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Syracuse Game @ the Pete & Other Dribbles ...

This team won't be afraid of anyone come tourney time. Not Kansas, UCLA, Gonzaga, no one. Very dangerous as we can score in bunches.

What an atmosphere at the Pete today. Got to spend with family and friends and cherished every moment.

Its time to go send Mike Brey and those godawful mock turtlenecks where they've both belonged for years: Far away from our TV viewing eyeballs.
 
Harve would've absolutely been ecstatic and over-the-moon about this season.
I met him once in person, and he was a genuinely wonderful guy.

I was proud to call Harve a good friend and he would have been more than over the moon about this season (although I'm not sure what he would have thought about 41 three point attempts LOL).

Naa ... he would have loved it all!!
 
Harve would've absolutely been ecstatic and over-the-moon about this season.
I met him once in person, and he was a genuinely wonderful guy.
I met Harve too. He offered me a couple seats to a game back in 2009, and I saw him several times away from the Pete when I returned to the area on vacation. I sadly lost touch with him a couple months before he passed away. One of the kindest and gentle man I've met, and one of the staunchest (and outspoken) fans of Pitt and Pitt sports
 
I was proud to call Harve a good friend and he would have been more than over the moon about this season (although I'm not sure what he would have thought about 41 three point attempts LOL).

Naa ... he would have loved it all!!


You know who else would have loved this team? My old Petersen Center neighbor Geno. No PHCO for these guys!
 
** Since around January of 1981, Pitt Panther Basketball has been far and away my favorite sports team. There is no close second.

** And during that same stretch, there has been no Panther opponent with a greater, richer and more important history with our Panthers than the Syracuse Orange.

** On another day, I may count up the number of times we’ve played the Orange in my days of fandom. But I figure it’s got to be something like at least 80 games or more.

** In 1983, I listened dutifully on radio to hear Matt Miklasevich grab 7 second half defensive glass caroms to help the Panthers secure a huge upset victory in their first campaign in the Big East.

** Five years later, Jerome Lane garnered 29 points and 15 rebounds on the final day of the Big East Season at the Dome to secure a Big East title.

** In 2001, Isaac Hawkins and Brandin Knight led the way to a most unlikely OT win to launch the Panthers to the Big East Tournament Final. In 2002, an equally unlikely Chad Johnson sparked the Panthers to a 12 point win past the Orange in the Dome after trailing by 14 midway through the second half.

** Two years later, the Panthers pulverized the Orange and surrendered to them just a paltry 41 points for a Dome beating they will never forget. In 2011 at the Pete, the Panthers came out and scored the first 19 points against the #3 Orange before settling into a sweet 8 point win.

** My list of glorious memories could go on and on and on. There’s also a long list of interesting memories in the loss column too.

** Still, my memories of this Panther win against the Orange today should rank up there with all of them. And for all that it means to the Panther program at the moment, it just might even sit at the top.

** So let’s start at the end of this game and work our way backwards. In person, I’ve seen every Panther Senior day since 1985, but I’ve never been quite as moved emotionally than I was watching the Panther players swarm Aidan Fisch postgame knowing his slashing runner fell into the basket just before the final buzzer.

** The Panther reaction to Aidan wasn’t unlike what someone might receive after a buzzer beater to win a conference championship. That really should tell us a little something about this team who now is the favorite to indeed with the ACC Championship.

** Still as fans, the other 39 minutes and 59 seconds of this game were nothing less than pure bliss. And the sometimes formidable Syracuse zone never really proved to be any kind of problem for our Panthers. Actually, we killed it in a way that I've never seen in my years of watching Pitt Hoops staring in 1981.

** In fact, the only issue in the first half was that a few too many of the Panther threes failed to hit their mark as they typically do. But in the second half, it wasn’t long before it would become clear that the Panther three point offense was the perfect foil against the 2-3 zone.

** But it isn’t just because we are fearless to let the three fly that we squished the Orange today. It’s mostly because we moved the ball effortlessly into the three point shots we actually want, instead of these being the only shots we can get.

