Well I watched the entire draft last night and I was as shocked as anyone when I saw Sam Young and Dejuan Blair fall entirely out of the first round.
Young was projected a late first rounder and will help the Memphis Grizzlies. He will likely backup Rudy Gay so he won't play major minutes. His defensive ability will get him on the floor though and he has a well rounded game, so i expect we will hear from Sam Young this season.
Blair falling was a major shock. He was projected as high as 9 to Toronto, but most figured between 12 and 15. When the season ended, Blair threw his name in early to the draft and said "I'm a guaranteed first rounded. I have nothing else to prove." I wonder if he still feels that way today.
Did he make a mistake leaving school? I'm always the guy that says a kid should stay 4 years, but in this case I will say no. I've always said unless you are a lottery pick, you should stay in school. However, what are the chances that Blair would have had the same type of season that he had last year at Pitt had he stayed? Probably slim. In the end, he may have slipped even more because teams are worried about his knees.
I also see several flaws in his game. Correctable flaws, but they are still there. Blair is a tough as they come and the Spurs got a steal getting him in the second round. Did you see how quick they turned the pick in when he fell to them. The Spurs got a work horse who can go get the ball off the boards and Blair goes to a great successful organization with a great coach who appreciates toughness.
In the end, while neither are getting first round money, both Blair and Young may see this as a blessing. They will both now be motivated to improve their games. both will turn out just fine in the NBA.
Who got hurt the most out of this was Jamie Dixon and the Pitt program. The one thing that Dixon hasn't been able to tell potential recruits is that Pitt produces first rounders. I guess it will be sometime before Dixon can break that line out.
Showing posts with label Pitt Panthers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pitt Panthers. Show all posts
Friday, June 26, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Pitt Panthers bow out of NCAA Tournament- What went wrong?
Saturday night, the Pitt Panthers season came to an abrupt halt at the hands of the Villanova Wildcats. It doesn't matter that the Panthers bowed out on a buzzer beater that will be seen forever now. Scottie Reynolds heroics will be seen every time they show great tournament moments.
It doesn't matter that the Panthers lost a classic tournament game. One that will be shown on ESPN Classic every time they show tournament games. This Panthers team was supposed to be in Detroit next week, leaving Panthers fans everywhere asking just one question- What went wrong?
Plenty of things went wrong for this team. One is that they were clearly a different team from the beat down WVU gave them in the Big East Tournament until last night's buzzer beater loss. You don't believe me, well here is a list.
1. The two guard spot was worthless. The Brad Wannamaker/Jermaine Dixon combo gave the Panthers next to nothing the entire NCAA tourney. The duo which averaged nearly 15 points combined through the regular season gave the Panthers no production in the tourney. It got to the point that Wannamaker looked terrified to touch the ball, much less shoot it in the Nova loss.
2. Tyrell Biggs also disappeared. The senior four man went scoreless in his final two collegiate games. Being such a well balanced team all season, the Panthers were essentially playing with 3 offensive players vs 5 in the Nova game.
3. Ashton Gibbs and the bench went ice cold. Gibbs missed wide open jumpers he usually knocked down. No one off the bench provided anything, other than a little Gilbert Brown here and there.
4. Defense. the once awesome Panthers defense only showed up when they wanted to, when they needed to play every possession. Dejuan Blair is so scared of fouling that he hasn't played defense in a month. He never rotated from the weak side and had plenty of chances to challenge shots which he didn't.
All the struggles aside, Did Nova take the game away from the Panthers or did the Panthers throw it away? Just like we have seen from time to time in the NCAA's. Not taking anything away from the Wildcats, but the Panthers had plenty of opportunities to win this game.
If anything, this game showed that first half execution is just as important as executing down the stretch. The Panthers didn't play well the first ten minutes, BUT came back. The Panthers went up as much as five, with an opportunity to extend the lead, but an awful Jermaine Dixon turnover and subsequent foul, followed by a Sam Young travel really hurt the Panthers. In a span of 45 seconds, the Panthers went from up 5 with a chance to extend to down 1. BUT the Panthers still hung tough and when all seemed lost, they made a play and hit free throws to tie the game.
Give Jay Wright credit for drawing up the game winning play and give the Wildcats players the credit for executing it to perfection. BUT the Panthers shouldn't have been in that situation.
Two things cost the Panthers. The first being free throw shooting. I said it all year that it would cost them and it sure did. While the kids from Nova knocked down 22 of 23 from the charity stripe, the Panthers converted on only 21 of 29 free throws. Now 72% isn't a bad day for the Panthers, but it's not the 96% that Nova shot. Every point matters in tight tourney games. Weather it was Brown and Wannamaker constantly knocking down only 1 of every 2 in the first half, or Blair's 2 for 6 performance, it cost them a trip to Detroit.
One instance occurred when the Panthers were down 1 and Blair going to the line. Instead of being up 1 or tied, Blair bricked the front end of a 1 and 1 and naturally the Wildcats hit a transition 3 to up the lead to 4. Little things win you games and Nova did more of them.
The other thing the Panthers did to cost them a Final Four trip was not get Blair enough touches. Nova had no answer for him. Blair was a perfect 9 for 9 from the floor. No one on that team can guard him and when they double him, Blair is good enough passer to kick the ball out for an open look from the perimeter. The Panthers made no effort to get Blair enough touches and that also cost them in the end.
It's a tough way to watch Blair, Fields and Young go out. Knowing they will never play another game together. It's nobody's fault, sometime you just get beat. Years from now, these Panthers will look back and realize they accomplished alot as a team. Being ranked #1 for the first time in the program's history, defeating the #1 team in the nation for the first time (twice), getting the school's first #1 seed, finally advancing past the Sweet 16 are all things that this group can look back on and be proud of.
That won't be for a long time though. This loss stings, and will continue to sting for a long time.
It doesn't matter that the Panthers lost a classic tournament game. One that will be shown on ESPN Classic every time they show tournament games. This Panthers team was supposed to be in Detroit next week, leaving Panthers fans everywhere asking just one question- What went wrong?
