The bye week did not hurt Dorin Dickerson. He has been announced as a finalist for the John Mackey Award for the best tight end in college.
The other two finalists were Aaron Hernandez of Florida and Dennis Pitta of BYU.
I thought Pitta wouldn’t make it in favor of Dickson at Oregon. Pitta, though, had 9 catches for 111 yards and 2 TDs. That essentially pushed him over Dickson (5 receptions, 63 yards 1 TD).
Binghamton acting head coach Mike Macon is just trying to make sure his team’s psyche isn’t further damaged after the game.
“You kind of try to see their psyche going into a game like this,” Macon said. “A lot of guys never played a team like Pitt in their careers. We had three guys returning who played Duke last year, but they didn’t get a high measure of minutes. It was a quantum leap (from the opener against Bloomsburg).
“This is where we want to be. How do we get there? Accept the challenge. Go out and be tough. Go out and let people know you’re here.”
Little side note, the story above from the Binghamton paper was written by the P-G Pitt beat writer, Ray Fittipaldo. Outstanding to pump out two different stories for the same game. That’s working smarter.
His P-G story focused on the backcourt performance of Gibbs and Woodall. Mainly Gibbs since he was drilling the 3s.
“I knew it was going to come sooner or later, so I wanted to be patient with it,” Gibbs said. “I wanted to be unselfish and take the open shot. I have confidence in myself. If I have an open one, I’m going to be confident enough to make it and keep shooting.”
That is exactly what he did in the first half when he almost single-handedly beat the Bearcats on the scoreboard. Gibbs had as many points at halftime as Binghamton (17). He made five of his six 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes, including three in a span of 1:45 midway through the half. All five 3-pointers came in a little more than nine minutes.
Woodall, though, very quietly notched a double-double with 10 points and 13 assists. The assists totals were helped by the fact that Pitt made 50% of the shots. Not as many loose balls and plays that weren’t set.
Plus when you pass to Gibbs and he drills 3s, it really helps pad the stats.
Gibbs made six 3-pointers on the way to a career-high 22 points, highlighted by a searing first-half run in which he made five 3-pointers in a 9-minute, 6-second span.
“I knew it was going to come sooner or later,” he said. “I just wanted to be patient with it.”
It was the most 3-pointers by a Pitt player since Levance Fields made six at Cincinnati on Jan. 24, 2007. No Pitt player has ever made more 3s in a game at the Pete.
Woodall, though, is playing humble and giving credit to watching Fields.
Woodall’s assist total — which ties the seventh-best ever by a Pitt player — came in his second career start. By contrast, Fields, the player Woodall is trying to replace, didn’t get his first double-digit assist game until his 66th start (as a senior against Miami, Ohio), and surpassed Woodall’s 13 assists only once in 100 career starts at Pitt.
Woodall said watching Fields last season while taking a redshirt is the reason for his progress.
“That’s him helping me,” Woodall said. “It’s almost like me cheating to get 13 assists, because he helped me out a lot.”
Pitt outrebounded Binghamton by only 6. It wasn’t because of the frontcourt. Robinson grabbed 10 and McGhee and Taylor combined for 10 boards. Coach Dixon was bothered by the guards not getting after the long ones.
“We’re concerned for obvious reasons,” Dixon said. “We have to get our guards to rebound more, especially on the long 3s. The guards have to get those.”
Coach Dixon was also named 2009 USA Basketball Coach of the Year thanks to coaching the U-19 team to a gold medal.
“Jamie Dixon has established himself as one of the finest collegiate coaches there is in the game today and this past summer he proved himself on the international court too,” said USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo. “In leading the USA Men’s U19 Team to the World Championship, he not only accomplished something that the U.S. had not done since 1991, but to do so he had to quickly form a team from 12 individual players and earn their respect and confidence. He obviously did so and his team responded by winning it’s nine games in an impressive team manner.”
Butler’s Shelvin Mack was the quote from a player lauding Dixon.
“(Coach Dixon) helped my game out a lot,” Mack said in a news release from USA Basketball. “He stressed that I should be more of a leader and more vocal. Since I was a point guard, I was more in control in making sure everyone got the ball in the right position, and he helped me accept that role. He made it clear that my job was to get everyone involved, stay positive and not worry about individual goals.
“His practices were very intense,” Mack continued. “Everything was full speed, so you had to pick up things quickly. But he emphasized the right things, the things you need to do to be successful.”
The John Mackey Award for best tight end cut down the list to 8 semi-finalists.
Dorin Dickerson is on that list.
