some of Nix's tapes, and he felt that Nix is fundamentally sound at boxing out and holding on to rebounds. That endorsement is enough for me. I think that Matt's single offhand comment a few weeks ago that Nix was struggling has been blown out of proportion. One of the reasons to hope for a summer league is to see this guy in action at long last.

I was surprised at the cavalier attitude the Board took toward Clark's recommitment. To my mind, the fact that he was offered by a team as loaded with talent as Oregon is all I needed to anticipate a solid player coming in.

I am in agreement with everyone about Luther being such a pleasant surprise. I think he also has room to become better. I haven't seen enough of Milligan or Manigault, but they have their pedigrees.

Obviously, this team is loaded with talent, and we have seen enough to evaluate their potential. The biggest question is with regard to Stallings and his coaching staff. His players seem to like him, but there have been many comments about his teams' chemisty. Will there be good chemistry with this group? Will Stallings be better than his reputation in emphasizing the rebounding and defensive toughness we have expected to see from a Pitt team?

I started by comparing our top teams to this year's UNC. Most of us can remember how dominant Pitt was not long ago. I still think we would have defeated the 2009 UNC champions if we had had the chance. Moving forward with our new staff, let us not forget the standard we had achieved under Dixon. Next year we are going to play a conference schedule as difficult as any other I can remember. Steel_curtain has provoked some ice-water responses on the Board, as did our long-lost Putt, but I appreciate his positive thoughts while we wait to see how this change works out.

 

[steel_curtain]

Thanks to steel_curtain for his continuing optimism. As I have posted, I don't count losses in advance, and I always appreciate a hopeful approach. One of the reasons why we loved Dixon was that he projected the attitude that we could win every game. The players commented on it at times. We may have left some games disappointed with a loss, but we never went to a game expecting to lose. Watching North Carolina move the ball, defend the lane, and destroy Syracuse on UNC's defensive glass, I was reminded of the way Pitt used to play in Dixon's better years. We used to be that kind of team, beating BE teams as good as any in the ACC. Did anyone else feel that way watching UNC last night?

Regarding the issues at hand, the consensus is clear that consistency was our major problem. Almost every professional coach I've read about talks about players making the routine plays. Most players make spectacular plays from time to time, but the ones who consistently make the routine plays are the ones who become elite enough to be pros. For those of us who listen to the broadcast durings games, how many times did we hear Dick Groat say, "Come on, guys! You've got to make that shot." For a game as mental as basketball, the Board could not decide whether the players were getting messed up by Dixon's system or whether the player just were not that good.

The consistency issue is paramount with Artis, assuming he stays. He has shown lots of skills from the start of his career here, and he has tremendous potential. Let us hope he returns. After the way Justin Jackson ate his lunch, he should know that he still has work to do to develop his game. I am not sure that Young has reached his plateau, as some have suggested. His game got out of whack when other things were falling apart for the team. He desperately wants to compete. Jones had already exceeded the ceiling a lot of posters had for him. His presence ensures most depth and competition at his position. Jeter has potential to improve as well.

I was impressed with Kithcart from the original mixtapes and from an early report that he was getting into the lane at will. His performance this past year was very impressive, to the extent that I am ready to hope that he will make a splash.

Wilson's problems with decision-making were obvious from start, and the failure of his game to mature is cause for concern. In contrast to Kithcart, his high school team underachieved, another cause for concern. At the same time, his talent, especially in terms of speed and strength, impressed a lot of people on the Board even when he was driving into traffic or missing open guys. Part of that may have been that the team was so tuned in with Robinson that they just did not get in sync with him. I am expecting him to play much better this year.

In contrast to some of the posts in this thread, I felt that Cam Johnson showed quite a bit of defensive disruptiveness. I did not think he was that easy to drive past, either. I am among those who are hopeful that he will develop into a major contributor.

Regarding Nix, I was encouraged by Harve's comments when Nix was being recruited, to the effect that Harve had observed some of Nix's tapes, and he felt that Nix is fundamentally sound at boxing out and holding on to rebounds. That endorsement is enough for me. I think that Matt's single offhand comment a few weeks ago that Nix was struggling has been blown out of proportion. One of the reasons to hope for a summer league is to see this guy in action at long last.