Plenty of things went wrong for this team. One is that they were clearly a different team from the beat down WVU gave them in the Big East Tournament until last night's buzzer beater loss. You don't believe me, well here is a list.
1. The two guard spot was worthless. The Brad Wannamaker/Jermaine Dixon combo gave the Panthers next to nothing the entire NCAA tourney. The duo which averaged nearly 15 points combined through the regular season gave the Panthers no production in the tourney. It got to the point that Wannamaker looked terrified to touch the ball, much less shoot it in the Nova loss.
2. Tyrell Biggs also disappeared. The senior four man went scoreless in his final two collegiate games. Being such a well balanced team all season, the Panthers were essentially playing with 3 offensive players vs 5 in the Nova game.
3. Ashton Gibbs and the bench went ice cold. Gibbs missed wide open jumpers he usually knocked down. No one off the bench provided anything, other than a little Gilbert Brown here and there.
4. Defense. the once awesome Panthers defense only showed up when they wanted to, when they needed to play every possession. Dejuan Blair is so scared of fouling that he hasn't played defense in a month. He never rotated from the weak side and had plenty of chances to challenge shots which he didn't.
All the struggles aside, Did Nova take the game away from the Panthers or did the Panthers throw it away? Just like we have seen from time to time in the NCAA's. Not taking anything away from the Wildcats, but the Panthers had plenty of opportunities to win this game.
If anything, this game showed that first half execution is just as important as executing down the stretch. The Panthers didn't play well the first ten minutes, BUT came back. The Panthers went up as much as five, with an opportunity to extend the lead, but an awful Jermaine Dixon turnover and subsequent foul, followed by a Sam Young travel really hurt the Panthers. In a span of 45 seconds, the Panthers went from up 5 with a chance to extend to down 1. BUT the Panthers still hung tough and when all seemed lost, they made a play and hit free throws to tie the game.
Give Jay Wright credit for drawing up the game winning play and give the Wildcats players the credit for executing it to perfection. BUT the Panthers shouldn't have been in that situation.
Two things cost the Panthers. The first being free throw shooting. I said it all year that it would cost them and it sure did. While the kids from Nova knocked down 22 of 23 from the charity stripe, the Panthers converted on only 21 of 29 free throws. Now 72% isn't a bad day for the Panthers, but it's not the 96% that Nova shot. Every point matters in tight tourney games. Weather it was Brown and Wannamaker constantly knocking down only 1 of every 2 in the first half, or Blair's 2 for 6 performance, it cost them a trip to Detroit.
One instance occurred when the Panthers were down 1 and Blair going to the line. Instead of being up 1 or tied, Blair bricked the front end of a 1 and 1 and naturally the Wildcats hit a transition 3 to up the lead to 4. Little things win you games and Nova did more of them.
The other thing the Panthers did to cost them a Final Four trip was not get Blair enough touches. Nova had no answer for him. Blair was a perfect 9 for 9 from the floor. No one on that team can guard him and when they double him, Blair is good enough passer to kick the ball out for an open look from the perimeter. The Panthers made no effort to get Blair enough touches and that also cost them in the end.
It's a tough way to watch Blair, Fields and Young go out. Knowing they will never play another game together. It's nobody's fault, sometime you just get beat. Years from now, these Panthers will look back and realize they accomplished alot as a team. Being ranked #1 for the first time in the program's history, defeating the #1 team in the nation for the first time (twice), getting the school's first #1 seed, finally advancing past the Sweet 16 are all things that this group can look back on and be proud of.
That won't be for a long time though. This loss stings, and will continue to sting for a long time.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Time is Now for the Pitt Panthers
It has been another fun and exciting first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament so far and the power schools and conferences have risen to the challenge again as the Sweet 16 is filled with them. Kudos to the Big East Conference who has a record 5 teams in the Sweet 16. ACC fans can drop that debate finally of who exactly the best conference- there is no debate. It was and is the Big East.
Panther fans, Are you excited or nervous? The Panthers have been here plenty of times before, and couldn't advance. I know they made you nervous in the first two rounds, they sure had me sweating it out as well. The match ups could potentially favor the Panthers. First Xavier and then maybe Duke? I think Villanova will beat Duke, but for the case of this argument let's just assume the Blue Devils advance. Who on these teams will be able to handle Dejuan Blair and the Panthers toughness? Answer is nobody. Yes, the match ups favor the Panthers, they should have no problem advancing. Wait a minute......... we have been down this road before as well. Kent State...anyone?
The fact is, Panther fans have to be on the edge of their seats, hoping for the best, expecting the worse. This team will have let us down again without a trip to Detroit, but I still think it will happen, Nova does strike fear , but that is a payback game and I think the Panthers will be fine.
My problem comes when and if they win the title. How do Panther fans react? What becomes of the expectations of the team every year. What happens when their top 3 players are suddenly gone and the Panthers get young real quick?
All the credit in the world goes to Jamie Dixon and his staff. Dixon knows the goal is simple, win the national championship, but be very careful what you ask for. Let's assume the Panthers cut down the nets in Detroit. What happens when Field, Young and Blair leave (I feel Blair stays around for one more). You don't replace guys like that. Finally the Panthers have guys to build around. What happens if next season the Panthers only reach the Sweet 16? Then the year after, the same results. Are Panther fans gonna suddenly call for Jamie Dixon's head? I hope not, but it will happen.
Take a look at the University of Florida. Billy Donavon has delivered Gator Fans not one, but two titles this decade. Back to back titles, yet Gator fans can't run him out of town fast enough. It doesn't matter that his entire team declared early for the NBA Draft, what matters is he hasn't won a title in a couple of years. What have you don for me lately? how quickly fans forget. Let's not allow Jamie Dixon to come under similar circumstances.
Fact is the Panthers window may be closing for a year or two, so they need to get it done. No matter weather they win the title or lose in the Sweet 16 this week, give Jamie Dixon his just due. Coaches like him don't come around to often. It would be a shame to run him out of town.