The Nassau County Sports Commission has announced eight semi-finalists for the 2009 John Mackey Award. Listed alphabetically, they are Dorin Dickerson (SR, Pittsburgh), Ed Dickson (SR, Oregon), Aaron Hernandez (JR, Florida), Anthony McCoy (SR, USC), Tony Moeaki (SR, Iowa), Dennis Pitta (SR, BYU), Kyle Rudolph (SO, Notre Dame) and Cody Slate (SR, Marshall).
The eight semi-finalists were determined by confidential balloting of the John Mackey Selection Committee. The 2009 John Mackey Award finalists will be announced on Monday, November 23, 2009 at www.johnmackeyaward.org.
So, let’s look at the numbers to this point:
By the numbers you can probably eliminate McCoy and Moeaki from making the list of finalists for next week. Rudolph is also out at this point because he is injured and at best might be back for a bowl game so his numbers are stuck where they are.
Slate might not make the cut, despite really good numbers because he got hurt in the last game and might be done for the season. He had great numbers, but they were also for Marshall which hurts the chances because of the C-USA competition.
That leaves Dickson, Hernandez, Pitta and Dickerson. The finalist list is the top-3 candidates.
I would say that Hernandez is a lock since he is an integral part of the Florida offense and on the #1 team.
Pitta and Dickson are both the leading receivers for yards and receptions for their respective teams. I think Pitta might not make it because of the infrequency of anyone seeing him and how BYU has failed compared to early expectations.
Dickerson’s 10 TDs are impossible to overlook since it is twice as many as anyone else on the list. He leads Pitt in receptions and is second in yardage. The problem is that Pitt has a bye week so his numbers in terms of yardage could suffer when it comes time to make the cut.
I think Dickerson should make the top-3 cut, but if both Pitta and Dickson have big games it could bump Dickerson right out of it.
It’s how you know we have gone past the mid-point in college football. No, not the BCS standings. The myriad of awards keep putting out their mid-season or semi-finalist lists. Anything to remind people that there are other college football awards besides the Heisman.
Bill Stull has made the list of 15 semi-finalists for the Davey O’Brien Award for best quarterback. It’s nice recognition for a season that has been stunningly efficient. The odds of Stull making the cut to 3 finalists is rather slim. In terms of name recognition and statistitcs, he is an unlikely candidate. While Stull is one of the most efficient QBs nationally, Kellen Moore at Boise State has comparable numbers but more TD passes. Then there’s the name brands of Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy. Plus the numbers put up by ND’s Clausen. Still, there is fan voting (allegedly) at this site (though I couldn’t get it to load this morning).
Coach Wannstedt also made one of the many “Coach of the Year” lists. This one is the Bear Bryant CFB Coach of the Year remaining 20 semi-finalists. With the exceptions of Akey (Idaho) and Golden (Temple) the list looks like it was cribbed from this week’s top-20 teams.
In a more immediate and somewhat surprising honor. Dom DeCicco was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week.
DeCicco, who had significant run support responsibilities against the Bulls, compiled a team-high 10 tackles (nine solo) to lead an impressive Pitt defensive effort.
USF managed only 212 yards of total offense. The Bulls entered the game averaging 407.3 yards and 33.7 points per game.
DeCicco is playing at an all-star level for the nationally ranked Panthers. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound defensive back leads Pitt in tackles (62) and interceptions (tied with two). Among all Big East defenders, he ranks seventh with 7.8 tackles per game.
DeCicco took a lot of abuse early in the season for missed tackles and assignments. So this is a nice bit of recognition. The only negative to me, is that it just doesn’t seem like a particularly good thing that Pitt’s strong safety is the team’s leading tackler when this is a defensive unit that doesn’t blitz or bring the safeties up that much. It just points to the struggles to date with the linebackers this year.
The Manning Award Watchlist expanded by ten more QBs. Bill Stull is one of them. He has no real shot, but it’s an honor to be among the 48 QBs on the list. There isn’t a cut-down until November 20 or so.
There are 12 players on Pitt’s roster from Florida. USF Coach Leavitt is especially familiar with the Florida guys on the D-line.
He’s familiar with at least three: Jabaal Sheard, Gus Mustakas and Greg Romeus — all Florida natives he targeted on the recruiting trail. “I know those Pitt defensive linemen very well,” Leavitt said. “They’re very active and very strong.”
In trying to describe Mustakas, Leavitt paused, then said: “He is very strong. There is no finesse there.”
His name is Gus Mustakas. Finesse just is not possible with a name like that.