I was surprised at the cavalier attitude the Board took toward Clark's recommitment. To my mind, the fact that he was offered by a team as loaded with talent as Oregon is all I needed to anticipate a solid player coming in.

I am in agreement with everyone about Luther being such a pleasant surprise. I think he also has room to become better. I haven't seen enough of Milligan or Manigault, but they have their pedigrees.

Obviously, this team is loaded with talent, and we have seen enough to evaluate their potential. The biggest question is with regard to Stallings and his coaching staff. His players seem to like him, but there have been many comments about his teams' chemisty. Will there be good chemistry with this group? Will Stallings be better than his reputation in emphasizing the rebounding and defensive toughness we have expected to see from a Pitt team?

I started by comparing our top teams to this year's UNC. Most of us can remember how dominant Pitt was not long ago. I still think we would have defeated the 2009 UNC champions if we had had the chance. Moving forward with our new staff, let us not forget the standard we had achieved under Dixon. Next year we are going to play a conference schedule as difficult as any other I can remember. Steel_curtain has provoked some ice-water responses on the Board, as did our long-lost Putt, but I appreciate his positive thoughts while we wait to see how this change works out.

-Im not predicting any monumental success or huge NCAA Tournament run at this time. Just simply stating there is talent on this team, and a lot of new juice coming into the program next year. Contrary to perhaps popular belief, the ACC is getting killed with player losses right now. The league will be down, significantly, next year in comparison to this year. Expect Duke to get a boatload of hype when the first round of preseason rankings gets announced Tuesday. They have some big question marks. And many teams have a lot more question marks than Pitt. Like I said, Boston College was 0-18 this year. NC. State just lost 4 starters. Georgia Tech just lost 5 starters and their head coach. Some of these teams are about to go into heavy rebuild, while others will be taking a giant step back, like Virginia and Miami.

 

[Zaratoughda]

I am not making any predictions as who knows what Stallings is gonna do. With Dixon you had some idea but this is an entirely new coach so we do not really have any. Will just have to wait and see.

Otherwise... what I WANT to see... is Jeter spelling both Young and Artis... and the SG slot be manned by Jones, Slim, Clarke and Wilson (and maybe Kithcart and Milligan) and... let the best player win.

 

[lunzhegu]

I'm not trying to back you into a corner, steel_curtain. I know your optimism is tempered, particularly regarding our current and incoming players. Watching UNC reminds us of how far short our recent teams have been from the standard we had achieved. From the team enthusiasm reported regarding the current players, we can believe that they too know what the old standard has been. They are Dixon's guys. Maybe they will even help Stallings know more about Pitt hoops. That positive attitude is an important component of success.

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

Otherwise... what I WANT to see... is Jeter spelling both Young and Artis... and the SG slot be manned by Jones, Slim, Clarke and Wilson (and maybe Kithcart and Milligan) and... let the best player win.

Someone's got to play the point.

I see Kithcart only playing PG, same with Milligan if Jones stays.

 

[steel_curtain]

Someone's got to play the point.

I see Kithcart only playing PG, same with Milligan if Jones stays.

-There he is again, not my words. And a video of him talking about his team and coming back with fight. He is going to anchor us.

Justice Kithcart – 6-1 Point Guard – Virginia Episcopal School (VA)

Kithcart is fearless. The Pittsburgh commit possesses great body control. His foot always seems to be on the gas pedal, but never rushed. He has many moves that allow him to get to the basket, but is at his best when in transition. It is awesome to watch the other team struggling to guard him as he goes to work at the half court or is in transition. Kithcart is an absolute hawk on defense as well, using his quick feet and fast hands to disrupt the opposing point guard.

https://theleftbench.com/blog/2015/12/03/hsotinvite-players-to-watch-2015/

http://www.highschoolot.com/basketball/boys_basketball/video/15203151/

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

-There he is again, not my words. And a video of him talking about his team and coming back with fight. He is going to anchor us.

Justice Kithcart – 6-1 Point Guard – Virginia Episcopal School (VA)

Kithcart is fearless. The Pittsburgh commit possesses great body control. His foot always seems to be on the gas pedal, but never rushed. He has many moves that allow him to get to the basket, but is at his best when in transition. It is awesome to watch the other team struggling to guard him as he goes to work at the half court or is in transition. Kithcart is an absolute hawk on defense as well, using his quick feet and fast hands to disrupt the opposing point guard.

https://theleftbench.com/blog/2015/12/03/hsotinvite-players-to-watch-2015/

http://www.highschoolot.com/basketball/boys_basketball/video/15203151/

I could see him getting at least 20 min a game as a freshmen up to in the low 30's if he progresses & plays like you think he can.