Panther fans, Are you excited or nervous? The Panthers have been here plenty of times before, and couldn't advance. I know they made you nervous in the first two rounds, they sure had me sweating it out as well. The match ups could potentially favor the Panthers. First Xavier and then maybe Duke? I think Villanova will beat Duke, but for the case of this argument let's just assume the Blue Devils advance. Who on these teams will be able to handle Dejuan Blair and the Panthers toughness? Answer is nobody. Yes, the match ups favor the Panthers, they should have no problem advancing. Wait a minute......... we have been down this road before as well. Kent State...anyone?
The fact is, Panther fans have to be on the edge of their seats, hoping for the best, expecting the worse. This team will have let us down again without a trip to Detroit, but I still think it will happen, Nova does strike fear , but that is a payback game and I think the Panthers will be fine.
My problem comes when and if they win the title. How do Panther fans react? What becomes of the expectations of the team every year. What happens when their top 3 players are suddenly gone and the Panthers get young real quick?
All the credit in the world goes to Jamie Dixon and his staff. Dixon knows the goal is simple, win the national championship, but be very careful what you ask for. Let's assume the Panthers cut down the nets in Detroit. What happens when Field, Young and Blair leave (I feel Blair stays around for one more). You don't replace guys like that. Finally the Panthers have guys to build around. What happens if next season the Panthers only reach the Sweet 16? Then the year after, the same results. Are Panther fans gonna suddenly call for Jamie Dixon's head? I hope not, but it will happen.
Take a look at the University of Florida. Billy Donavon has delivered Gator Fans not one, but two titles this decade. Back to back titles, yet Gator fans can't run him out of town fast enough. It doesn't matter that his entire team declared early for the NBA Draft, what matters is he hasn't won a title in a couple of years. What have you don for me lately? how quickly fans forget. Let's not allow Jamie Dixon to come under similar circumstances.
Fact is the Panthers window may be closing for a year or two, so they need to get it done. No matter weather they win the title or lose in the Sweet 16 this week, give Jamie Dixon his just due. Coaches like him don't come around to often. It would be a shame to run him out of town.
Monday, March 16, 2009
NCAA Tournament facts
It's March Madness time. As much basketball as I watched last week, I still have it in me to see every game of the tourney. I will provide some list of facts to help you win your bracket.
The number one seeds pretty much went as figured with Louisville getting the overall #1 seed, followed by Pitt, UNC and U Conn.
Which #1 faces the toughest challenge to get to Detroit
1. Pitt- The Panthers struggle with real athletic teams and I think the East Region is full of them. After the first round game, Pitt faces a tough test every step along the way.
2.Louisville- Potential games against Wake Forest, Kansas, Michigan St and WVU
3. U Conn- Jerome Dyson's injury may finally catch up to the Huskies. A hot Purdue team and athletic teams in Missouri and Memphis in this region.
4. UNC- Assuming Lawson is 100% healthy, the Tar Heels could see Gonzaga, a potentially out of gas Syracuse team and an Oklahoma team that hasn't played it's best ball lately.
Which teams seeded 5 or lower can make a run to the Sweet 16 or beyond.
1. WVU #6 Midwest- I like this team. They can shoot they ball extremely well and Devin Ebanks provides a whole different dimension to Huggins team.
2. Purdue #5 West- Robbie Hummel is healthy so I like the Big 10 champs to win two or 3 games.
3. UCLA #6 East- I actually like the Bruins to get upset right in the first round, but if they survive, Howland's bunch can make a run. Still a good defensive team, great point guard play and one of the best shooting teams in the nation.
4. Arizona St. #6 South- James Harden maybe the best player in the nation that nobody talks about. We have seen it before that one star can carry a team on a run.
Talking upset? Here are your double digit winners in round 1
Midwest
Arizona #12 over #5 Utah - I like the Wildcats here. Jordan Hill and Chase Buddinger are studs and Nic Wise is an excellent guard. They only go 7 deep, but that last team in that everyone always complains about always wins a game.
East
#11VCU over #6UCLA- VCU's Eric Maynor is now a senior. The styles of play are total opposite and VCU could force UCLA into alot of turnovers. Maynor can put a team on his shoulders as we saw in 2007 when they upset Duke and nearly beat Pitt
South
#12Western Kentucky over #5 Illinois- The Illini may be without floor leader Chester Frazier and Western Kentucky is no stranger to tournament success. The Hilltoppers also have beaten Louisville this year.
West
Nothing sticks out here, maybe #13 Miss St. over #4Washington or #10 Maryland over #7 Cal if I had to pick one.
Other Lower seeds I like to win include Sienna and USC.
Let's face it, guard play usually dominates tournament play. If deciding between 2 teams isn't clear cut, then I usually go with the better guard play. With that in mind, here are the best point guards in the tourney.
TOP 10 POINT GUARDS
1. Darren Collison Sr. UCLA- the best all around guard in the nation 15pts 5.5 ast
2. Ty Lawson Jr. UNC- Moved him up one spot after seeing the Heels struggle without him. No guard in the country is a game changer like Lawson. 16pts 6.5ast
3. Levance Fields Sr. Pitt- best assist to turnover ratio in the nation. I love senior guards this time of the year. 11pts 8 ast
4. Jonnie Fylnn So. Syracuse- What guts he showed in the Big East Tourney. Big time play maker for the Orange. 17.3pts
5. A.J. Price Sr. U Conn- Same desciption as Flynn. I really like Price in late game situations. 13pts
6. Jeff Teague So. Wake Forest- Amazingly quick guard that can flat out do it all. 19.4pts
7. Tyreek Evans Fr. Memphis- Since Callapari moved him into the starting lineup, the Tigers have been 20-0. A stat sheet filler. 17 pts
8. Eric Maynor Sr. VCU- Maynor put on a show in tournaments past and can do so again in VCU's high octane offense. 22.5pts 6.5ast
9. Toney Douglas Sr. Florida St.- Runner up to Lawson for ACC player of the year. 21pts
10. Jeremy Pargo Sr. Gonzaga- Doesn't man the point all the time but is a good decision maker on the run as the Zags are the best transition team in the nation.