The storyline for Pitt’s O-line is stopping George Selvie. That kind of ignores that the other DE, Jason Pierre-Paul, who has been outstanding this season. Especially since Selvie has been more reputation than output in key games this season.
One could make the same claim about Pitt’s Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard who were expected to be the dominant force on the D-line. They haven’t been as impressive, but the interior has stepped up nicely.
In terms of sheer production the Panthers rotation of tackles — Mick Williams, Gus Mustakas and Myles Caragein have been more productive than the trio of ends — Sheard, Romeus and Brandon Lindsey.
As an example, last Friday, the Panthers beat Rutgers, 24-17, and the three defensive tackles combined for five tackles for loss (the team had seven) and the team’s three sacks. The three ends had no tackles for loss and no sacks but did knock down three passes at the line of scrimmage.
The defensive tackles have combined for 75 tackles, 20 1/2 tackles for loss and 8 1/2 sacks; the ends have 56 tackles, 15 1/2 tackles and 11 1/2 sacks.
Pitt defensive coordinator Phil Bennett said that while the numbers aren’t overwhelming for the ends, Sheard and Romeus are playing well. He said they are just drawing a lot of double teams and help from running backs, which has hurt their productivity.
Yes and no. Romeus and Sheard have been facing a lot of attention, but they haven’t seemed to do a great job at beating it. At times, it seems like Romeus is more interested in the tape ball.
Some love for Hynoski, who is all about the team.
“I just want to do whatever it takes — running, blocking or catching,” said Hynoski, who had career highs of 29 yards rushing and 36 receiving in a 24-17 win at Rutgers last Friday. “I want the coaches to feel confident in me in all three areas. I’m not a guy who cares about the stats. I just want to win, and that’s all that matters.
“The way I look at it, if Bill throws a touchdown or Dion scores, it’s just as good as me scoring one. Once the team does well, all the individual things will fall into place.”
Jarred Holley has taken advantage of the injury to Elijah Fields to show he belongs out there. Hopefully someone on Pitt’s defensive staff does this.
Q: Despite Dave Wannstedt’s unwillingness to change from his preferred 4-3 defensive alignment, do you think that he would entertain the idea of taking out a linebacker and replacing him in the starting line-up with Elijah Fields (assuming he is healthy) in that bandit/hybrid position that he can play against the more athletic teams left on Pitt’s schedule (i.e. – South Florida, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Cincinnati)? I think that both Fields and Holley need to be on the field against the teams mentioned above to help match the speed of those offenses.
ZEISE: If I had a gift certificate or something to give away for the question of the week — you would certainly get it because that is a great question. And the answer is — I think against South Florida, West Virginia and Cincinnati (three spread teams left on the schedule) — I guess Syracuse plays a bit of a spread now too, don’t they — you will see more of that bandit/buck stuff and Fields will be the guy to fit that role. One thing these last two games have done is convinced coaches that Jarred Holley is indeed ready to fill that role as starting safety and he is capable of making plays and holding his own.
Coach Wannstedt doesn’t want a redux of the Russell Wilson/NC State defensive debacle with B.J. Daniels. No body does.
The fans, commentors and this blogger have not been shy about heaping praise on OC Frank Cignetti. He gets a puff piece today focusing on his modesty.
In no particular order, Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti credits coach Dave Wannstedt, quarterback Bill Stull, running back Dion Lewis, tight end Dorin Dickerson, the other playmakers, the offensive linemen, the offensive coaching staff, the ball boys and even former coordinator Matt Cavanaugh for their roles in the team’s surprisingly effective offense and its 6-1 record, No. 20 ranking and first-place standing in the Big East Conference.
It just keeps making former OC Matt Cavanaugh look worse.
Q: I believe Frank Cignetti Jr. is a much better fit as a college offensive coordinator than Matt Cavanaugh. I think he has shown more creativity in his schemes and is younger and better with college athletes. Do you agree?
ZEISE: Yes and mostly because he really likes being a college coach. Matt is a very good offensive mind and he knew what he was doing but in four years here you never got the sense that he really wanted to be a college coach, in fact he had said as much. His heart was in the NFL as a coordinator. Frank Cignetti wants to be a head coach and he loves the college game so he has embraced it and ran with it…
At one time, early in his job at Pitt, Cavanaugh talked about being a head coach in college. Yet, no one took it particularly seriously. He was very much like the Paul Hackett style coach/coordinator. More about seyt schemes and systems and less about using the players in ways that played up their strengths.
I should be positive. I really should. Pitt cracked the top-20. It’s a good thing.
Dion Lewis, unsurprisingly, was the Big East Offensive Player of the Week and is that much closer to being a lock for Newcomer of the Year in the conference.