** But 62 second half points by our Panthers? Really? That’s at least as an amazing of a performance as only surrendering 41 points to the Orange as was mentioned before.

** I could, and might, offer a whole second version of "dribbles" going player by player beyond Aidan Fisch talking about how each contributed very importantly to the Panthers 99 point offensive brilliance today. But let’s just instead repeat the stats the matter. We hit 32 shots, and assisted on 27 of them while only suffering 5 turnovers. These are nothing short of amazing numbers and why one might think of this game as one of, if not the greatest, against the Orange in our history.

** Another reason it’s worth placing this Panther win so high in our Orange archive is what it means to the Panther program. Sure, it puts us back at the top of the ACC with the subsequent losses of Miami and Virginia today. But I sat in a Peterson Events Center today that was as wonderful as the Pete we loved so fondly circa 2009.

** For the last two years, I’ve been squatting in Section 107 of Club Seats simply because there’s been no one else in the cushy seats that are offered there. But today, about 8 minutes into the game, I had to retreat to my regulars in Section 110 because the true seat holders finally showed up. This is great thing of course!

** But in those first 8 minutes, I had the pleasure to sit in front of an Oakland Zoo Alumni from the Dixon days and his Pitt law school partner. It was actually kind of glorious to experience the true Zoo energy he and his better half brought with him.

** But no worries, as we all got to experience a wonderful Zoo experience today, along with a wonderful crowd to close this wonderful home season.

** My only beef of the day? For the first time in all my years at the Pete, I realized members of the Oakland Zoo need to climb all the way to concourse to hit the bathrooms at halftime. As I stood in line with them, I couldn’t help but think we should somehow offer better accommodations to our best fans. But we all rejoiced while in line when we learned about Florida State's buzzer beater to beat Miami.

** But I offer my beef only in jest actually. As someone who has been such a fan of Pitt Basketball as long as I have been, I’m extremely grateful for a facility as great as the Pete, a student section as wonderful as the Zoo, and being able to enjoy a game and an atmosphere as special as we got to experience today.

** Perhaps the best part of my day today actually was during pregame beverages at Fuel and Fuddle. It was great to see our usual suspects, but especially to meet Lair friend @Drew1208 . Your attitude and disposition are inspiring and I hope everyone in the PantherLair nation will join me in offering our best thoughts in your personal battle. Jokingly, we Panther fans remark about how stressful games take years off our lives. For you, I hope this is the kind of game and season that adds a few to yours.

** Otherwise, I hope everyone will join me as an old and grateful Pitt Hoops fan in my joyous proclamation that not only are our Panthers BACK, but instead that we are BEYOND BACK, offering an experience today that was among the finest we’ve ever experienced at the Pete.

** Congratulations to Seniors Jarmarius, Nelly, Nike and Greg. Thank you for helping not only to bring our Panther Basketball Program back, but for giving this season of unlikely success the chance to be among our best ever.

** Onto South Bend and the ACC title! Hail to Pitt!!
Where would you rank the Fisch moments among loudest at the Pete?
 
I met Harve too. He offered me a couple seats to a game back in 2009, and I saw him several times away from the Pete when I returned to the area on vacation. I sadly lost touch with him a couple months before he passed away. One of the kindest and gentle man I've met, and one of the staunchest (and outspoken) fans of Pitt and Pitt sports
I’ll share my Harve story. I was working after my soph year of college at a company located in UPARC in a different building from Harve’s. A coworker of mine found out I was a huge Pitt fan and he said “man you gotta meet my man Harve”. I had a suspicion before I met him that it was the Harve I read on here. For those two summers we shared many a tale of Pitt and Oakland. He was a true Pitt fan and I know he enjoyed this one from up above. H2P
 
Awe thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

I'm not sure how you guys all know how much you mean to me and have helped me just by existing.

My wife cried in joy watching Aiden today and I'd be lying if I wasn't shedding a tear right now.
Great meeting you and your wife today! I am amazed at your outlook and wish you all the best.
 
We have seen Pitt teams that we sensed were likely one and done in the NCAA, yet locks for tourney. It is strange that this team, which seems like it could make a deep run, is still a bubble squad.

I must admit, I will miss Boeheim after he quits or is shoved out the door. Too many good memories of great games. And despite the latest fiasco, historically he has shown a lot of respect to the Pitt program, when it has been deserved.

Watching the end of the game reminded me of why I like to hire employees who have played team sports. An awesome moment, that can't be replicated. The genuine joy for Fisch was special and shows what type of TEAM Capel has this year!!!
 
My son -- now 17 -- had his best time ever at the Pete today. But we used to bring him to a few games at the Pete when he was six to nine months old. At the time, we sat next to @Atch and me son spent a more than a few moments of those one year old games on Mrs. Atch's lap. Memories I will never forgot for sure.

Otherwise, although we understand, we were hoping to see you today. Maybe we may try a gamewatch in the coming days.

Elliott. Difference maker? 19 second half points. Do you think?
We remember it well DT. The Mrs. took our grandson to school (Harrison) the other day and missed a street and drove by your house and told him the same story. His sister is 18 now and also a senior at Baldwin.
 
Great post as always. My only gripe is that you failed to bring up the Sam Young steal that led to the Keith Benjamin layup in the final seconds to win it at the dome in the 07-08 year.

In my head, we came from 17 down to win that game and Keith Benjamin went off (I remember a dunk he had along the baseline or something). But I just looked it up, and we were only down 11 and Keith Benjamin had 17. Funny how facts get so distorted by memory, lol. How did people do it before Google?

Also in my head was that we came back from 17 down again later that season to beat UConn. Nope, didn't even beat them that year. Either that was another season, it was against another team, or - most likely - it never happened and I'm just insane.

Per the OP's post... Why can I not picture Chad Johnson in my head? It's like I kind of can but not entirely. And I agree this is a great season. It helps that so many of these guys are just like our Glory Years teams in that, as opposed to being uber-talented cocky future NBA studs, they're just old ass men who play the game the right way and exceed the sum of their parts.

I didn't start following Pitt hoops until the 90's: First game was an exhibition against Marathon Oil (wtf even is that?), but they used to be only behind the Steelers for me. Now, it's Pitt football that is far and away my first love. Funny how that all works. But if Capel's tenure spits out a more of these seasons, I'm sure the deck will be shuffled again.
 
In my head, we came from 17 down to win that game and Keith Benjamin went off (I remember a dunk he had along the baseline or something). But I just looked it up, and we were only down 11 and Keith Benjamin had 17. Funny how facts get so distorted by memory, lol. How did people do it before Google?

Also in my head was that we came back from 17 down again later that season to beat UConn. Nope, didn't even beat them that year. Either that was another season, it was against another team, or - most likely - it never happened and I'm just insane.

Per the OP's post... Why can I not picture Chad Johnson in my head? It's like I kind of can but not entirely. And I agree this is a great season. It helps that so many of these guys are just like our Glory Years teams in that, as opposed to being uber-talented cocky future NBA studs, they're just old ass men who play the game the right way and exceed the sum of their parts.

I didn't start following Pitt hoops until the 90's: First game was an exhibition against Marathon Oil (wtf even is that?), but they used to be only behind the Steelers for me. Now, it's Pitt football that is far and away my first love. Funny how that all works. But if Capel's tenure spits out a more of these seasons, I'm sure the deck will be shuffled again.
People forget about Chad, but he was one of guys that really helped build the program in the early 2000s. Solid player, really played the team game.

Here is a nice article about him by Ron Cook (surprising, but true): https://old.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20020214cook301col2p2.asp
 
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** Another reason it’s worth placing this Panther win so high in our Orange archive is what it means to the Panther program. Sure, it puts us back at the top of the ACC with the subsequent losses of Miami and Virginia today. But I sat in a Peterson Events Center today that was as wonderful as the Pete we loved so fondly circa 2009.
As always I love your Dribbles DT, and remember fondly most of those games (though I only go back to the opening of the Pete).

