Pitt had a de-commit from Jared Williams (though technically keeping his options open). Today Pitt adds one.

The Panthers got their third commitment this season when Dom DeCicco of Thomas Jefferson HS verbally committed to the Panthers this evening. The 6’3″ 206 pound DeCicco, who has gained 16 pounds since basketball season ended according to his father, has played multiple positions for Thomas Jefferson, including wide receiver and defensive back. DeCicco’s father says” “Coach Wannstedt asked him what position he wanted to play and Dom said either slot receiver or safety. Wannstedt said he will get first shot there but may eventually grow into a linebacker.

He’s ranked as #20 as far as Rivals.com prospects in PA. Otherwise, he is unranked nationally by Rivals.com and Scout.com. He seems to be an “athlete” but not the way usually discussed like Dorin Dickerson who is a speed guy. DeCicco seems more the type that will eventually thrive in defense almost as the hybrid that Wannstedt craves. A guy with speed who flys to the ball and hits.

Rumors are also circulating that there will be another commit this weekend. Hopefully it will be OL Gino Gradkowski. He seems down to Pitt or WVU. Honestly, the idea of another Gradkowski coming back to burn Pitt is enough for me to want him playing for Pitt.

Aaron Gray had his Knicks workout.

The Knicks might love Pitt big man Aaron Gray, because “I’m a real old-fashioned center,” the 7-2 pivot says. “I’m not going to float outside and do all that guard stuff. I’m going to play with my back to the basket, post up strong, and deal out real punishment.”
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First round numbers, for sure — yet Gray, who has not yet hired an agent, is presently “only 50-50” as to whether he’ll stay in the draft. “I’ll make up my mind by the 18th,” he says. “It’s not about where I’ll be drafted. It’s more about whether I want to go back to college for another year and become a REAL premiere player.”

“The way I look at it, I have two wonderful options.”

Gray’s decision has been made even tougher by Brown and (Knicks President, Basketball Operations) Isiah Thomas. “They both told me how much they like me,” smiles Gray. “There were no promises, but they expressed a great interest.”

Also working out were Keydren Clark (St. Peter’s), Solomon Jones (South Florida), Paul Miller (Center, Wichita State) and Mookie Works (Tarleton State).

Here were the Official Orlando Camp measurements on Gray (Insider subs.):

Height: 7-1 — Weight: 280 — Wingspan: 7-3 — Standing Reach: 9-1 — Body Fat: 15%

The Pitt roster listed Gray as 7-0 and 270.

Jamie Dixon, as I mentioned previously, was going to Hawaii to speak to the camps there. Mainly, it appears, he did this as a favor to Hawaii Head Coach Riley Wallace who was one of the first coaches to hire him (hat tip to Allen).

Rainbows coach Riley Wallace hired Dixon in 1992. In the 1993-94 season, he was instrumental in UH’s WAC tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. Dixon coached the guards, including Trevor Ruffin and Jarinn Akana.

“He really worked hard with them and got them to be better shooters,” said Wallace of his protégé, who is now one of the nation’s top young head coaches (and among the wealthiest). “He’s done it right.”

But Wallace, never one to spare a playful jab, also pointed out it was Dixon who provided the scouting report for UH’s 100-47 season-opening loss to Portland in the Great Alaska Shootout.

“That was a great learning experience,” Dixon said. “We had six new players and we ended up going to the NCAA Tournament. I learned that you don’t panic and change everything if you start out badly.”

Dixon had another brief stint at UH in 1998-99 before joining Ben Howland’s staff at Pitt, where he eventually replaced him.

“Coach Wallace was the first one to give me a chance. Talk to anybody, offensively he’s considered the best coach in the WAC. The plays, the sets, the different looks. The spacing they use on the floor, the passing, the backdoor cuts. Coaches always talk about how good the stuff is that they run.

“And I learned a lot working with Coach (Bob) Nash and Coach (Jackson) Wheeler,” said Dixon, who hopes to bring Pitt to Hawaii for the 2007 Rainbow Classic. “If I hadn’t been at the University of Hawaii, we never would’ve achieved the success we have (at Pitt).”

An excellent extra reason to go to Hawaii if it can get Pitt in the Rainbow Classic. It’s one of the biggest tournaments of the non-conference slate.

Coach Dixon also mentioned that Pitt might be playing a game at Army (Men and Women) as a season opening doubleheader.

Dixon, apparently spoke quite a bit about his sister while talking to the campers (hat tip to Steve).

University of Pittsburgh basketball coach Jamie Dixon’s eyes moistened as he gazed at the interior of the Stan Sheriff Center court. The University of Hawai’i’s Lower Campus, after all, was a significant stopover in the remarkable but brief basketball life of his best friend.

“Maggie was a camper,” said Dixon, a featured speaker at the Rainbow Warrior Basketball Camp, of his younger sister. “She came out for this camp. She enjoyed it.”
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For now, Dixon is enjoying a rare break from a hectic schedule. Last weekend, he and his wife, Jacqueline, attended her 20th Punahou School reunion. “It was good for her,” he said. “I’m just another guy who doesn’t know anybody over there. Well, I knew a few. It was fun.”

His wife spends a month each year in Hawai’i. Dixon visits for a week each year, making sure to stop by his old office.

Hey, I’d go to my wife’s reunions (or even my own) if they were in Hawaii.