Dorin Dickerson went from not being on the watchlist to a candidate at the midseason mark for the John Mackey Award given to the best tight end. He’s the only player from the Big East among the 22 candidates.
Homecoming is this weekend, and it becomes a big game. So, the students have led a charge to “Turn it Blue” at Heinz Field.
Heck, money is even being made betting on Pitt.
W is for Wannstache Watch. I won money on an actual legal bet involving cash on Dave Wannstedt. How can something so wrong feel so right? That marks the first time I’ve ever taken a bet on Pitt to win, and has now converted me wholeheartedly into a Pitt wagerer. This is your sign to bet on the other team, because nothing that feels this dirty and wonderful can last.
That part of me that gets wary when too much good stuff happens at once is now screaming. I’m begging the football team and the coaching staff. Don’t miss another opportunity. Don’t let it go ka-boom.
Lots of fun. Wife has the flu. Windstorms knocked out power for most of the day. I’m just trying to keep things moving well enough so I can flee come Saturday.
Worth noting that Bill Stull was named Big East Player of the Week (16-23, 242 yards and 3 TDs). Added bonus, is that Hoopie fans are a little ticked about this since Noel Devine’s 220 yard game didn’t get the nod.
His numbers got the nod from Pat Forde this week.
Stepping up: Bill Stull (28), Pittsburgh. The quarterback was pedestrian last season — right up until he was simply dreadful in a 3-0 Sun Bowl loss to Oregon State. But the senior fought off Tino Sunseri and Pat Bostick to keep the starting job and has responded well, with 11 TDs and just one interception in five games. He’s now fifth nationally in pass efficiency.
And it seems that Coach Wannstedt thinks an uncluttered mind helps.
“It’s experience on his part. He’s a senior now and he’s got a lot of games under his belt,” Edsall said. “Looking at the film, he looks very comfortable in his surroundings.”
If Stull truly is at ease, it may have something to do with his tweaked role in the offense.
“We’re trying to eliminate the over-thinking,” Wannstedt said. “In other words, ‘Here’s the play. Look for this one thing. If you don’t, throw it here.’ That part of it has really helped him.”
Or as Crash Davis would say, “Don’t think, Meat. You’ll only hurt the team.”
It helps that the offensive line has been so steady to this point.
The Pitt offensive line has been perhaps the biggest surprise of the season. But the unit will get its toughest chore of the season this week. Connecticut is allowing only 232.25 total yards per game, No. 4 in the nation. Connecticut defensive end Lindsey Witten ranks second in the nation in sacks. “I’m really excited to see how they meet the challenge this weekend,” Wannstedt said.
It’s odd (and I’m terrified that I may be jinxing things) that the O-line has not been a big issue to date this season. I mean, that’s been the lament of Pitt fans for at least 6 or 7 years.
Not that it won’t rear its ugly head once more next year. What with no clear successor at center. Hell, what with no true center having committed to Pitt in the last couple of years. Even Coach Wannstedt has acknowledged that the O-line recruiting has not been what it should.
Wannstedt said recruiting on the offensive line wasn’t enough of a priority in recent years. Behind the starting five, the Panthers have virtually no experienced depth. Two redshirt sophomores with no career starts, tackle Greg Gaskins and guard Chris Jacobsen, are the first linemen off the bench.
“It’s not where it should be,” Wannstedt said. “As I look back over the years, from a recruiting standpoint, we put more of an emphasis on the defensive line and some other spots. Probably, the offensive line got slighted a little bit.”
Considering Thomas, Houser and Malecki are seniors that’s a bit unnerving. Let’s try not to think too much about it until January or so.
The downside, Coach Dixon will be directly in your ear through mid-July.
Ashton Gibbs made the U-19 roster while Dante Taylor will come back to Pittsburgh to get ready for the upcoming season and bond with his teammates while playing in the Pro-Am Summer League.
The 19-and-under team, coached by Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon, will consist of Washington State’s DeAngelo Casto and Klay Thompson, Duke’s Seth Curry, Pitt’s Ashton Gibbs, Butler’s Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack, Kentucky’s Darius Miller, UTEP’s Arnett Moultrie, Northwestern’s John Shurna, Kansas’ Tyshawn Taylor, Georgia’s Howard Thompkins and Ole Miss’ Terrico White. The team will compete in the FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand from July 2-12.
Four players were cut from U-19 trials: West Virginia’s Darryl “Truck” Bryant, Minnesota’s Ralph Sampson III, Florida-bound high schooler Kenny Boynton, and Pitt-bound high-schooler Dante Taylor. UCLA’s Drew Gordon had already withdrawn from the trials with a patella tendon in right knee.