How many min a game will Wilson & Milligan get?

 

[steel_curtain]

I could see him getting at least 20 min a game as a freshmen up to in the low 30's if he progresses & plays like you think he can.

How many min a game will Wilson & Milligan get?

-To early to predict that with regard to minute breakdowns.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Depends mostly on how good Kithcart is and if we can get a good 5 grad transfer center or if Nix is legit.

 

[NTOP]

-There he is again, not my words. And a video of him talking about his team and coming back with fight. He is going to anchor us.

Justice Kithcart – 6-1 Point Guard – Virginia Episcopal School (VA)

Kithcart is fearless. The Pittsburgh commit possesses great body control. His foot always seems to be on the gas pedal, but never rushed. He has many moves that allow him to get to the basket, but is at his best when in transition. It is awesome to watch the other team struggling to guard him as he goes to work at the half court or is in transition. Kithcart is an absolute hawk on defense as well, using his quick feet and fast hands to disrupt the opposing point guard.

https://theleftbench.com/blog/2015/12/03/hsotinvite-players-to-watch-2015/

http://www.highschoolot.com/basketball/boys_basketball/video/15203151/

Have you seen him play?

 

[steel_curtain]

Have you seen him play?

-Absolutely

 

[QuitCallingMeWanny]

40-0 cutting down the nets, me with tears in my eyes as CBS brings back "One Shining Moment"

 

[heybandguy]

Too many unknowns, especially in the backcourt - particularly at PG. I would like to think Wilson will be improved from experience alone, and I really like Kithcart (at least on video). When Pitt guards shot well they were tough to beat - when they didn't it was tough to watch. I get the "they didn't miss on purpose argument" - but the reality is, they have to be able to consistently score with jumpers, and they HAVE to get someone who can create off the dribble and get a shot or can dish to someone open. I really like the four of Artis, Luther, Young and Jeter. They need another body up there to make a difference on the boards - between Manigault and Nix, you hope they provide more production than Maia and Nelson Odoba. I think they are 500 in conference and will sit more on the bubble next year than they were this year.

 

[steel_curtain]

Too many unknowns, especially in the backcourt - particularly at PG. I would like to think Wilson will be improved from experience alone, and I really like Kithcart (at least on video). When Pitt guards shot well they were tough to beat - when they didn't it was tough to watch. I get the "they didn't miss on purpose argument" - but the reality is, they have to be able to consistently score with jumpers, and they HAVE to get someone who can create off the dribble and get a shot or can dish to someone open. I really like the four of Artis, Luther, Young and Jeter. They need another body up there to make a difference on the boards - between Manigault and Nix, you hope they provide more production than Maia and Nelson Odoba. I think they are 500 in conference and will sit more on the bubble next year than they were this year.

-I still dont understand the center argument. North Carolina doesnt have a single player over 6'9 in their rotation. They go 6'8, 6'9, and 6'9 from the 3 through 5.

Artis-Young-Luther is 6'7, 6'8, 6'9

-We dont lose a single player in the entire frontcourt rotation, but gain Manigault and Nix. Unless you want to count players that scored 1 points per game in conference play.

 

[NTOP]

-I still dont understand the center argument. North Carolina doesnt have a single player over 6'9 in their rotation. They go 6'8, 6'9, and 6'9 from the 3 through 5.

Artis-Young-Luther is 6'7, 6'8, 6'9

-We dont lose a single player in the entire frontcourt rotation, but gain Manigault and Nix. Unless you want to count players that scored 1 points per game in conference play.

Gee.....our guys are just a tad less athletic than Johnson, Jackson, Meeks & Hicks.

 

[steel_curtain]

Gee.....our guys are just a tad less athletic than Johnson, Jackson, Meeks & Hicks.

-Dont take the point out of context. People are suggesting there is some massive gaping hole at the center position at Pitt going into next year. And that couldnt be further from the truth. And I am not comparing Pitt to North Carolina.