The number of available scholarships Pitt has for the ’09 recruiting class just dropped by one. Huge get and a bit of a surprise as Dante Taylor made his decision much earlier than expected. In an earlier interview with Adam Zagoria (which I cited earlier today) it seemed that a choice was not going to happen anytime soon.
As for when he’ll make a college decision, Taylor and his advisors say there is no rush.
“We may just wait until the spring,†Abrams said.
Um, about that whole waiting thing.
The 6-foot-9 Taylor, a Greenburgh, N.Y. native now at Fort Washington (Md.) National Christian, made the commitment at the Triple S Harley Davidson Shootout at West Virginia.
He chose Pitt over West Virginia, Kansas, Memphis, Syracuse and Villanova.
“Pitt was there from the beginning when I didn’t have a big name,†Taylor, who averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds last year, told Scout.com.
Taylor played well at the NBA Top 100 Camp and was recently named one of the top performers at the LeBron James US Skills Academy.
Awesome. The Triple S Harley Davidson Shootout is in Morgantown on WVU’s campus. I really doubt the kid from NY, going to school in MD intended it, but that is a fine way to go about giving a verbal to Pitt.
As Chris Dokish noted, this is the second time in three years Pitt has a top-50 recruit in the class (and Lamar Patterson still might get in the top-50 by the end of the recruiting cycle — #58 on Rivals.com and #52 on ESPN Scouts, Inc.) plus Pitt is still in play to get Thomas Robinson and/or Dominic Cheek — both top-50 recruits.
Scout.com has him as the #6 PF in the country. Rivals.com puts him at #9 and #23 overall. ESPN Scouts, Inc. pegs him at #10 at PF and #24 nationally. So, yeah. A top-25 national recruit just verballed to Pitt.
Looks like lead credit goes to Tom Herrion, but the full coaching staff committed to bringing him in.
Herrion put the full court press on Taylor ever since, and that made an impression on Taylor, who cites Pitt’s loyalty as one of the main reasons that he chose to be a Panther.
Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon landed his biggest commitment yet in his time as the Pittsburgh head coach today Taylor pulled the trigger and committed to the Panthers. The Pitt staff had made Taylor their priority in the class of 2009 at power forward nearly a year ago and their hard work paid off as the entire Pitt staff had been seen at many of Taylor’s games this spring and summer, especially at the recent Reebok Summer Classic in New Jersey.
Taylor fits in well at Pitt as he is a strong and athletic power forward who is a tremendous rebounder and loves to play strong and physical near the rim.
Coach DIxon has been making the right calls on the hiring of assistants. Guys like Antigua, Herrion and Rice. They have identified talent early and done a great job on really staying on them. Finally allowing Dixon to help close the deal.
The winning obviously is a huge help. Showing that this is a program that will stay near the top, more exposure. Developing players that can go to the NBA.
I do look forward to the day when I get used to the idea. When it seems like nothing strange to write about this sort of thing. At the same time, this is just so strange. Except for that brief flurry in the mid-80s of top recruiting classes — shortly before I attended — this is just uncharted territory for Pitt to consistently be pulling in talent.
But..that’s a worry for another day. Great addition by the Pitt coaching staff! 🙂
Also, O/T: Tom Crean was a name that had popped up the last time we were looking for a coach. First, I’m still not convinced he’s as good as Dixon. Second, I question his loyalty, obviously. Third, I seriously question his decision-making. What a catastrophe he’s walking into. Having spent three years at IU during the Davis fiasco and then the Sampson hiring, I can say this: they still expect to be a national power every year, and they’re positively below-average in talent and facilities. Not to mention playing in the Big Eleven. Have fun, Tom.