Boynton and Taylor seem like minor surprises. Much like Gibbs making it. I am guessing Gibbs made the squad so that the team had some more reliable perimeter shooting threats.
As for the Pittsburgh summer league, it was in jeopardy but once word got out that it was at risk things changed.
The league has grown in popularity yearly, and a small group of fans that attend the games regularly are responsible for keeping the league going.
When word leaked out a couple of weeks ago that league director John Giammarco did not have the financing in place to run the league, donations began to stream in to help defray costs such as rent and payment to officials.
“I’m stunned that a summer basketball league would bring such a call to arms,” Giammarco said. “It’s been amazing.
“These fans love basketball and didn’t want to see it go away. It’s been a labor of love for me. It’s been so well-received by fans. I didn’t want to see it die, either. We wanted to make this work.”
Fans can check the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Web site (www.pittsburghbasketballclub.com) for a complete schedule and rosters. Giammarco was hoping to have such information posted by tomorrow.
The summer league, in my view, just did not realize the interest and support it could generate. If they had gotten word out sooner that sponsorship and support was drying up, there would not necessarily have been the last minute scramble.
The summer league is vital for Pitt. It provides a chance for the players to play over the summer in Pittsburgh with some good competition with some organization. It also keeps them in Pittsburgh where they can still be with their teammates (improve chemistry) and take some more classes and keep working out with some oversight.
Coach Dixon and Pitt cannot be directly involved per NCAA restrictions, but Dixon did what he could to encourage the formation.
Yep. Him too.
Hopefully he’ll be tweeting updates from New Zealand. The Pitt Athletic department issued a press release on Coach Dixon being the head coach of USA Basketball’s U-19 squad. Dixon in the statement speaks of it being a good for the school and program.
“It is a tremendous honor for the university and our program,” Dixon said. “Working with Coach Painter and Coach Lowery will be an outstanding experience. They are both good friends and have had great success coaching at their respective schools. I’m excited about the tournament, the entire process and the challenge of winning. I want to thank Coach Jim Boeheim, Jerry Colangelo and the Board of Directors, Jim Tooley and Sean Ford, along with the entire USA Basketball organization for this opportunity. I am definitely looking forward to July.”
There’s a good chance that Coach Dixon will get an early start on coaching Dante Taylor who is expected to try out for the squad.
Tryouts for the Under-19 team will be in mid-June in Colorado Springs, Colo. One of the invitees is Taylor, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Fort Washington, Md.
“I think I’m going to go,” said Taylor, who will be among 20 or so players auditioning for 12 roster spots.
Last year, players on the silver medal-winning Under-18 team included point guard Kemba Walker of Connecticut, North Carolina recruits Travis and David Wear and Villanova-bound Dom Cheek.
Dixon has input on the roster, but the selection committee has the final word, according to USA Basketball’s Craig Miller.
There’s a surprising amount of politicking and effort in getting players placed on the squad. So, I’m guessing one of the roster spots will go to a Duke transfer.
Duke is hoping Liberty transfer Seth Curry will be on the U-19 team competing in New Zealand this July so he can get game experience. Curry will sit out next season as a transfer and will likely be the starting lead guard on the 2010-11 Blue Devils.
Let’s see, Duke’s Coach happens to have been the USA Basketball gold medal winning coach last year. He might have some pull with USA Basketball on that.
The person that recommended Coach Dixon take the gig after Bob McKillop pulled out of it was Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim.
The coaching selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee, chaired by NCAA representative Jim Boeheim (head coach, Syracuse University) and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
“This is an exceptional young coaching staff,” Boeheim said. “Matt (Painter) has done a great job at Purdue retooling that program and what Chris (Lowery) has done is remarkable. Jamie Dixon has won more games in the Big East Conference than anybody in his first few years of coaching, and there have been a few good coaches in the (Big East) conference. They’re young guys who have had a lot of success and I just think it’s really a tremendous coaching staff.”
Coach Dixon is also looking forward to the opportunity to take a paid trip back to New Zealand.
Dixon will be getting back to his coaching and playing roots in New Zealand. After his college playing career at Texas Christian, Dixon played professionally for two seasons in New Zealand and became somewhat of a star in the country. He averaged 42 points per game in his final season as a pro.
In addition to being a star player in the country, Dixon started his coaching career there. He helped coach boys’ and girls’ high school teams.