Players you may not know that are worth watching (in no particular order)
1. Isaiah Thomas Fr. Washington- No, not that Isaiah Thomas. The Huskies freshman guard is electric. 15.4ppg
2. Matt Bouldin Jr. Gonzaga- He plays both the 1 and 2 for the Zags and averages 14 ppg
3. Marcus Thorton Sr. LSU- SEC Player of the Year averages 21pts to go with nearly 7 reb
4. Luke Nevill Sr. Utah- The 7"2 nevill was the MWC Player of the Year. He can do it at both ends of the floor.
5. Tyreese Rice Sr. Boston College- The Eagles point guard can take the game over as he did in an upset over North Carolina. 17.5ppg
6. Kenny Hansbrouck Sr. Sienna- Hansbrouck is the best player on a well coached, well balanced Sienna team.
7. Demar DeRozen Fr. USC- I've included 3 Trojans on this list as they are an under the radar team with good players. DeRozan is the best of the bunch. The freshman is a human highlight reel. He s compared to Vince Carter in the open floor.
8. Daniel Hackett Jr. USC- The Trojans point guard produces at both ends of the floor. He can shoot the ball and is a great on ball defender.
9. Taj Gibson Jr. USC- Tim Flyod's Trojans are one of the better defensive teams in the field and Gibson is the best. The PAC 10 Defensive Player of the Year can be a difference maker.
10. Jordan Hill Jr. Arizona- Hill is recovering from an ankle injury, but if healthy he is as good as any bigman in the nation. Expect him to be a top 5 pick in the NBA Draft if he leaves.
11. Ben Woodside Sr. North Dakota St. - This guy can flat out score. 23ppg
12. DeMarre Carroll Sr. Missourri- Carroll is just one of a very athletic Tigers team. 17ppg
13. Justin Dentmon Sr. Washington- He can shoot the ball. 15ppg
14. Jerome Randle Jr. California- Cal has good guards and Randle is the best of them. 18ppg
15. Jarvis Varando Jr. Mississippi St- This guy can do it all. He can score, rebound and block shots. His 184 blocks on the season set and SEC record and are mnore than 325 other Division I teams.
16. Byron Eaton Sr. Oklahoma St.- Eaton is a stat sheet filler. 15ppg
17. Toney Douglas Sr. Florida St.- Douglas is the leader of the Seminoles and he can score. 21ppg
18. Eric Maynor Sr. VCU- This guy is fun to watch. 22.4ppg 6.5reb, 6.5 as
19. Josh Heytvelt Sr. Gonzaga- Once outplayed Tyler Hansbrough, Heytvelt has had his share of off the court issues, but has shed that to have a very good season. I'm looking forward to a Sweet 16 UNC-Gonzaga game. 15ppg, 7 reb
20.MattHoward So. Butler- Howard is a good all around player and like all Bulldogs, he can shoot the ball. 15ppg
21. Dionte Christmas Sr. Temple- I like watching this guy play. He is exciting offensively, averaging 20ppg.
21. A.J. Slaughter Jr. Western Kentucky- He has won games here before and can do it again. 16ppg.
So I have won a bracket almost every year and expect to do so this year, but it looks tough. The 1 and 2 seeds are head and shoulders above the rest of the class this year and the rest are real good teams but with flaws. When I did my bracket I have 6 of the 8 Elite 8 teams coming from the Big East which probably wont happen so I may go back and make changes, but here it is for now.
First Round lower seeds to win
Sienna, Arizona, USC, Maryland, VCU and Western Kentucky
Sweet 16
Louisville, Wake Forest, WVU(over Kansas), Mich St., U Conn, Purdue, Missou, Memphis, Pitt, FSU, Nova, Duke, UNC, Gonzaga, Syracuse, Oklahoma
Elite 8
Louisville, WVU (over Mich St.), U Conn, Memphis, Pitt, Nova, UNC (I may take Gonzaga still) and Syracuse (I probably will wind up taking Oklahoma)
Final 4
Louisville, Memphis, Pitt (they scare me) and UNC
Finals
Louisville and UNC
Champions
Louisville Cardinals
The number one seeds pretty much went as figured with Louisville getting the overall #1 seed, followed by Pitt, UNC and U Conn.
Which #1 faces the toughest challenge to get to Detroit
1. Pitt- The Panthers struggle with real athletic teams and I think the East Region is full of them. After the first round game, Pitt faces a tough test every step along the way.
2.Louisville- Potential games against Wake Forest, Kansas, Michigan St and WVU
3. U Conn- Jerome Dyson's injury may finally catch up to the Huskies. A hot Purdue team and athletic teams in Missouri and Memphis in this region.
4. UNC- Assuming Lawson is 100% healthy, the Tar Heels could see Gonzaga, a potentially out of gas Syracuse team and an Oklahoma team that hasn't played it's best ball lately.
Which teams seeded 5 or lower can make a run to the Sweet 16 or beyond.
1. WVU #6 Midwest- I like this team. They can shoot they ball extremely well and Devin Ebanks provides a whole different dimension to Huggins team.
2. Purdue #5 West- Robbie Hummel is healthy so I like the Big 10 champs to win two or 3 games.
3. UCLA #6 East- I actually like the Bruins to get upset right in the first round, but if they survive, Howland's bunch can make a run. Still a good defensive team, great point guard play and one of the best shooting teams in the nation.
4. Arizona St. #6 South- James Harden maybe the best player in the nation that nobody talks about. We have seen it before that one star can carry a team on a run.
Talking upset? Here are your double digit winners in round 1
Midwest
Arizona #12 over #5 Utah - I like the Wildcats here. Jordan Hill and Chase Buddinger are studs and Nic Wise is an excellent guard. They only go 7 deep, but that last team in that everyone always complains about always wins a game.
