The pro-am Summer League begins tonight. Full rosters are in place (PDF). The Pitt players are grouped on four different squads out of seven. The only player not listed is JUCO transfer Joseph Uchebo. Derrick Randall, the big man from Rutgers is on the roster.
PGT — Talib Zanna and James Robinson. Rest of the squad is primarily Youngstown St. and Robert Morris
UPMC — James Newkirk, Jamel Artis and Durand Johnson. Rest is RMU and a few other places.
Oliveiero Peppers — Cam Wright, Derrick Randall and Chris Jones. Six? Six WVU players on this roster.
SPK Law — Lamar Patterson, Mike Young and Mike Lecak (walk-on). RMU and YSU on this one.
Interesting to note that Duquesne and WVU are concentrated on 2 squads. Duquesne makes some sense with only 8 players. But WVU have 11 players participating. If I had to hazard a guess, they got it that way as a convenience since they have the drive to-and-from Morgantown. (And a quick look at the schedule (PDF) does show only two nights where both WVU squads are not playing.)
There is also an “alumni” team that features John DeGroat, Chevy Troutman and Ronald Ramon (South Hills Audi). I love. Love that different Pitt alum come back in the summers to Pittsburgh. Both to play in the league and to be around the program. It is one of the little things that has changed in the culture of Pitt basketball in the Dixon years. The Evans, Willard and even Howland periods had no sense of continuity. Of connection to the past players.
Yes, the success helps in creating that. As does the continuity of the coaching staff. But it matters. It gives the present players some tangible evidence of the past players, their success at Pitt and their life after Pitt. With only three players from Pitt presently in the NBA, it matters for them to meet some of the players that still go on to have careers. Whether it is overseas or even in the NBDL.
The Summer League, as much fun as it is, is not an indicator of the future success or failure of the players and team for the coming year. It is completely different from a D-1 NCAA game. It may offer hopeful glimpses at players and what kind of improvement and/or condition the players are showing. But it is unlikely to reveal who is going to “break out” or have a big year.
Also I think it’s Josh Newkirk, the new guard from Raleigh’s Word of God HS. Same HS Uchebo played at. Would be nice if these kids succeeded, which would help in maybe getting a pipeline going with a southern HS that produces lots of D1 players. And Word of God apparently does.
If nothing else, it should be a very interesting year !
well and he would not play this year maybe they
were right.
I hope Uchebo is rehabbing and will be ready in November.
Other teams besides Pitt & Minny were after him.
NC State for one.
The only chance is Young can handle the 4 from game one and transfer center from Florida can provide 15 minutes on his gimpy knee of Gary McGhee basketball.
Also Robinson without having to defer to Woodall can regain his confidence in his shot.
Considering all these if’s it is difficult to envision even with the preseason schedule winning 20 games.I could be wrong like I was in 2011-2010-2012.
Mike Young is not ready for “Prime Time”. Often lost, often winded, often out of the play. Needs to bulk up.
Zanna and Patterson appear ready. But they looked good at Green Tree last year too…
Chris Jones can shoot and showed a handle.
Durand Johnson showed a desire to get inside, rebounding too.
James Robinson showed he worked on his shot/range. He mixed it up, driving/passing/shooting. Also looked more Muscular, less “baby fat”.
Jamel Artis has size, showed decent range and a good “motor”. I won’t be surprised if he gets a fair amount of playing time.
Josh Newkirk was fun to watch and appeared to be having fun.
Mike Lecak showed a decent shot and opened the 2nd half of his game with a base line reverse lay-up after beating his man.
Agree that what you can take from Greentree is limited, but I think you can get some decent insight into a player’s potential, attitude, etc. Hope to make it down there next week.
Interested to see Newkirk and Young. Newkirk’s team should be alright, because they’ve got Lucky Jones of RMU and Hester, who is tough for a good West Liberty team. Young is playing with Kendrick Perry from YSU, who is exciting and the big man Donaldson, who abused DeJuan Blair last year.