“It’s really a beautiful place,” Dixon said. “I have very fond memories of playing there for two years. It was a very good period of growth for me, basketball-wise and culturally. I really wanted to experience New Zealand in every possible way. I didn’t just want to play basketball. I made an effort and took great pride in coaching the little kids and working with the younger players.”
It’s even drumming up interest in New Zealand at Dixon coming back (even if they keep calling it Pittsburgh University).
PEOPLE who want to make it big in basketball don’t exactly have New Zealand in the equation.
But one man who swam against the tide to build his playing career at a humble Centennial Hall gymnasium in Napier has made it big in the coaching arena in the United States.
Not only that, former US Hawk import Jamie Dixon is at the helm of the Stars and Stripes under-19 team to compete in the World Championship to be hosted in Auckland in July.
The 43-year-old Californian is the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh, a role he has filled with aplomb since 2003.
His former coach and current Easy LPG Hawks general manager, Curtis Wooten, tells SportToday the guard, averaging 42 points a game in the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 1989-90 seasons, was a class act.
“His highest score was 63 points against Auckland. He was simply the best total package we ever had, both on and off the court, as a human being,” he says of Dixon who etched his name on the silverware of the most outstanding guard, leading individual scorer, the leading assist and making the All Star Five teams each season. Retired Hawk Willie Burton, a former Palmerston North player then, was in the All Star teams too.
Wooten says of Dixon: “He shot a three well, was competitive, had a great mind and was very instinctive.”
Wooten, who was named the NBL coach in 1989, said he was very coachable and had a magnetic trait for milking fouls off the opposition.
“He had a great cross-over and head fake (the ability of a player to raise their chin up and hoodwink the opponents into thinking he is going to shoot only to continue dribbling).
“We’d be 14-2 points down and he’d come to me and ask, ‘So what do you want me to do now, coach?’. And I’d say, ‘Just start shooting, man’,” Wooten reminisces with a laugh.
Apparently it was a bit of a run-and-gun team with little defense. I’m still trying to wrap my head around that concept and Coach Dixon.
*Well, as long as you weren’t red-shirted. Travon Woodall and Dwight Miller got jack, since they were glued to the bench this year.
The basketball team had their awards banquet and everyone else got some sort of award.
Ten team awards were announced by Dixon. Fields, Young and Blair became the first trio to earn co-Most Valuable Player honors. Sophomore Brad Wanamaker earned the team’s Most Inspirational Player Award, junior Jermaine Dixon was honored with the Best Defensive Player Award and sophomore Gary McGhee earned the Coaches Award for outstanding attitude. Freshman Nasir Robinson was named the team’s Most Improved Player. Freshman Ashton Gibbs was named the team’s Free Throw Shooting leader after converting 80.0 percent and sophomore DeJuan Blair was the team’s top rebounder (12.3 rpg.). Seniors Tyrell Biggs, Fields and Young all received the Captains Award for outstanding leadership. Biggs won the Jaron Brown Pursuit of Academic Excellence Award and redshirt sophomore Gilbert Brown received the team’s Academic Excellence Award for his success in the classroom.
…
TEAM AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: Levance Fields, DeJuan Blair, Sam Young
Most Improved Player: Nasir Robinson
Best Defensive Player: Jermaine Dixon
Captains Award: Tyrell Biggs, Levance Fields, Sam Young
Team Rebounding Leader: DeJuan Blair (12.3)
Free Throw Shooting Leader: Ashton Gibbs (80.0%)
Most Inspirational Player: Brad Wanamaker
Coaches Award: Gary McGhee
Academic Excellence Award: Gilbert Brown
Jaron Brown Pursuit of Academic Excellence Award: Tyrell Biggs
The press conference for Coach Jamie Dixon being named the Naismith Coach of the Year had some interesting tidbits about the players.
Dixon said Fields won’t participate in the Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational Tournament today through Saturday at Churchland High School because “the groin is still bothering him.”
Young declined the opportunity to participate in the showcase, opting to instead wait until the NBA pre-draft camp in late May at Tim Grover’s Attack Athletics training facility in Chicago.
“He felt that it was best that he not attend,” Dixon said. “He’s looking forward to opportunities in Chicago.”
Dixon said he’s trying to find a spot for senior forward Tyrell Biggs at the Portsmouth Invitational.
I’m a bit surprised that Young isn’t going to Portsmouth. It seems a late decision. It’s not uncommon to skip and since he seems to be a very strong contender to be taken before the end of the 1st round of the draft, the conventional advice is to not do anything to hurt the chances. Still, this seems like an abrupt move.
Seems that most of the questions at the presser was about DeJuan Blair (big shock).
