Putting on the Preacher hat for a moment. These games are no longer about winning and losing, at least not for me. I'm looking for "flashes" of a real Tourney Team next season, and I do keep seeing them. A lot of these kids simply need to fail, and fail hard, to learn what Coach is preaching. That is happening. Failing - and learning the hard lessons.
X & Trey - as maddening as they are - both are expanding skillsets this month. They HAVE been learning to share the ball (really hard when nobody can make a shot) and at least trying to run an offense, one with a lot of holes in it right now as the youngsters are all struggling to finish.
X in particular is flashing some leadership in 2nd halves, scoring when we need it most, without disrupting things. A great PG lets the game come to them. He will probably need benched a few more times, but is figuring things out, the kind of things real Point Guards do. He was the leader this team needs down the stretch last night, and is finally learning the hard lessons.
Trey's maddening at times - and he's setting up a ton of good looks for teammates to clank off the rim lately. That kid is mos def expanding his play, learning how to be a secondary/tertiary scorer that fills up stat lines. He will be the other setup man X desperately needs to play to his own strengths. Trey's learning the hard lessons as well - one of which is the need to play to his strengths, which is playmaking for his teammates, ahead of being a scorer.
Toney still really struggles when he's not 100%, as has been the case these last 2 games. He's probably not the player that flashed against Duke - rather a very solid all-around performer that can score double digits efficiently - and 15+ per game not so efficiently next season. A high end glue guy, that can be your lead scorer from time to time - in other words - he's Juron Brown next year.
Justin will take a leap forward shooting & defending. He's already the best 6'6" rebounder in the ACC. With 2 playmakers at G, he's your top scorer.
I'm seeing Drum & AKC as solid efficient tertiary scorers with somewhat diverse skillsets off the bench. Drum will mostly be a 3&D type, with a decent passing game. AKC will be an Ontario Lett type guy IMO - valuable pieces both will be.
Brown is of course the wildcard. Probably won't advance past earning 15m/game, but you never know with Seniors...
If Horton is the real deal Pitt will be more than just good. In particular he will force X & Trey to more fully play Capel's game if they want starters minutes.
I am seeing a real team with some strengths forming. Think of these kids as clay - that Capel is forming into a beautiful sculpture. Right now we only see hints of what the final product will be, but they are mos def there. Assuming at least a couple freshman are ready, we will play a relentless high pressure system. One which has anyone not ready to win riding the bench until they are, as we will finally have some depth.
Consider a very beautiful sculpture, that's been fired in the kiln of the ACC. One created from Capel's vision of the Noughties Pitt Panthers. I can hardly wait - right now it's all about the "flashes" - when it all comes together, the transformation will be a quick one indeed.
X & Trey - as maddening as they are - both are expanding skillsets this month. They HAVE been learning to share the ball (really hard when nobody can make a shot) and at least trying to run an offense, one with a lot of holes in it right now as the youngsters are all struggling to finish.
X in particular is flashing some leadership in 2nd halves, scoring when we need it most, without disrupting things. A great PG lets the game come to them. He will probably need benched a few more times, but is figuring things out, the kind of things real Point Guards do. He was the leader this team needs down the stretch last night, and is finally learning the hard lessons.
Trey's maddening at times - and he's setting up a ton of good looks for teammates to clank off the rim lately. That kid is mos def expanding his play, learning how to be a secondary/tertiary scorer that fills up stat lines. He will be the other setup man X desperately needs to play to his own strengths. Trey's learning the hard lessons as well - one of which is the need to play to his strengths, which is playmaking for his teammates, ahead of being a scorer.
Toney still really struggles when he's not 100%, as has been the case these last 2 games. He's probably not the player that flashed against Duke - rather a very solid all-around performer that can score double digits efficiently - and 15+ per game not so efficiently next season. A high end glue guy, that can be your lead scorer from time to time - in other words - he's Juron Brown next year.
Justin will take a leap forward shooting & defending. He's already the best 6'6" rebounder in the ACC. With 2 playmakers at G, he's your top scorer.
I'm seeing Drum & AKC as solid efficient tertiary scorers with somewhat diverse skillsets off the bench. Drum will mostly be a 3&D type, with a decent passing game. AKC will be an Ontario Lett type guy IMO - valuable pieces both will be.
Brown is of course the wildcard. Probably won't advance past earning 15m/game, but you never know with Seniors...
If Horton is the real deal Pitt will be more than just good. In particular he will force X & Trey to more fully play Capel's game if they want starters minutes.
I am seeing a real team with some strengths forming. Think of these kids as clay - that Capel is forming into a beautiful sculpture. Right now we only see hints of what the final product will be, but they are mos def there. Assuming at least a couple freshman are ready, we will play a relentless high pressure system. One which has anyone not ready to win riding the bench until they are, as we will finally have some depth.
Consider a very beautiful sculpture, that's been fired in the kiln of the ACC. One created from Capel's vision of the Noughties Pitt Panthers. I can hardly wait - right now it's all about the "flashes" - when it all comes together, the transformation will be a quick one indeed.
Last edited:
