Skipped last week against WVU to take my wife out to dinner. Seemed like there wasn't much to discuss anyway so we'll move on to Monmouth.
I am a Pitt fan through and through. 3rd generation. Former season ticket holder when I lived within driving distance. All my gear is Pitt. I have watched 100% of every game in the Capel era (see caveat above). But I had to turn it off last night because I realized I wasn't enjoying watching it anymore. I'll get into specifics below but this is not a good product right now. There's no ball movement inside the arc. Trey and Xavier are still turning it over in buckets. On possessions where they don't cough it up, they are dribbling on the wing for 25 seconds and then taking step-back jumpers or wildly flinging the ball at the backboard and hoping for a foul. I have to assume that this is the system Capel wants to run, although I admit I cannot figure out why.
I know that progress is not linear. Getting better often involves (requires?) setbacks. But I am bearish on this team right now. And my fear is that recruits seeing this brand of basketball - recruits that we need to get better - will not enjoy what they see and won't come here. Sorry to be a debbie downer but that's just what I'm going with based on what I am seeing on film. Toney played hard. I am bullish on Champagnie, and Coulibaly has showed me something in each of the last two games, so that's good. I assume both Trey and Xavier will be back next year. But right now this looks like a team that won't win 5 games in the ACC. Of course, my views are always worth only what you've paid for them...
Up
- Toney played hard again. Had a few putbacks on effort. 10 points including 6-8 from the line. 7 boards. My hat is off to him. Not everyone can be the star but everyone can contribute. He's doing everything he can to get Pitt the W. I thought Pitt's best possession of the game was Toney finding Champagnie on a high-post roll that led to a Champagnie dunk. Toney will never be our best player but he's been our hardest worker.
- Champagnie had his first career start and first career double-double. He seems to be in the right place at the right time. Perfect from the stripe. Playing well above his age. He's going to be a contributor here for a long time. Badly missed both his 3 attempts but if he starts hitting from there, he'll be lethal.
- Coulibaly had a nice post move (spin) and hookshot. Tried to be the zone breaker in the high post. Had a nice dribble-drive and shot against the zone. It didn't fall but I think with his size he'll start making those.
- Xavier put the team on his back in the second half. I saw both of his 3s before I turned it off. Had a nice take in transition. Nice find of Champagnie under the basket when X was being double-teamed.
Down
- Xavier had 3 bad turnovers in the first half and was benched for a walk-on. It's been the same story the last 3-4 games. Xavier is just doing too much on offense (same with Trey). Teams have him figured out: drive to the right is his only real move. So double him high and/or load the paint once he's inside the arc. He must, I mean must, start moving the ball more (same with Trey). I wanted to spit my drink out on a possession where he dribbled for 25 seconds on the wing and then took a step-back jumper. 0 passes on that possession. I mean, maybe James Harden gets to do that but a sophomore guard on a 3 win ACC team does not.
- Brown was bad. Really bad. He had 2-4" on every guy on Monmouth but did not take it to the hoop at all. Pre-season, I was optimistic he would show me something but he's now had two really bad games in a row. I might start Hamilton and/or Coulibaly against Pine-Bluff. I would certainly get them more minutes. 4 points and 2 rebounds against Monmouth is unacceptable.
- Murphy 0 for 8 from the field in 35 minutes is unreal. 3 for 18 from the field in the last two games. We need him to come on in the worst way. Saunders posted a pic of Murphy shooting at 11pm so good for him on trying to figure it out.
I am a Pitt fan through and through. 3rd generation. Former season ticket holder when I lived within driving distance. All my gear is Pitt. I have watched 100% of every game in the Capel era (see caveat above). But I had to turn it off last night because I realized I wasn't enjoying watching it anymore. I'll get into specifics below but this is not a good product right now. There's no ball movement inside the arc. Trey and Xavier are still turning it over in buckets. On possessions where they don't cough it up, they are dribbling on the wing for 25 seconds and then taking step-back jumpers or wildly flinging the ball at the backboard and hoping for a foul. I have to assume that this is the system Capel wants to run, although I admit I cannot figure out why.
I know that progress is not linear. Getting better often involves (requires?) setbacks. But I am bearish on this team right now. And my fear is that recruits seeing this brand of basketball - recruits that we need to get better - will not enjoy what they see and won't come here. Sorry to be a debbie downer but that's just what I'm going with based on what I am seeing on film. Toney played hard. I am bullish on Champagnie, and Coulibaly has showed me something in each of the last two games, so that's good. I assume both Trey and Xavier will be back next year. But right now this looks like a team that won't win 5 games in the ACC. Of course, my views are always worth only what you've paid for them...
Up
- Toney played hard again. Had a few putbacks on effort. 10 points including 6-8 from the line. 7 boards. My hat is off to him. Not everyone can be the star but everyone can contribute. He's doing everything he can to get Pitt the W. I thought Pitt's best possession of the game was Toney finding Champagnie on a high-post roll that led to a Champagnie dunk. Toney will never be our best player but he's been our hardest worker.
- Champagnie had his first career start and first career double-double. He seems to be in the right place at the right time. Perfect from the stripe. Playing well above his age. He's going to be a contributor here for a long time. Badly missed both his 3 attempts but if he starts hitting from there, he'll be lethal.
- Coulibaly had a nice post move (spin) and hookshot. Tried to be the zone breaker in the high post. Had a nice dribble-drive and shot against the zone. It didn't fall but I think with his size he'll start making those.
- Xavier put the team on his back in the second half. I saw both of his 3s before I turned it off. Had a nice take in transition. Nice find of Champagnie under the basket when X was being double-teamed.
Down
- Xavier had 3 bad turnovers in the first half and was benched for a walk-on. It's been the same story the last 3-4 games. Xavier is just doing too much on offense (same with Trey). Teams have him figured out: drive to the right is his only real move. So double him high and/or load the paint once he's inside the arc. He must, I mean must, start moving the ball more (same with Trey). I wanted to spit my drink out on a possession where he dribbled for 25 seconds on the wing and then took a step-back jumper. 0 passes on that possession. I mean, maybe James Harden gets to do that but a sophomore guard on a 3 win ACC team does not.
- Brown was bad. Really bad. He had 2-4" on every guy on Monmouth but did not take it to the hoop at all. Pre-season, I was optimistic he would show me something but he's now had two really bad games in a row. I might start Hamilton and/or Coulibaly against Pine-Bluff. I would certainly get them more minutes. 4 points and 2 rebounds against Monmouth is unacceptable.
- Murphy 0 for 8 from the field in 35 minutes is unreal. 3 for 18 from the field in the last two games. We need him to come on in the worst way. Saunders posted a pic of Murphy shooting at 11pm so good for him on trying to figure it out.