East
#11VCU over #6UCLA- VCU's Eric Maynor is now a senior. The styles of play are total opposite and VCU could force UCLA into alot of turnovers. Maynor can put a team on his shoulders as we saw in 2007 when they upset Duke and nearly beat Pitt
South
#12Western Kentucky over #5 Illinois- The Illini may be without floor leader Chester Frazier and Western Kentucky is no stranger to tournament success. The Hilltoppers also have beaten Louisville this year.
West
Nothing sticks out here, maybe #13 Miss St. over #4Washington or #10 Maryland over #7 Cal if I had to pick one.
Other Lower seeds I like to win include Sienna and USC.
Let's face it, guard play usually dominates tournament play. If deciding between 2 teams isn't clear cut, then I usually go with the better guard play. With that in mind, here are the best point guards in the tourney.
TOP 10 POINT GUARDS
1. Darren Collison Sr. UCLA- the best all around guard in the nation 15pts 5.5 ast
2. Ty Lawson Jr. UNC- Moved him up one spot after seeing the Heels struggle without him. No guard in the country is a game changer like Lawson. 16pts 6.5ast
3. Levance Fields Sr. Pitt- best assist to turnover ratio in the nation. I love senior guards this time of the year. 11pts 8 ast
4. Jonnie Fylnn So. Syracuse- What guts he showed in the Big East Tourney. Big time play maker for the Orange. 17.3pts
5. A.J. Price Sr. U Conn- Same desciption as Flynn. I really like Price in late game situations. 13pts
6. Jeff Teague So. Wake Forest- Amazingly quick guard that can flat out do it all. 19.4pts
7. Tyreek Evans Fr. Memphis- Since Callapari moved him into the starting lineup, the Tigers have been 20-0. A stat sheet filler. 17 pts
8. Eric Maynor Sr. VCU- Maynor put on a show in tournaments past and can do so again in VCU's high octane offense. 22.5pts 6.5ast
9. Toney Douglas Sr. Florida St.- Runner up to Lawson for ACC player of the year. 21pts
10. Jeremy Pargo Sr. Gonzaga- Doesn't man the point all the time but is a good decision maker on the run as the Zags are the best transition team in the nation.
Players you may not know that are worth watching (in no particular order)
1. Isaiah Thomas Fr. Washington- No, not that Isaiah Thomas. The Huskies freshman guard is electric. 15.4ppg
2. Matt Bouldin Jr. Gonzaga- He plays both the 1 and 2 for the Zags and averages 14 ppg
3. Marcus Thorton Sr. LSU- SEC Player of the Year averages 21pts to go with nearly 7 reb
4. Luke Nevill Sr. Utah- The 7"2 nevill was the MWC Player of the Year. He can do it at both ends of the floor.
5. Tyreese Rice Sr. Boston College- The Eagles point guard can take the game over as he did in an upset over North Carolina. 17.5ppg
6. Kenny Hansbrouck Sr. Sienna- Hansbrouck is the best player on a well coached, well balanced Sienna team.
7. Demar DeRozen Fr. USC- I've included 3 Trojans on this list as they are an under the radar team with good players. DeRozan is the best of the bunch. The freshman is a human highlight reel. He s compared to Vince Carter in the open floor.
8. Daniel Hackett Jr. USC- The Trojans point guard produces at both ends of the floor. He can shoot the ball and is a great on ball defender.
9. Taj Gibson Jr. USC- Tim Flyod's Trojans are one of the better defensive teams in the field and Gibson is the best. The PAC 10 Defensive Player of the Year can be a difference maker.
10. Jordan Hill Jr. Arizona- Hill is recovering from an ankle injury, but if healthy he is as good as any bigman in the nation. Expect him to be a top 5 pick in the NBA Draft if he leaves.
11. Ben Woodside Sr. North Dakota St. - This guy can flat out score. 23ppg
12. DeMarre Carroll Sr. Missourri- Carroll is just one of a very athletic Tigers team. 17ppg
13. Justin Dentmon Sr. Washington- He can shoot the ball. 15ppg
14. Jerome Randle Jr. California- Cal has good guards and Randle is the best of them. 18ppg
15. Jarvis Varando Jr. Mississippi St- This guy can do it all. He can score, rebound and block shots. His 184 blocks on the season set and SEC record and are mnore than 325 other Division I teams.
16. Byron Eaton Sr. Oklahoma St.- Eaton is a stat sheet filler. 15ppg
17. Toney Douglas Sr. Florida St.- Douglas is the leader of the Seminoles and he can score. 21ppg
18. Eric Maynor Sr. VCU- This guy is fun to watch. 22.4ppg 6.5reb, 6.5 as
19. Josh Heytvelt Sr. Gonzaga- Once outplayed Tyler Hansbrough, Heytvelt has had his share of off the court issues, but has shed that to have a very good season. I'm looking forward to a Sweet 16 UNC-Gonzaga game. 15ppg, 7 reb
20.MattHoward So. Butler- Howard is a good all around player and like all Bulldogs, he can shoot the ball. 15ppg
21. Dionte Christmas Sr. Temple- I like watching this guy play. He is exciting offensively, averaging 20ppg.
21. A.J. Slaughter Jr. Western Kentucky- He has won games here before and can do it again. 16ppg.
So I have won a bracket almost every year and expect to do so this year, but it looks tough. The 1 and 2 seeds are head and shoulders above the rest of the class this year and the rest are real good teams but with flaws. When I did my bracket I have 6 of the 8 Elite 8 teams coming from the Big East which probably wont happen so I may go back and make changes, but here it is for now.
First Round lower seeds to win
Sienna, Arizona, USC, Maryland, VCU and Western Kentucky
Sweet 16
Louisville, Wake Forest, WVU(over Kansas), Mich St., U Conn, Purdue, Missou, Memphis, Pitt, FSU, Nova, Duke, UNC, Gonzaga, Syracuse, Oklahoma
Elite 8
Louisville, WVU (over Mich St.), U Conn, Memphis, Pitt, Nova, UNC (I may take Gonzaga still) and Syracuse (I probably will wind up taking Oklahoma)
Final 4
Louisville, Memphis, Pitt (they scare me) and UNC
Finals
Louisville and UNC
Champions
Louisville Cardinals
Friday, March 6, 2009
Pitt Panthers surprise Brandin Knight
As we head into the Big East clash of the year when U Conn comes to The Pete to take on the Pitt Panthers, I want to take a look into the past. As we get ready to see Blair vs. Thabeet Round 2, I wanna talk about how the Panthers made it to this stage in the first place.
