masthead.jpg

switchconcepts.com, U3dpdGNo-a25, DIRECT rubiconproject.com, 14766, RESELLER pubmatic.com, 30666, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace appnexus.com, 1117, RESELLER thetradedesk.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER taboola.com, switchconceptopenrtb, RESELLER bidswitch.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER contextweb.com, 560031, RESELLER amazon-adsystem.com, 3160, RESELLER crimtan.com, switch, RESELLER quantcast.com, switchconcepts , RESELLER rhythmone.com, 1934627955, RESELLER ssphwy.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER emxdgt.com, 59, RESELLER appnexus.com, 1356, RESELLER sovrn.com, 96786, RESELLER, fafdf38b16bf6b2b indexexchange.com, 180008, RESELLER nativeads.com, 52853, RESELLER theagency.com, 1058, RESELLER google.com, pub-3515913239267445, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
November 5, 2013

Change Is The Only Constant

Filed under: Basketball — Chas @ 8:35 am

Superficially, there is little that has changed with Pitt basketball over the past 10 years. Jamie Dixon is still the head coach. Pitt is expected to finish in the upper half of a very good conference, even if no on is sure quite how. The Pete has sold out once more. Defense will be played. The blue-collar, physical stereotype remains in place.  Seniors are looked to, to lead this team and be the face of it.

Yet, this is a season with a significant shift. Beyond the move to the ACC. Beyond the way games are expected to be called throughout college basketball. Beyond alleged style of play changes. This is as much a foundation year. Not a rebuilding year, because that would imply a significantly down season. More like one that when you look at a team in a year or two, you point to this year as where it all began.

For guys like Lamar Patterson and Talib Zanna, this is their final season. Seniors looking to leave their mark. Their time at Pitt has seen the squad change and struggle more than any other senior class in a decade. Both had redshirt years, so they have been in the program for five years. They have the pressure of their own expectations and the players that have recently come before them to make this final year count.

At the same time, while they are expected to provide leadership and be the primary players on the court, they aren’t the leader of this team. This is James Robinson’s team.

That makes sense. Not simply because he is the starting point guard. You look at the make up of this team and this is primarily a team of freshmen and sophomore. The only juniors on the squad are Cam Wright and Derrick Randall, the transfer from Rutgers. Durand Johnson is still only a redshirt sophomore filled more with potential than anything else. This is a surprisingly young team, and you would have to expect him to be closer to the younger players than the seniors.

Outside of Johnson, only Chris Jones has had a redshirt year among the freshmen and sophomores. The rest have already played or are expected to contribute this year. It will make sense for the players to look more to Robinson than Zanna and Patterson. Three starters and two players off the bench are what has come back from last year.

The turnover of last year was disruptive, but the expectations are still in place.

Potential is the big word with this squad. It also means taking lumps. Those lumps may not be obvious with a relatively safe non-con and guys like Patterson and Zanna to help carry them early. But the lumps will come. They are inexperienced. Outside of the seniors and Robinson, no one else on the squad even averaged 15 minutes a game last year.





Bubble team this year. But should be exciting style of play with better athletes. And marquee programs as new rivals.

Comment by TX Panther 11.05.13 @ 8:47 am

Bubble team this year. But should be exciting style of play with better athletes. And marquee programs as new rivals.

Comment by TX Panther 11.05.13 @ 8:47 am

…..

Meh, I bet they get another 7 or 8 seed and go home the first night.

Again.

Comment by NOPE 11.05.13 @ 8:53 am

If Zanna and Patterson reach their potential this team could be better than bubble level.

Comment by spiritofsection22 11.05.13 @ 8:53 am

I know people will say that if only Mostella and Uchebo could play, we would be really good.

Howver, I’m not so sure about that … Dixon’s history seems to be that his teams play much better without the marquee players … Blair being the exception (I do not consider Young a marquee player since he really didn’t becoms a star unitl he was a senior .. and Fields. Troutman and Wannamaker were really good college players but not marquee).

Comment by wbb 11.05.13 @ 8:55 am

Not another ground hog day…PLEASE.

Comment by TX Panther 11.05.13 @ 9:21 am

@wbb, I was under the impression we might still see Mostella 2nd semester. There was a nice story in the Trib this morning on Zanna and his conditioning. A lot of those posting here have written Zanna off as a player not likely to carry the load in the ACC. I still hold hope that he can reach his huge potential. He is the type of player that could benefit from knowing that he is the one responsible for leadership. I also think the move to the 5 will be to his benefit. He is strong enough to grind with and fast enough to out hustle many he will be facing. For those who don’t think he can improve I would point to the fact that as a redshirt freshman he was a horrible foul shooter and has vastly improved that skill. If he can gain some confidence he is the type of player that could change the whole outlook for our season. There were moments last season when Zanna started to emerge, like the 14/19 game he had filling in for Adams against Villanova.

Comment by spiritofsection22 11.05.13 @ 10:37 am

@NOPE, lmao!!!!!! You get to the point quickly!!

Comment by Dan 11.05.13 @ 10:41 am

Since everybody knows that the ACC is really just a basketball conference, I hope that Pitt becomes a prominent member thereof right off the bat with some impressive wins in conference play. That would help temper the less than stellar debut that Pitt football is having in the conference.