The coach spent most of the rest of his time at the podium inside the Petersen Events Center talking about the draft prospects of his seniors and the decision that Blair has looming. Dixon said he had numerous meetings with Blair and his family the past few days discussing Blair’s intentions of declaring for the NBA draft, but he said Blair was not yet ready to announce his decision.
Darrelle Porter, family friend, former Pitt star, ex-Duquesne head coach and Blair’s old AAU coach is saying that Blair is in and won’t be back.
“I think DeJuan’s confident in his abilities and confident enough to put his name in, so he’ll probably stay in,” Porter said. “It’s hard to tell someone to come back and work on some things when he’s looking at a guaranteed contract. It’s been a goal of his for a long time.
“Now, he’s got a chance to reach his dream.”
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Dixon would end up spending most of the time at a press conference ostensibly about him receiving an award that he talked about his players. Dixon hardly has been comfortable talking himself up, most times. He often tries to put the credit at the players.
Just realized it’s after midnight.
Yeah, we all know it’s coming.
“You’ll know tomorrow,” Blair said. “That’s all I’m saying.”
Pitt coach Jamie Dixon met with Blair and his family Monday, but said today that Blair wasn’t ready to make an announcement. One source close to the Blair family, however, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Blair plans to announce his intentions at a Wednesday news conference.
The good news is that he won’t be hiring an agent.
Andy Katz at ESPN.com continues to pound the doubting angle.
A number of NBA personnel told ESPN.com they are skeptical about whether Blair can make the transition because he plays below the rim.
As much as I want him to stay, I have a hard time buying it. At the same time, it only reinforces why he has to look at going pro now. If the doubts and concerns are there and actually widespread, then coming back for another year gives them a chance to further pick him apart.
As far as Coach Jamie Dixon winning the Naismith Coach of they Year award, he deferred on taking much credit.
“It means we had a lot of good players,” Dixon said in a phone interview about the coaching award. “It’s a reflection of players individually and as a group … The players developed into better players than may thought (they) would become.”
According to ZagsBlog, Basketball Times put out its list of the top-100 coaches and assistants. Coach Dixon was ranked #12, and Tom Herrion was ranked #8 in assistants. There’s nothing on the BT website to see the whole list. It’s just a list, and seems more of a debate sparker than anything actually definitive.
A little bit of a surprise. Bill Self at Kansas has cleaned up on coaching awards this year. Coach Jamie Dixon was named the Naismith Coach of the Year.
The award is presented by the Atlanta Tipoff Club and selected by a panel that includes a collection of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The other finalists were Oklahoma’s Jeff Capel, Louisiana State’s Trent Johnson and Kansas’ Bill Self.
Dixon led Pitt to its first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and its most victories (three) in tourney play. He also set an NCAA Division I record for most career victories after six seasons as a head coach, with 163.
“Pittsburgh had a tremendous season and much of that success goes to Jamie and the wonderful coaching job he did with this team,” Atlanta Tipoff Club president Gary Stokan said. “During his six seasons he has built a solid program that continues to produce wonderful results, both on and off the court.”
Technically it is Coach Dixon’s second coach of the year award in 2009. He also received the Phelan mid-year coach of the year award.
Apparently there will be a 4pm presser at the Pete to announce the award. Coach Dixon was a distant second in most of the other awards to Bill Self.
Just one more thing about this season and how much Pitt ended up accomplishing.
Congrats to DeJuan Blair for making the AP All-American 1st team.
The AP honor is the fourth first-team All-American honor for Blair, who also was recognized by Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and the United States Basketball Writers Association earlier this month.
“It’s cool; it’s a beautiful honor,” Blair said last night, two days after the Panthers were knocked out of the NCAA tournament by Villanova. “I don’t think anyone thought this was possible at the beginning of the season. I wasn’t even named [honorable mention] all-Big East.”
Blair finished third in the AP voting with 294 votes behind Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin (335) and North Carolina’s (304). Arizona State’s James Harden and Davidson’s Stephen Curry also were named to the first team.
“That group is an excellent group,” Blair said. “It could have been a lot of people on that list, too. Fortunately, I got that spot. It’s an honor to be on there with them. All of those guys lived up to the hype. I sneaked up there on a lot of people.”
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Blair, who also was named Big East Conference co-player of the year. He also is finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year Award, and was invited to Detroit this weekend for that presentation. He also is a finalist for the Wooden Award as well as the USBWA Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Award.
Well-earned and well-deserved. The article indicated something that should surprise no one. That Blair will at least go through the NBA pre-draft process.