If you were in attendance at the Pitt-Marquette game on Wednesday, then you got an added surprise of watching the Panthers retire the jersey of former point guard and current assistant coach Brandin Knight.
If you were surprised, then you weren't nearly as surprised as Knight, who had no clue it was coming. It was only two weeks ago I had suggested that the Panthers raise Knight's #20 to the rafters and I'm glad they did. A very classy move by the University of Pittsburgh.
Knight wasn't the best, but he is the guy to me that got the turnaround started. He was the first to buy in to the Howland (now Dixon) system. He was the first to buy into defense first, buy into team basketball over individual success. He left a legacy of great point guards at Pitt. he passed the torch to Carl Krauser (who I couldn't stand) and Krauser passed it to Levance Fields. Fields has Ashton Gibbs ready to carry the torch next season.
Knight was the first to make the Big East title game an annual date for the Panthers, as he got the team there 3 times (2001-2003). He won 2 Big East regular season titles in 2002 and 2003. Under Knight, Pitt reached the Sweet Sixteen both seasons. Knight capped it off by leading Pitt to their first Big East Tournament Championship in 2002-03. With Knight at the helm, Pitt nearly played .700 ball during his 4 years, compiling an 89-40 record.
A two-time All-American, Knight was also named Big East Co-Player of the year in 2001-02. That season he led the Panthers to a 29-6 record. Knight holds Panther school record for assists (785), career assist per game (6.2), steals (298), assists in a season (251 in 2001-02), and season minutes played (1,284 in 2001-02).
Knight's #20 is the fourth jersey to be retired by the Panthers. He joins Don Hennon, who played at Pitt from 1956-59, Billy Knight (1971-74), and Charles Smith (1984-88).
Knight was the first true leader, Pitt fans got to watch probably since the Sean Miller days. Knight had guts and heart and was a joy to watch play. Much of the success the Panthers are enjoying on the court these days is due to Brandin Knight, who really helped put Pitt back on the basketball map.
If you were in attendance at the Pitt-Marquette game on Wednesday, then you got an added surprise of watching the Panthers retire the jersey of former point guard and current assistant coach Brandin Knight.
If you were surprised, then you weren't nearly as surprised as Knight, who had no clue it was coming. It was only two weeks ago I had suggested that the Panthers raise Knight's #20 to the rafters and I'm glad they did. A very classy move by the University of Pittsburgh.
Knight wasn't the best, but he is the guy to me that got the turnaround started. He was the first to buy in to the Howland (now Dixon) system. He was the first to buy into defense first, buy into team basketball over individual success. He left a legacy of great point guards at Pitt. he passed the torch to Carl Krauser (who I couldn't stand) and Krauser passed it to Levance Fields. Fields has Ashton Gibbs ready to carry the torch next season.
Knight was the first to make the Big East title game an annual date for the Panthers, as he got the team there 3 times (2001-2003). He won 2 Big East regular season titles in 2002 and 2003. Under Knight, Pitt reached the Sweet Sixteen both seasons. Knight capped it off by leading Pitt to their first Big East Tournament Championship in 2002-03. With Knight at the helm, Pitt nearly played .700 ball during his 4 years, compiling an 89-40 record.
A two-time All-American, Knight was also named Big East Co-Player of the year in 2001-02. That season he led the Panthers to a 29-6 record. Knight holds Panther school record for assists (785), career assist per game (6.2), steals (298), assists in a season (251 in 2001-02), and season minutes played (1,284 in 2001-02).
Knight's #20 is the fourth jersey to be retired by the Panthers. He joins Don Hennon, who played at Pitt from 1956-59, Billy Knight (1971-74), and Charles Smith (1984-88).
Knight was the first true leader, Pitt fans got to watch probably since the Sean Miller days. Knight had guts and heart and was a joy to watch play. Much of the success the Panthers are enjoying on the court these days is due to Brandin Knight, who really helped put Pitt back on the basketball map.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
NCAA Basketball Player of the Year
I have been hearing alot of talk about who is the player of the year in men's basketball this year and quite frankly, I can't even believe that there is a discussion. We have heard names thrown around all year, but there is truly only one guy that should be talked about here.
Right now, I think U Conn's AJ Price is playing as well as anyone in the nation, but he isn't even in the running here. I have limited it down to the top 5 candidates and here they are in reverse order.
5. Jodie Meeks- Kentucky This kid is very exciting and can flat out score. he averages 25.1 ppg, good for 5th in the nation. Out of the 6 games of 45 point or more this season, Meeks has 3 of them.
4. Tyler Hansbrough- North Carolina Last years player of the year is averaging 21.2 per game and 7.8 rebounds. Maybe we have just gotten used to his consistent production, but he has done nothing that jumps off the page to give him the award. He has a chance to go down as the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, but the award is for this year.
3. Stephen Curry- Davidson The switch to point guard hasn't slowed Curry down one bit. He leads the nation in scoring at 28.4 per game and also averages 6 assists and nearly 5 rebounds per.
2. Dejuan Blair- Pitt maybe I'm a little too high on him, but i feel he is one of the two most dominant players I have seen all season. Blair averages over 16pts per game to go along with 12.8 rebounds. His 6.0 offense boards per game leads the nation.
Out of that list, I would give the award to Blair, but not even Dejuan should be talked about when it comes to player of the year. That distinction goes to Oklahoma's Blake Griffen and it should be unanimous.
Both Blair and Griffen are truly men among boys on the court, but Griffen's performance has truly been the most dominant of the season. He averages 21.9 ppg and 14 reb per game and has kept the Sooners in the top 5 in the nation all season. Blair maybe the front runner next season if he stays, but this year, Blake Griffen is hands down your player of the year.
