Is it Tourney Time for Pitt Hoops?

Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Roger l. McNamara

So Far, Decent Enough.   An early Season look and guesstimate for its remainder was published in this space nearly three months ago.  It concluded: “A long season still lies ahead with much to be determined.  On the strength of its showing last night the Panthers have given their faithful solid grounds for at least a guarded optimism.”   A strong 2nd Half on this past Tuesday propelled the team to a home court 76-68 conquest of Georgia Tech, moving the full season needle up to 20-8, good for 3rd place in the ACC.  Three remaining regular season tipoffs are both home and away, all with ACC rivals and ending on a March 4 road date down in Coral Gables with 13th ranked Miami of Florida.  With six consecutive losing seasons heading into this one, it marks a distinct and admirable improvement.  Among other noteworthy developments, Jeff Capel has been named to the Naismith Coach of the Year watchlist, in this his “Prove It” campaign.  Still the Panthers linger just two rungs below the AP Top 25, in a recent poll garnering 34 votes good for the 27th spot, North Carolina State’s 54 securing the spot immediately above. 

Leading Contributors.  Capel’s on-court leadership has been spread evenly among a veteran quartet, each having answered the opening tip-off siren for most or all 28 games.  They are:

• Junior Blake Hinson, tall for a Guard at 6’7”, out of Sunrise Christian Academy in Deltona, FL.  Blake has averaged  15.6 points to go with 6.2 boards per game;

• Senior Jamarius Burton, a 6’4” product of Charlotte, NC Independence HS.  He too has put in 15.6 points per outing while dishing out an average of 4.2 assists;

• A local warrior is Senior Nelly Cummings serving his neighboring institution nobly.  Graduated by The Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in nearby Midland, PA, Nelly’s 6’00” frame has delivered per game scoring at just under 11 points while leading the team with 4.7 assists handed out each contest;

• Senior Greg Elliot measures a sturdy 6’3” in height, and while studying and playing his way through the Detroit MI English Village Preparatory Academy honed the skill sets to where be brought 10.9 points and 4.1 rebounds each time on the floor.

Capel and these men would doubtlessly agree that their current season would not have achieved its pleasing results save for the steady underneath play of Sophomore Federiko Federiko (not a misprint). The pride of his native Helsinki in Finland transported all 6’11” to Allegheny County and there set it to good use:  6.6 points, 5.7 boards and nearly 2 blocked shots in 24.5 minutes average per game playing time. 

On To the Tournaments.   The Panthers are now locked with Virginia in a tie for 2nd place in the Atlantic Coast Conference, at 13-4 a game behind Miami and one up on Clemson.  Obviously, much can change, but it seems likely that Pitt will earn at least an opening round bye when Conference tournament play gets underway March 7 in Greensboro, NC.  At the moment Pitt is sturdily in line for an invitation to the NCAA “March Madness” sweepstakes, tipping off on March 14 and concluding with the eventual National Title game on Monday April 3.  The team’s placement in one of the four regional sites will be a product of its showing in the Conference tourney, with inclusion in the East Regional in the realm of possibility.  A further peek into the crystal ball sees Pitt as anywhere from 8th to 12th seeded.   Boosters of the University and all college basketball fans may anticipate loads of excitement --- complete with upsets and other surprises --- in the weeks immediately ahead.