Since I have refused to let myself get too down after the losses and some disturbing wins, I am not letting myself get too high after a win like this.*
Here’s an attempt to look at the good and bad of the game from an individual player viewpoint.
Ashton Gibbs has willingly shouldered the load. He is one of the three leaders that are on this team. He is the guy the team looks to on offense. He is not a point guard, but he is the leader on the court and knowswhat Coach Dixon wants done. He was on with his 3s today, but he also was the effort guy on defense. Not letting Syracuse get things on the perimeter. Tracking the ball on shots to position for rebounds (8). The scariest thing for Pitt will be games where his shot isn’t there.
Jermaine Dixon played 36 minutes and had his best game. On offense he scored 21 points. 4 assists and only 2 turnovers. He helped turn things in Pitt’s favor when he started attacking the basket. He shredded Syracuse’s zone. But he was even better on defense. He helped shut down the Orange on the perimeter. Pitt had 7 steals and Dixon had 5 of them. As a senior he would be looked upon as a leader, but he has embraced it. Effort first, especially on defense has been significant as he has been able to play and practice with the team. There is no coincidence that Pitt’s defense has helped to pick up with his return. Both by his game and showing the other kids that is how you get the playing time.
I have a working theory that Brad Wanamaker may be the most divisive player for Pitt fans since Carl Krauser. Wanamaker and Gibbs have made the biggest jump from last year to this. Yet, Wanamaker is almost despised in comments here and on message boards at times. He led the team with 6 assists, grabbed 5 boards and was 10-14 at the free throw line because he and Jermaine Dixon were the most aggressive attacking the zone. Yet Wanamaker also had 4 turnovers and only managed to go 1-7 shooting. Good and bad. Wanamaker, though, is an integral part of the team and along with Gibbs and Dixon a definite leader on the team. You can see the other players look to him as well. His game will never be refined, but he gets results more often than not.
Against probably the best front court Pitt has faced since Texas, Dante Taylor had a solid and effective game. 10 points and 8 rebounds with 1 block and 1 steal. While the stat line hardly seems like much, Taylor did more than hold his own out there. His defense was excellent. He held position well, and frustrated Onuaku and Jackson. Whether it was raising his game to the competition as can happen, or really starting to get what he is supposed to do. Taylor played 27 minutes because he earned the minutes.
It is still a little hard to fairly evaluate how Gilbert Brown is doing. He definitely provided a spark when he came into the game in the first half. Brown helped set a tone on defense, but was not particularly great at actually executing. Getting in quick foul trouble. In only 17 minutes, he picked up 4 fouls. He had 2 assists but 3 turnovers to go with 3 boards and 6 points.
Onuaku has quietly been one of the best big men in the Big East the last couple of years. Gary McGhee did not fare well against him. McGhee’s stat line was almost stunning. 2 points (going 2-2 on FTs but 0-1 on FGs), 0 rebounds and only 1 foul in 15 minutes. He had no turnovers, mainly because he really never got the ball. He struggled to be open against the 2-3 zone and let Onuaku back him down a lot. The good was that he did not hang his head in the game. One of the big moments about how hard Pitt wanted that game was when he and Nasir Robinsonson were on the floor around a still standing Orange player diving after a loose ball barely 4 minutes into the second half.
If Pitt wasn’t so offensively challenged this season maybe Nasir Robinson would be looked at in a kinder light. A gritty defensive role player that works hard and does what he can to help the team win. Unfortunately, Pitt needs all the points it can get, and Robinson leaves his more than his share behind. Even in a game where he only had 3 attempts, the inexplicable missed lay-ups and not even close FT attempts stand out more than his 7 rebounds and frustrating the bigger, wider Jackson most of the game.
Chase Adams has not been the defensive pest expected. His offensive confidence is lacking. As such, Coach Dixon seems to have little confidence in Adams as he only played 3 minutes.
Seven minutes into the game I had confirmation that the “Big East Network” analyst for the game, Mike Kelley, had not seen a Pitt game all year. Upon Travon Woodall being inserted into the game, he commented, “Woodall has had a nice year.” I hate to rip the redshirt freshman, but he has not had a “nice year.” His minutes continue to fall — only 18 minutes today. Only 2 assists but 4 turnovers and 4 fouls. He looked visibly frustrated out there and the body language when he struggled in the first half (3 turnovers and 0-2 shooting in 9 minutes) was surprising and disappointing. He has not worked out well running the point as the competition has improved. I have not seen consistency in court vision or crisp passing.
*As long you think running around in the backyard in 19 degree temperatures without a coat, whooping it up and screaming “F**k, yeah!” is keeping it cool.
