For all the frustration of this past season. For all the questions about Pitt’s recruiting. It is easy to forget that the 2015 and now 2016 class looks pretty good.
Damon Wilson is a 4-star point guard that Pitt needs. I’m probably more optimistic about Rozelle Nix than others. Probably more than I should since the last good JUCO addition was Jermaine Dixon, and it has been nothing but whiffs since. There is still hope that Cheick Diallo chooses Pitt — which would change a lot of things.
Meanwhile the 2016 class remains anchored by Mustapha Heron. One of the top recruits nationally, and he has remained firmly with Pitt even with Assistant Coach Barry Rohhrsen going to Kentucky. Maverick Rowan was lost the minute Adidas asserted their influence (shoe deals giveth, and taketh).
The 2016 class still improves noticeably and with a position of need as Corey Manigault verbaled today.
Manigault is a 3- or 4-star power forward/center. Scout.com and Rivals.com both have him as a 3-star, while ESPN.com and 247 peg him at a 4-star prospect.
He is the first recruit brought in by assistant coach Marlon “Smoke” Williamson. He’s not from Michigan, though. He’s in ACC country — Fairfax, Virginia.
“I think it’s a perfect fit,” Paul VI coach Glenn Farello added about the commitment. “I think coach Dixon will go the most out corey and his potential.”
Manigault, who visited Pittsburgh in December, selected the Panthers over Georgetown, Maryland, Xavier and Wake Forest.
“The family feel and the bond the players have together [stood out],” Manigault added. “They treat everyone like family and I like how they play.
Pittsburgh assistant Marlon “Smoke” Williamson has been recruiting Manigault since he was a coach at UMass. That factored heavily into his recruitment.
“Coach Smoke, when he was at UMass he offered me,” he said. “That was before I played varsity game. He’s been interested in me since I was in high school. He’s been a big fan of my game and I’ve been a big fan of him. I like what he’s doing. He’s a good coach.”
“Smoke did you an outstandoing job recruiting him,” Farello said. “He just did a great job. “
Manigault is 6-8, but his conditioning is a bit of a question. Most sites list him as 225 or 230, but the Scout.com article mentions him at 245 pounds. His conditioning was also cited as a weakness in the ESPN.com recruiting evaluation (Insider subs). Given Pitt’s history of conditioning and helping players improve in that aspect, I’m not terribly concerned.
A physically strong big man who has continued to expand his game away from the basket and become more versatile in the process. Physically, he has some deceptively long arms and agile feet for his game. He has a quick drop-step/spin move to the baseline when catching with his back to the basket, is starting to become a shooting threat out to the arc, and can even put the ball on the floor some.
The Manigault verbal would fill the 2016 class at this time. The only seniors for that year will be James Robinson and Durand Johnson. That doesn’t mean that the 2016 class is done. There is still the issue of Joseph Uchebo. I still assume he will take a medical hardship waiver — which is what makes it possible for Cheick Diallo to be a possibility this year.
If Diallo doesn’t choose Pitt, I’m hoping that Jamie Dixon just keeps the extra scholarship in his back pocket. Whether it is for a possible transfer — preferably one that sits a year, rather than a graduate transfer — or to save it for the 2016 class. I may not be as negative as others on late developing projects, but Pitt is at the limit with those right now.
Especially with the possibilities for the 2016 class. Miles Bridges and Temple Gibbs are a couple possibilities worth waiting for. And yes, transfers out are a possibility. But beyond speculation because of playing time or performance, there isn’t really any legitimate chatter right now of transfers.
Pitt’s best best bet with Diallo is Hoiburg going to the NBA. I’m convinced he goes to ISU if Hoiburg stays and I can’t blame him. It’s an enticing game of basketball he coaches out there.
Uchebo and Haughton are two roster spots that are tenuous. I’m hoping that a year in the program means Haughton can at least be a defensive presence next year but based on Zeis and others being a little more down on a guy who hasn’t played than is typical, lends me to think he may be a bust.
Until we see him play, we’ll never know. Dixon has done amazing things with an offseason and lugs … see Aaron Grey and Garry McGee.
There was a picture of Nix with his shirt off posted on Dokish twitter uesterday; he certainly didn’t look like a blubbery 350 lber. I would think he is closer to the 300 lbs that recent reports have him.
Again, Manigault is the nephew of Earl ‘The Goat’ Manigault who is cemented in the lore of NYC playground legends. I remember reading about him decades ago.
Congrats to Pitt women
Though it appears it is now a great Pitt tradition. Used to be, the tradition was, tough as nails point guards. Now? its 4s who are forced to play 5s…Zanna, Young, and now may I present, Manigault!
I only hope I am way off base here.
But, once again I will be glued to the TV tonight watching and yelling as my wife tells me for the millionth time “why do you continually put yourself through this agony? If anyone has a good answer to her question please let me know what it is :>)
In the month of Feb, 2105 this Blog posted 25 articles and had: 266,756 total “Visits and Views”. A “View” is clicking on site and just reading; a “Visit” is clicking on site and doing something on it (commenting, clicking on other links, etc.).
That works out to 10,676 per article… which is huge as far as I can tell in comparisons.
I won’t watch it live, but will probably watch later tonight on DVR. Pittman4evet, I don’t have an answer for your wife. My interest in pitt hoops has absolutely receded. Mostly because I have other interests that are taking priority, but partly because I think the program is trending the wrong way.