Comment by Dr. Tom 11.05.13 @ 10:43 am

I’m excited by the younger players, Robinson, Young, Johnson, and Mostella if he can gain eligibility for next semester. Not so much by the veterans Zanna and Patterson. Zanna should be much better by now. He’s still so soft, which is bad news for us. He should be rebounding the ball much better. He’s still a little goofy out there. (From all reports, he’s a great kid though.) That said, I expect the team to make the tournament fairly easily. And, yes, lose in the first or second round. I think I’d be content with that. We should be better next year (assuming we have a center to fill in by that time.)

Comment by Don Walnut 11.05.13 @ 10:44 am

spirit, you should know by now that if a player (or coach) doesn’t meet expectations for a few games, he is condemned on this site by many. For 2 years in a row, Zanna had cooled off come league time after prety good pre-season.

Fact is that nobody here can condemn his heart hustle. If he fails in a few league games this year, it will because his opponents are more skilled and/or are bigger. Still, we will be unhappy … that’s just the way it is …. what have you done for us lately?

Comment by wbb 11.05.13 @ 10:48 am

Dr. Tom, I hope that was tongue in cheek, otherwise uncharacteristically negative for you. The ACC is the best BBall conference, but football looks pretty strong. FSU may give Alabama or Oregon all they can handle.

I am feeling a little better about Basketball, although we have no stars, Zanna and Patterson are seniors with something to prove. Robinson is a solid ball handler, and Cam Wright looks much better. We won’t be great, but I am no longer worried about us being an embarrassment.

Who knows, if everyone plays their roll and the new guys exceed expectations…

But let’s not get into the Jamie not capable of a final four BS.

Comment by gc 11.05.13 @ 11:21 am

Pitt will make the tournament for sure. Once you get in the tournament anything can happen.

Just having solid PG play can take you far in college.

Comment by Wardapalooza 11.05.13 @ 12:01 pm

I’m think this is gonna be a lost year for Mostella anyway. Even if he’s eligible in the 2nd semester, the rotations will be pretty much set and from past seasons he will get very little playing time, (caveat) unless the team is really struggling.

And has lost some games in the non-con and struggled often.

If the team doesn’t struggle, a year of his eligibility shouldn’t be wasted, so therefore he should be redshirted. Same goes for Uchebo.

Be interesting how this plays out.

Comment by EMel 11.05.13 @ 12:58 pm

Key to the season, imo is how Z plays in the conference games. We know he’s going to be good in the non-con, hitting those 15 ft. jumpers, grabbing lots of rebounds and looking like an All-American.

If that continues in Jan, Feb & March, the team can be pretty good. If it doesn’t we will stink pretty much like 2011-2012 season.

Maybe we can be CBI champs again (or whatever that tourney was).

Comment by EMel 11.05.13 @ 1:04 pm

@gc, yes, sarcasm regarding the ACC really only being a BB conference, but serious as a heart attack about Pitt football’s debut in the ACC though. I’m showing up for the next two home football games but if we’re not at least 5-5 after the NC game then I’m folding the tent for the Miami game and selling my tickets to some Hurricane alumni who doesn’t mind the cold.

I’ll be much more comfortable watching that game in my man cave down here in Virginia while polishing off a turkey drumstick or two.

BTW, what did you mean by, “but let’s not get into the Jamie not capable of a final four BS” comment? Surely you can’t possibly be inferring that Jamie has some sort of Tourney track record that supports the notion that Pitt is verge of destiny to be a Final Four participant based on his prior track record?

Comment by Dr. Tom 11.05.13 @ 1:35 pm

You guys never let up, It’s a new year and this team isn’t expected to do much. Why don’t we try and take a little pleasure from any success they bring and not invite misery by forecasting it.

Comment by spiritofsection22 11.05.13 @ 2:38 pm

Dr. Tom, that might be exactly what I mean, just not sure I understand what you said. I might mean the opposite of what you just said. LOL

Comment by gc 11.05.13 @ 3:09 pm

And I thought I was confused before!

Comment by Dr. Tom 11.05.13 @ 3:52 pm

To be clear of my opinion on the matter, it is a mute point, since Mr. Dixon has never even gotten past the elite eight, it is virgin territory for him to explore in the future, hopefully at some point in his head coaching career while still at Pitt.

Comment by Dr. Tom 11.05.13 @ 3:58 pm

it is virign territory for over 90% of the D1 coaches

Comment by wbb 11.05.13 @ 4:29 pm

Mute point??? Is that conjecture that can not speak for itself? SOS22, like Zanna, wish him the best, kid definitely has some skills, but is the softest front court player ever to suit up for the Howland/Dixon typically tough as nails PITT PANTHERS! That’s not hating that’s demonstrated fact! Will disagree with some and propose that the team leader and key to the season is Lamar Patterson! Let’s get this party started! UPone

Comment by UPone 11.05.13 @ 4:37 pm

Sorry for the confusion and I should not have stirred the pot. Just taking a shot at those Jamie detractors that claim he is deficient because he has not taken us to a final four.

My opinion is that he only had the players to get us there once and got beat by a last second shot.

If Adams would have stayed he would have had a shot this year.

Very happy he is our coach.

Comment by gc 11.05.13 @ 4:45 pm

I also predict that Mostella will be red-shirted. He joins the team too late to learn to play Pitt-style defense this year. Next year, he will be a starter.

Comment by Howard 11.06.13 @ 7:12 am

with Pitt’s luck with 4 stars, Mostella will red shirt and some agent will get in his head and he decides to go pro without ever playing here

Comment by wbb 11.06.13 @ 7:42 am

wbb, spoken like a true Pitt fan!

Comment by Dr. Tom 11.06.13 @ 9:03 am

Powered by WordPress © PittBlather.com

Site Meter