The feel at this game was somewhat different than those crowds in 2009. Then we were cheering a team on that we expected to win, and it was a blast knocking off number one's and winning and cheering those wins.

But this game, the place was cheering for a new beginning, and cheering more because the team was playing well, not just that the team was winning. I can't remember the crowd that loud during a blow-out! It was not the cheering of "we are beating you, and we are happy", it was more exhilaration that we are playing so well...finally.
 
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** Since around January of 1981, Pitt Panther Basketball has been far and away my favorite sports team. There is no close second.

** And during that same stretch, there has been no Panther opponent with a greater, richer and more important history with our Panthers than the Syracuse Orange.

** On another day, I may count up the number of times we’ve played the Orange in my days of fandom. But I figure it’s got to be something like at least 80 games or more.

** In 1983, I listened dutifully on radio to hear Matt Miklasevich grab 7 second half defensive glass caroms to help the Panthers secure a huge upset victory in their first campaign in the Big East.

** Five years later, Jerome Lane garnered 29 points and 15 rebounds on the final day of the Big East Season at the Dome to secure a Big East title.

** In 2001, Isaac Hawkins and Brandin Knight led the way to a most unlikely OT win to launch the Panthers to the Big East Tournament Final. In 2002, an equally unlikely Chad Johnson sparked the Panthers to a 12 point win past the Orange in the Dome after trailing by 14 midway through the second half.

** Two years later, the Panthers pulverized the Orange and surrendered to them just a paltry 41 points for a Dome beating they will never forget. In 2011 at the Pete, the Panthers came out and scored the first 19 points against the #3 Orange before settling into a sweet 8 point win.

** My list of glorious memories could go on and on and on. There’s also a long list of interesting memories in the loss column too.

** Still, my memories of this Panther win against the Orange today should rank up there with all of them. And for all that it means to the Panther program at the moment, it just might even sit at the top.

** So let’s start at the end of this game and work our way backwards. In person, I’ve seen every Panther Senior day since 1985, but I’ve never been quite as moved emotionally than I was watching the Panther players swarm Aidan Fisch postgame knowing his slashing runner fell into the basket just before the final buzzer.

** The Panther reaction to Aidan wasn’t unlike what someone might receive after a buzzer beater to win a conference championship. That really should tell us a little something about this team who now is the favorite to indeed with the ACC Championship.

** Still as fans, the other 39 minutes and 59 seconds of this game were nothing less than pure bliss. And the sometimes formidable Syracuse zone never really proved to be any kind of problem for our Panthers. Actually, we killed it in a way that I've never seen in my years of watching Pitt Hoops staring in 1981.

** In fact, the only issue in the first half was that a few too many of the Panther threes failed to hit their mark as they typically do. But in the second half, it wasn’t long before it would become clear that the Panther three point offense was the perfect foil against the 2-3 zone.

** But it isn’t just because we are fearless to let the three fly that we squished the Orange today. It’s mostly because we moved the ball effortlessly into the three point shots we actually want, instead of these being the only shots we can get.

** But 62 second half points by our Panthers? Really? That’s at least as an amazing of a performance as only surrendering 41 points to the Orange as was mentioned before.

** I could, and might, offer a whole second version of "dribbles" going player by player beyond Aidan Fisch talking about how each contributed very importantly to the Panthers 99 point offensive brilliance today. But let’s just instead repeat the stats the matter. We hit 32 shots, and assisted on 27 of them while only suffering 5 turnovers. These are nothing short of amazing numbers and why one might think of this game as one of, if not the greatest, against the Orange in our history.

** Another reason it’s worth placing this Panther win so high in our Orange archive is what it means to the Panther program. Sure, it puts us back at the top of the ACC with the subsequent losses of Miami and Virginia today. But I sat in a Peterson Events Center today that was as wonderful as the Pete we loved so fondly circa 2009.

** For the last two years, I’ve been squatting in Section 107 of Club Seats simply because there’s been no one else in the cushy seats that are offered there. But today, about 8 minutes into the game, I had to retreat to my regulars in Section 110 because the true seat holders finally showed up. This is great thing of course!

** But in those first 8 minutes, I had the pleasure to sit in front of an Oakland Zoo Alumni from the Dixon days and his Pitt law school partner. It was actually kind of glorious to experience the true Zoo energy he and his better half brought with him.

** But no worries, as we all got to experience a wonderful Zoo experience today, along with a wonderful crowd to close this wonderful home season.

** My only beef of the day? For the first time in all my years at the Pete, I realized members of the Oakland Zoo need to climb all the way to concourse to hit the bathrooms at halftime. As I stood in line with them, I couldn’t help but think we should somehow offer better accommodations to our best fans. But we all rejoiced while in line when we learned about Florida State's buzzer beater to beat Miami.

** But I offer my beef only in jest actually. As someone who has been such a fan of Pitt Basketball as long as I have been, I’m extremely grateful for a facility as great as the Pete, a student section as wonderful as the Zoo, and being able to enjoy a game and an atmosphere as special as we got to experience today.

** Perhaps the best part of my day today actually was during pregame beverages at Fuel and Fuddle. It was great to see our usual suspects, but especially to meet Lair friend @Drew1208 . Your attitude and disposition are inspiring and I hope everyone in the PantherLair nation will join me in offering our best thoughts in your personal battle. Jokingly, we Panther fans remark about how stressful games take years off our lives. For you, I hope this is the kind of game and season that adds a few to yours.

** Otherwise, I hope everyone will join me as an old and grateful Pitt Hoops fan in my joyous proclamation that not only are our Panthers BACK, but instead that we are BEYOND BACK, offering an experience today that was among the finest we’ve ever experienced at the Pete.

** Congratulations to Seniors Jarmarius, Nelly, Nike and Greg. Thank you for helping not only to bring our Panther Basketball Program back, but for giving this season of unlikely success the chance to be among our best ever.

** Onto South Bend and the ACC title! Hail to Pitt!!
I read every Article you post on Pitt Basketball......fact is: You should be getting paid -----They are that good ! *****
 
Five years later, Jerome Lane garnered 29 points and 15 rebounds on the final day of the Big East Season at the Dome to secure a Big East title.
This game was at the Dome, saw it in person with my son, and still a great memory!

What a game it was. Five future NBA players, three for 'Cuse and two for Pitt. Charles was fouled late in the game, and as he was standing at the foul line waiting for the referee to hand him the ball to shoot, Sikaly got in face telling him he was going to miss. Not so fast, Mr. S. Charles cooly drained two.

Attendance at the game was 33,500, with about 50 of us being Pitt fans. They put us at the highest level on the other side curtain that divides the basketball arena from the rest of the Dome. I told a friend a few days later about how outnumbered Pitt fans were and she said, "I'll bet you were really quiet." I said, "Oh no. We were loud and obnoxious." And so we were, all the way to a great Pitt victory!

As a footnote, a small negative for me in Pitt's move to the ACC is that the Pitt ticket office no longer gets a block of tickets for away games, so blue shirts are now just islands in a sea of orange.
 
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I read every Article you post on Pitt Basketball......fact is: You should be getting paid -----They are that good ! *****

I agree. DT puts the guys that call themselves sports writers in Pittsburgh to shame. None of them can hold a candle to DT.
 
Where would you rank the Fisch moments among loudest at the Pete?
Will always die on the hill saying the Sam young jam off the fields lob vs uconn in 09 was the loudest I heard the Pete. I was in the zoo that day so somewhat biased. But man what an environment it was that day. Love that some of the players, students and fans of today got to experience a great atmosphere for the first time in way too long.
 
Will always die on the hill saying the Sam young jam off the fields lob vs uconn in 09 was the loudest I heard the Pete. I was in the zoo that day so somewhat biased. But man what an environment it was that day. Love that some of the players, students and fans of today got to experience a great atmosphere for the first time in way too long.

That was was indeed the loudest single moment.
 
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