A bunch of things to get out of the browser tabs.
Starting with the actual incoming kids. Another write-up from the Reebok All-American Game last weekend. Dante Taylor was viewed as the most impressive player in the national game.
Taylor finished with 26 points and 9 rebounds en route to being named a game MVP for the second game, playing with Team Finish. The big man consistently showed the ability to play on the blocks and from the wing, run the break and start it with outlet passes. Additionally, his rebounding and defense were outstanding, and the kid really never stopped hustling. He was clearly the best player on the court. After the game, Taylor said he doesn’t view himself as a true post player, but he should be a big help to Jamie Dixon in replacing DeJuan Blair.
The thing with Taylor coming in this fall, will be managing expectations of fans. There’s been a lot of good stuff written about him.
As for Talib Zanna, who played in the local game.
The stand out star of the preview game, Zanna finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Yes, that’s right – Pittsburgh has drawn the top player in each game. Zanna looks to have the ability to complete a nice four year career for the Panthers and maybe play high level European ball. Zanna made his living around the basket, grabbing rebounds, getting put backs, and scoring in the post. He should compliment Taylor nicely.
As for the future, one of the big targets for the 2011 recruiting class is a shooting guard named Mike Taylor.
The 6-foot-3 sophomore shooting guard out of Brooklyn Boys & Girls is a star on the rise and picked up a slew of major offers after an open gym Friday at his school.
“Jamie Dixon absolutely loved him and told me to tell Mike he has an offer [from Pitt],” Boys & Girls assistant Elmer Anderson said. “Maryland, Indiana, Villanova, St. John’s and Providence also offered.” Rutgers has also offered, Anderson said.
“And at one point he hit nine straight 3’s from deep all over the place,” he added.
“Twenty-three Division 1 schools were in attendance, including UNLV, Rhode Island, UMBC, Stonybrook and New Hampshire. Mike will certainly be one of the most highly recruited players in New York City the next two years,” Anderson said.
You can’t put a real leader out there for a sophomore, but it is promising that Coach Dixon and Pitt keep getting mentioned with Taylor’s future.
“I can’t remember them all,” he admits. “It’s crazy.”
Life is good these days for the 6-foot-3 Taylor, Boys & Girls’ sophomore guard. Of the 30 major Division I schools who attended the Kangaroos’ recent open gyms, most of the coaches were there to watch Taylor’s sweet jump shot, including Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon.
He is a dying breed – a pure shooter. Where others may goof around by dunking the ball in between breaks, Taylor, who Boys & Girls coach Ruth Lovelace has said is already the most recruited player in her tenure, steps behind the 3-point line. During water breaks, he practices his follow through. When teammates want to organize a game of pick-up, he makes sure to get up a certain amount of jumpers beforehand.
“Shooting remains basketball’s EZ Pass, and there are few really good shooters left in the game, especially good shooters coming from New York City,” talent evaluator Tom Konchalski said. “He’s a throwback.”
The evaluations look very promising.
A superb scoring, combo guard that has the always attacking mentality that big time New York guards have. He can score in a variety of ways. Michael is a great 3 point shooter that has a extremely quick release and has great elevation on his jumper that allows him to get a shot off even with a hand in his face. He shoots it off the dribble or coming off screens. He is a shooter that you can run sets for. Michael is a pressure defender that is tough and plays very hard.
It will be a battle to get this kid.
Of course, that is for 2011. There is still a scholarship that could be used now. Would Pitt take a transfer from Florida? Even if it was yet another forward? Allan Chaney is looking for a new home.
The 6-foot-8, 231-pound Chaney arrived in Gainesville highly touted after averaging 26 points and 15 rebounds as the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year his senior season [in Connecticut]. He expected to play facing the basket at small forward and power forward, but he said Donovan played him mostly inside and Chaney felt the coaching staff never focused on his ball-handling skills or outside shooting.
“They talked about all the good things I can do, but they never used me that way,” Chaney said.
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Thus far, Providence and Virginia Tech “are my two top schools, off the top of my head,” Allan said. At Providence, he said he can see himself playing a similar role as versatile forward Geoff McDermott. He also likes Virginia Tech’s style of play and has a good friend there in guard Malcolm Delaney.
Arthur Chaney said he’s also spoken with Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon and Ohio State’s Thad Matta. Miami, Penn State, Temple, Indiana and Rhode Island have also called. Arthur Chaney said the only major conference to not have a school show interest is the SEC, of which Florida is a member.
“We’re stressing to programs that he prefers to play face to the basket,” said New London coach Craig Parker, who speaks with Chaney regularly. “And if they don’t plan on using him that way, then that’s not the one for him.”
Chaney was a top-100, 4-star recruit. Chaney fancies himself as more of a wing forward, and apparently has some good range with his shot. At 6-8, he would be a tough match-up defensively, but needs some work at that end.
Chaney has decent, but not great athleticism and explosion. If he plays on the perimeter in college, he will have to increase his foot speed and lateral quickness. He has a habit of playing to the level of his competition, which can be good against high-level players, but bad when he opposes players that are not of a comparable skill level.
His energy and motor need work. It seems like something of a longshot that he would come to Pitt. As much as he says he’s willing to play some inside, he does not have the enthusiasm to do that. Reads a bit like Tyrell Biggs, and that never quite worked out well.
Finally, make sure you read through the reviews in Part 1 and Part 2 of players from the Pittsburgh Jam Fest. Isiaha Epps (Pitt verbal for 2010) along with other possible Pitt targets for 2010 and 11 include Tom Droney, Ronald Roberts, Kyrie Irving and Trey Ziegler.
