Is it just a sign of wanting to see Pitt playing something? The expectations for the 08-09 season already pushing at me? I don’t know, but despite the silliness, the time involved in travel, cost of gas for a trip and what the wife would say if I even discussed driving to Pittsburgh for an evening to watch a couple summer league games… I’ve thought about it a lot.
It’s barely a month long in length, but it has become a popular event. The players from the schools in the area are very much into participating.
For the first time, all four Division I schools in the area will participate. Pitt, West Virginia, Duquesne and Robert Morris players, including incoming freshmen, will take part.
“This all started after I had a chance meeting with [Pitt coach] Jamie Dixon three years ago,” said league director John Giammarco. “He wanted a competitive summer league for the players around here. This isn’t pickup basketball. This is top-flight competition. I’m really proud the way this has grown and developed to what Jamie’s vision was. His commitment to basketball in Western Pennsylvania is second to none. He gets the big picture.”
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“I’ve been around the local basketball scene for a long time and it’s been a long time since an offseason program generated this much interest,” Giammarco said. “This wouldn’t happen if all four schools didn’t work together to make this happen. Every other major city has something like this. It’s an exciting time for college basketball in Western Pennsylvania.”
I’ve said it plenty of times. This is a vital part of Coach Jamie Dixon’s legacy in building Pitt basketball for the long-term. Beyond simply keeping the present players in the area — staying on top of classwork, team unity and bonding, nutrition and conditioning, and hopefully out of trouble. By doing what he can to encourage and support the creation of a summer league (while still keeping clear of NCAA rules) he is strengthening Pitt basketball and creates goodwill, support and interest in the community and the high schools. So on the still rare times when Western PA does produce a quality D1 basketball player there’s more than just being the local team to pull them to Pitt. There’s the interaction of the players and memories of seeing things like this. And for some, playing on teams with the present players.
What’s also great, is that the interest isn’t just for the players. People want to watch.
Games are played every Monday and Wednesday night starting at 7 pm. Plan on getting there early. The parking lot was filled by 6:15.
Yes, I know the gym is small, but that’s excellent.
Still, the best matchup was the back-and-forth between Young and Blair, as the Pitt front-courters worked to out-do each other all night. Blair, who looks even quicker than he did at the end of the season, finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds and had at least five or six dunks, but they were so thunderous it looked like the entire structure of the hoop was going to collapse. Blair even looked up at the rim in the second half and pointed out that he bent it.
Young ran the show for the Aliquippa team. He scored 44 points and was 16-of-18 from two-point range. Of course, many of those 16 shots were dunks or lay-ins, and oftentimes they came after Young would grab a defensive rebound and then take it coast-to-coast for a jam or a reverse lay-in. Young talked after the game about some of the things he learned at Vince Carter’s camp last week, and it’s safe to say that he put a few of those things on display tonight.
Miller’s performance can’t be missed either. Miller switched teams this week to play alongside Young and Woodall. He finished with eight points and an impressive 14 rebounds. For a second game in a row, Miller showed a lot of hustle and he was in on any loose ball he could get his hands on. How tough is he? After taking an elbow to the mouth from Blair, the coach wanted him to take a breather, but Miller shook it off and stayed on the court.
The first week of the league, Blair, Young and Fields were all away at the various camps.
That gave the incoming and last year’s bench players a bigger chance to stand-out.
Incoming Pitt freshman Dwight Miller might have been the most athletic player on the floor in this game. The 6-8 swingman showed a good all-around game, contributing 21 points, including two three-pointers and a pair of monster dunks. He also grabbed five rebounds. Miller finished 7-of-13 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. He looks comfortable as a slasher, three-point shooter, and even a perimeter defender.
FWG had three solid performances from Pitt players. Ashton Gibbs was paired with Brad Wanamaker in the backcourt, with Gibbs playing the point and Wanamaker at the two, although Wanamaker played the one when Gibbs wasn’t in. Gibbs led with 18 points, including three three-pointers. Wanamaker added eight points and also had two steals. Biggs finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