I know there is some debate over whether Blair should turn pro or not. I do not, however, think that there is any debate that he should at least go through the process to see where might go in the draft and what he needs to improve.
I know the mock drafts to this point have him as a outside of being a lottery pick, but definitely a 1st round pick. I also know the mock drafts pre-workouts are of some questionable value. That said, if he comes out of the workouts in a similar spot, I don’t see how he doesn’t go pro.
As much as I would love for him to return, I fall into the camp that expects him to and thinks he should go pro. Blair benefits from the success of Detroit Piston’s Jason Maxiell not to mention Paul Millsap of the Utah Jazz. The Pistons took the undersized PF late in the first round of the ’05 draft (to the surprise of many who considered him a late 2nd rounder). He has become a vital bench player with energy who gets rebounds and plays inside despite his size.
Would Blair be able to improve on some parts of his game if he returns? Certainly. Of course, Blair has a great work ethic, so I would expect that he would do plenty to improve his game regardless.
The other aspect, is that while he might be able to improve his game with another year, that would not necessarily improve his draft status. This is considered a rather weak draft. I mean, that B.J. Mullens could be considered a first round pick (I know, 7’0″) after showing very little in the way of, um, skill should speak volumes about the draft this year.
Finally, with his past history of knee problems, he needs to consider the future. Given he plays inside, shown that he runs the court real well and his lack of natural height; a knee injury would cripple his future. Forget the NCAA insurance policies. That still doesn’t match the guarantee of a 1st round contract regardless of whether it is lottery or not.
So, tonight is Pitt’s first game in the Big East Tournament. Right now it is about being in the familiar.
Whether it’s superstition or consistency, the Pitt men’s basketball team follows an exact routine during their trips to the Big Apple.
The Panthers stay at the same hotel, eat at the same restaurant, practice in the same gym and even use the same bus driver.
“Our team,” coach Jamie Dixon said, “is a creature of habit.”
That familiarity may be one reason why Pitt feels so comfortable at Madison Square Garden and has reached the finals of the Big East Tournament seven of the past eight seasons.
“It’s hard to explain,” Dixon said. “Maybe (our routine) has something to do with it.”
The interesting thing in this game. Pitt and its fans have talked about how part of why Pitt has had so much success at MSG in recent years involves all the kids from NYC and the NY/NJ area that are coming back there. Tonight, the edge in that goes to WVU.
In Pitt’s rotation it is: Fields, Biggs and Gibbs with the local ties. On the Hoopie side there’s: Da’Sean Butler (NJ), Devin Ebanks (Long Island), Kevin Jones (Mt. Vernon), Darryl Bryant (Brooklyn) and Wellington Smith (NJ).
Does Pitt prefer being the perceived underdog? Well, they really won’t be in that role for a while. They are definitely not under the radar.
Speaking of under the radar:
Fields has three double-doubles in a row, averaging 12.3 points and 10.7 assists per game. How hot is the 5-foot-10 senior? In the past three games, he has more double-doubles than either DeJuan Blair (two) or Sam Young has in the past month. Fields also needs 15 assists to break Brandin Knight’s single-season assist record of 251.
The Sporting News, named DeJuan Blair an All-American.
DeJuan Blair, So., F/C, Pitt. Although he averaged more points and more rebounds, and outplayed Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet in two head-to-head meetings — both Panthers’ victories — Blair shared Big East player of the year with Thabeet. That mistake will not be repeated here.
Sam Young made the 3d team.
Pitt is about a 4 point favorite tonight.
More silliness from out west.
Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon was the most popular choice when 31 Pac-10 media members were asked whom they’d most like to see named UA’s next coach, according to an Oakland Tribune survey published Wednesday.
Dixon received six votes, while Randy Bennett of St. Mary’s was second with four and Mark Few of Gonzaga was third with three.
Other votes included: Steve Lavin, ESPN analyst; Steve Kerr, Suns GM; Pat Summitt, Tennessee women’s coach; and … Lute Olson.
But Dixon was not first when voters were asked whom Arizona will actually hire. That prognostication most often went to Few (six) with Dixon (four) and Tom Izzo of Michigan State (four) tied for second. UNLV’s Lon Kruger had three votes.
I’m not surprised that many picked Dixon. He’s not mean to the media.
Seriously? There are that many people in the media out there that think Izzo is leaving Michigan State? Where he is one of the highest paid coaches in the Big 11? Where he was an assistant? The fact that Izzo is a Michigan native? That he has no problems recruiting, and has won a national championship at MSU? Yet, that many really believe he will be lured out to the desert?
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