That's not to say he is the better player, he has though had the best season. I for one would love to see the Pitt-Oklahoma game and the Blair-Griffen duel. Hopefully we will see it in Detroit.
Right now, I think U Conn's AJ Price is playing as well as anyone in the nation, but he isn't even in the running here. I have limited it down to the top 5 candidates and here they are in reverse order.
5. Jodie Meeks- Kentucky This kid is very exciting and can flat out score. he averages 25.1 ppg, good for 5th in the nation. Out of the 6 games of 45 point or more this season, Meeks has 3 of them.
4. Tyler Hansbrough- North Carolina Last years player of the year is averaging 21.2 per game and 7.8 rebounds. Maybe we have just gotten used to his consistent production, but he has done nothing that jumps off the page to give him the award. He has a chance to go down as the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, but the award is for this year.
3. Stephen Curry- Davidson The switch to point guard hasn't slowed Curry down one bit. He leads the nation in scoring at 28.4 per game and also averages 6 assists and nearly 5 rebounds per.
2. Dejuan Blair- Pitt maybe I'm a little too high on him, but i feel he is one of the two most dominant players I have seen all season. Blair averages over 16pts per game to go along with 12.8 rebounds. His 6.0 offense boards per game leads the nation.
Out of that list, I would give the award to Blair, but not even Dejuan should be talked about when it comes to player of the year. That distinction goes to Oklahoma's Blake Griffen and it should be unanimous.
Both Blair and Griffen are truly men among boys on the court, but Griffen's performance has truly been the most dominant of the season. He averages 21.9 ppg and 14 reb per game and has kept the Sooners in the top 5 in the nation all season. Blair maybe the front runner next season if he stays, but this year, Blake Griffen is hands down your player of the year.
That's not to say he is the better player, he has though had the best season. I for one would love to see the Pitt-Oklahoma game and the Blair-Griffen duel. Hopefully we will see it in Detroit.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Week in Review- Pitt Panthers
I'm not that thrilled by what i saw from the Pitt Panthers this week. To recap
mon: Pitt rises to number 1 in the nation for the second time this year
tues: Pitt gets destroyed by Providence 81-73. Don't let the score fool you, they got thumped. Pitt was down 20 on more than 1 occasion.
sat Pitt beats Seton hall 89-78.
Going 1-1 in the Big east with both games on the road is acceptable, but many things bothered me this week from this team. First of all, the soundbites. Several Panthers, including Blair, Gibbs and Fields had something like this to say, "The ranking is nice, but we already know we are the best team in the nation."
Excuse Me? Who have you ever beaten when it counts to say that. Newsflash, the best team in the nation is the one who will cut the nets down in Detroit this year. That may be the Panthers, but so far they have accomplished nothing to be able to go out and proclaim it.
Tuesday's game was tough to watch, but every team has games like that: on the road, Providence fighting for their tournament lives, Senior night, etc. Hey it happens. What bothered me was the lack of emotion that the Panthers always have. It appeared as if they took it for granted and just went through the motions.
Saturday at the Hall, the first half was more of the same, until the Panthers got their act together in the second half and cruised to a win. Sam Young scored 29 in the win.
Problems
1. What happened to the guard play? Pitt entered the week averaging less than 10 turnovers per game. Pitt turned the ball over 41 times in the two games. That will send you home early in March.
2. Pressure- Providence applied some, but Seton Hall pressed the entire game. Louisville plays the same way and beat Pitt. Pitt simply is not doing a good job against the press. Other teams will start pressuring the Panthers in the backcourt and they are going to have to prove they can handle it.
3.Defense- Look I like the up-tempo game as much as the next guy, but I just don't think the Panthers should rely on running all the time. Let's refocus on the in your face defense that creates bad shots and turnovers to get buckets. They have the offensive talent to score in a half-court game. Teams are shooting a better percentage against the Panthers and are getting to the basket way to easy.
With all that being said, Pitt is still a number 1 seed unless they totally collapse this week, and it doesn't get easier with Marquette and U Conn (both at home though). Dejuan Blair appeared to hurt his knee and I've gotten no reports on it, but he finished Saturday's game fine.
mon: Pitt rises to number 1 in the nation for the second time this year
tues: Pitt gets destroyed by Providence 81-73. Don't let the score fool you, they got thumped. Pitt was down 20 on more than 1 occasion.
sat Pitt beats Seton hall 89-78.
Going 1-1 in the Big east with both games on the road is acceptable, but many things bothered me this week from this team. First of all, the soundbites. Several Panthers, including Blair, Gibbs and Fields had something like this to say, "The ranking is nice, but we already know we are the best team in the nation."
Excuse Me? Who have you ever beaten when it counts to say that. Newsflash, the best team in the nation is the one who will cut the nets down in Detroit this year. That may be the Panthers, but so far they have accomplished nothing to be able to go out and proclaim it.
Tuesday's game was tough to watch, but every team has games like that: on the road, Providence fighting for their tournament lives, Senior night, etc. Hey it happens. What bothered me was the lack of emotion that the Panthers always have. It appeared as if they took it for granted and just went through the motions.
Saturday at the Hall, the first half was more of the same, until the Panthers got their act together in the second half and cruised to a win. Sam Young scored 29 in the win.
Problems
1. What happened to the guard play? Pitt entered the week averaging less than 10 turnovers per game. Pitt turned the ball over 41 times in the two games. That will send you home early in March.
2. Pressure- Providence applied some, but Seton Hall pressed the entire game. Louisville plays the same way and beat Pitt. Pitt simply is not doing a good job against the press. Other teams will start pressuring the Panthers in the backcourt and they are going to have to prove they can handle it.
3.Defense- Look I like the up-tempo game as much as the next guy, but I just don't think the Panthers should rely on running all the time. Let's refocus on the in your face defense that creates bad shots and turnovers to get buckets. They have the offensive talent to score in a half-court game. Teams are shooting a better percentage against the Panthers and are getting to the basket way to easy.