Many other good coaches have had four stretches where they went 2-4 in tourney (thanks Chris Dokish) but to me it feels like the program has found its level. No real change in sight.
If JD lands Diallo, expect it to continue.
Comment by markp 03.17.15 @ 10:58 am
WE ARE PED STATE !
Was on his HS’s websites page. They even have a site just devoted to their basketball team. What’s funny is you can find no information on any of the players stats. So they have the scores of the games and it’s says ‘box score’ of that particular game. So I click on that:
Isn’t the type of box score I was looking for.
No stats on any of the players…again.
I could find nowhere, any info on the particular games at all. Other than was they scored as a team total for each quarter. Whoop.
Only when I read the story on the Washington Post, that Dokish linked on his twitter, did I find out this little tidbit. Manigault is only avg’g 11 ppg. No mention of his rebounding. His team has 20 wins & 15 losses. Hope he and his team are a lot better next year !
In that sense, liberal is indeed a good thing. And in fact in most cases it is, it like many other things was ‘hijacked’ and then bastardized.
I optimistcly think I got 80 years here on earth. If we are both right I will have been dead for 49 yrs. Thank God!
A world without football is not a world I wanna live in…
Last 4 games:
James Robinson
143 Minutes
FG: 7-27, 26%
3p FG: 3-14, 21 %
FT: 4-4, 100%
Cam Wright
114 Minutes
FG: 18-37, 49 %
3p FG: 1-1. 100%
FT: 6-10, 60%
Chris Jones
83 minutes
FG: 9-22, 41 %
3p FG: 3-11, 27%
FT: 1-4, 25%
Josh Newkirk
58 minutes
FG: 5-19, 26%
3p FG: 1-8, 13%
FT: 7-10, 70 %
4 guard totals
398 minutes
FG: 39-105, 37%
3P FG: 8- 34, 24 %
FT: 18- 28, 64 %
Obviously Haughton got here late and wasn’t any better than Ochebo or Randall. It is a long shot, but maybe he will improve enough to guard the basket for limited minutes next year. No reason for him to go unless they are bringing in someone else or he would rather play at a lower level.
Don’t really get why a guy like Diallo hasn’t made up his mind. Also don’t understand why all these guys would want to be one of ten guys at Kentucky rather than be “The Guy” at a school like Pitt. Nine McDonalds All Americas at one school, it boggles the mind and is where the NCAA should investigate.
Comment by Emel 03.17.15 @ 1:21 pm
Now that is funny….in a pathetically sad way….
Eventually the pressure on parents to not allow their child to play the game will become to great. Just like paddling, it will be looked at as child abuse, or reckless endangerment. Just wait till the lawyers figure out how to make a buck on the issue.
His coach said his strength is definitely rebounding .. “he rebounds hard’
Jeff Goodman ?@GoodmanESPN 2m2 minutes ago
Do not expect Pittsburgh big man Tyrone Haughton and Joe Uchebo to be with program next season, sources told ESPN. Both juniors.
For every Aaron Gray there were 5 stiffs.
Same thing with McGhee who at best avg’d less than 7 ppg. 5 stiffs to get one McGhee and his 6.9 ppg.
Things are so bad, we’re harking back to the days of Gary McGhee. Diallo be Our Savior !
P.S. He better get at least 30 min/game if we land him
I have heard the reports that Haughton is not good enough to ever play, but McGhee looked ridiculous early as well. And I agree we don’t have a center to play at the ACC level, just grasping at straws. Who knows how long it will take Nix to learn Jamie’s D or if he ever will?
If they were, Jamie should make a visit to Western Psych !
Think McGhee on Kemba Walker in the last seconds.
TVax – new staff had some to do with it but during the fall camp and regular season we get more hits than even this last Feb. I was kind of taken aback when I compared our numbers to some other sites along the same lines… I knew The Blather was really popular but had no idea the reach and depth pf our readers / commenters.
I really need to start charging Chas some big $$$ per word, like $1.00. My average article would pay around $1800 and you guys would be seeing three posts per day.
Must have been a ‘parting’ gift(?) for Jamie.
lmao….these are the nutcases we have teaching our young people. Oy ….
She should be relieved of her teaching credentials.
Halnon, who graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College according to her bio, received her doctorate in sociology from Boston College in 1995. Her thesis was on “Women’s agency in Hysteria and its Treatment.”
No kidding !
Love to know who gave him the vote for ACC defensive player of the year. Had to be a joke or something.
You are dead on. The point about McGhee was not his offensive skills. Pitt hasn’t had a truly skilled center since Blair (yeah I did not see any serious low post skill in Adams). However McGhee developed lateral quickness, shot blocking and rebounding skills his junior and senior years the likes of which have not been seen since. That is why he is being lamented.
Kemba Walker made McGhee look like a fool on one play. It doesn’t change anything about him or the high hedge. Blair learned to play it and so did Gray. Adams was learning. Zanna was good at it. You either want to play D or you don’t. McGhee did.
The point of the hedge is to disrupt the pick and roll and force the guard away. It’s not to force a switch. Pitt’s problem this year was that neither their guards nor the bigs could force the ballhandler to retreat and nullify the screen. Even when they did, the big man would loaf on the retreat to the lane and create a different problem.
Truth be told Pitt’s guards were so bad off the bounce this year that teams began to just let their guards freely penetrate.
Nix does not have to be a 5 tool player (to use a baseball term) … but any defensive presence down low that can rebound is more than welcome.
Sure, a 5-star is preferable but beggars …..