With all that being said, Pitt is still a number 1 seed unless they totally collapse this week, and it doesn't get easier with Marquette and U Conn (both at home though). Dejuan Blair appeared to hurt his knee and I've gotten no reports on it, but he finished Saturday's game fine.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Number 1 Again
What a great season of college basketball so far. There are so many good teams and players out there, that great games and moments are happening on a daily basis. But who is the nation's best team? As postseason play rapidly approaches, I have to agree with the current polls and say it's the Pittsburgh Panthers.
After waiting 101 years for their first number one ranking, the Panthers have achieved it for the second time this season. It's nice to be number 1 on Feb 23, but it means absolutely nothing. Jamie Dixon and the Panthers would like to be number 1 the first Monday in April.
Going into this season it appeared that the North Carolina Tarheels were head and shoulders above any team in the nation, but that is simply not the case. If any team in the nation is more dominant than the rest it is the Panthers. I feel the top 5 teams in the nation: Pitt, U Conn, Oklahoma, UNC and Memphis are about as even as they get and you can add Louisville into that group as well. Any of these teams can defeat the rest on any given night.
5 reasons why Pitt will win the national title
1. Physical Play- Pitt will wear you down physically. Very few teams in the nation can match up with them physically. You saw U Conn's Hasheem Thabeet fall victim to Pitt"s physicality. He wasn't the first and won't be the last.
2. Dejuan Blair- Blair flat out has been a man among boys this season and as long as he can stay out of foul trouble, I like him against any big man in the nation, including Hansbrough and Griffin.
3. Senior Leadership- Senior laden teams tend to really do well in March, and the combination of Young, Fields and Biggs will be no different. They have a goal and are determined to reach it.
4. Levance Fields- Guard play is huge in March and I put Fields up against any guard in the nation. His assist to turnover ration is tops in the nation and having him out there is like having a second head coach on the floor.
5. Jamie Dixon- Dixon doesn't get the respect he deserves as one of the games top coaches and he won't til he gets the Panthers past the Sweet 16. Despite that, Dixon should be mentioned among the games elite coaches.
5 Reasons they won't
1. Dejuan Blair- No team is directly affected by the way the game is officiated like the Panthers. If they run into a tightly called game in the tourney like they usually do, then they could be in trouble. Blair must stay out of foul trouble or Pitt has no chance.
2. Perimeter Shooting- The pressure will be on Jermaine Dixon, Brad Wannamaker and Ashton Gibbs to knock down jumpers or it will be another early exit.
3. Past history- The Panthers haven't advanced past the Sweet 16 under Dixon and that's all they will be hearing until they do it.
4. Defense- This Pitt just isn't as good defensively as teams past. At times that sacrafice defense for offense. They don't guard the perrimeter well and their on ball defense is lacking at times.
5. Free throw shooting- The kryptonite for Pitt teams for years. I have no answers here, but the Panthers haven't been good from the charity stripe in about 15 years. It can cost them a tournament game. Exhibit 1- the 2008 Memphis Tigers
Having said all that i still like this team to make a long run and possibly cut down the nets when it's all said and done. This is the first Pitt team that is not just a great defensive team. The Panthers can score with any team in the nation offensively and I believe it will continue through the tournament.
After waiting 101 years for their first number one ranking, the Panthers have achieved it for the second time this season. It's nice to be number 1 on Feb 23, but it means absolutely nothing. Jamie Dixon and the Panthers would like to be number 1 the first Monday in April.
Going into this season it appeared that the North Carolina Tarheels were head and shoulders above any team in the nation, but that is simply not the case. If any team in the nation is more dominant than the rest it is the Panthers. I feel the top 5 teams in the nation: Pitt, U Conn, Oklahoma, UNC and Memphis are about as even as they get and you can add Louisville into that group as well. Any of these teams can defeat the rest on any given night.
5 reasons why Pitt will win the national title
1. Physical Play- Pitt will wear you down physically. Very few teams in the nation can match up with them physically. You saw U Conn's Hasheem Thabeet fall victim to Pitt"s physicality. He wasn't the first and won't be the last.
2. Dejuan Blair- Blair flat out has been a man among boys this season and as long as he can stay out of foul trouble, I like him against any big man in the nation, including Hansbrough and Griffin.
3. Senior Leadership- Senior laden teams tend to really do well in March, and the combination of Young, Fields and Biggs will be no different. They have a goal and are determined to reach it.
4. Levance Fields- Guard play is huge in March and I put Fields up against any guard in the nation. His assist to turnover ration is tops in the nation and having him out there is like having a second head coach on the floor.
5. Jamie Dixon- Dixon doesn't get the respect he deserves as one of the games top coaches and he won't til he gets the Panthers past the Sweet 16. Despite that, Dixon should be mentioned among the games elite coaches.
5 Reasons they won't
1. Dejuan Blair- No team is directly affected by the way the game is officiated like the Panthers. If they run into a tightly called game in the tourney like they usually do, then they could be in trouble. Blair must stay out of foul trouble or Pitt has no chance.
2. Perimeter Shooting- The pressure will be on Jermaine Dixon, Brad Wannamaker and Ashton Gibbs to knock down jumpers or it will be another early exit.
3. Past history- The Panthers haven't advanced past the Sweet 16 under Dixon and that's all they will be hearing until they do it.
4. Defense- This Pitt just isn't as good defensively as teams past. At times that sacrafice defense for offense. They don't guard the perrimeter well and their on ball defense is lacking at times.
5. Free throw shooting- The kryptonite for Pitt teams for years. I have no answers here, but the Panthers haven't been good from the charity stripe in about 15 years. It can cost them a tournament game. Exhibit 1- the 2008 Memphis Tigers
Having said all that i still like this team to make a long run and possibly cut down the nets when it's all said and done. This is the first Pitt team that is not just a great defensive team. The Panthers can score with any team in the nation offensively and I believe it will continue through the tournament.
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