Heading into the 2022-23 season, optimism seems to be mounting over pessimism for Pitt’s men’s basketball fans for the first time.
Last summer was the most fulfilling for head coach Jeff Capel since joining Pitt’s coaching staff.Every other week seems to have spawned a new addition from the transfer portal or a new top rated high school commit spearheaded by freshman guards Dior Johnson’s Promise of June.
It’s been six seasons since Pitt last appeared in the NCAA Tournament, and nearly a decade since he last won in March. Once one of his great 2000s teams, the program has lost its sense of identity and perhaps part of its fanbase. This season will be a big one for Capel. He knows his team has the talent to turn the program around.
Asked last Monday whether this was the best team in the pits, Capel said: “On paper, I think so.” “But we have to produce. That’s the problem.”
Capel is not wrong. His roster is very strong compared to the last few seasons. In addition to Johnson, he recruited multiple players from the transfer portal, including graduate guard Nellie Cummings, junior forward Blake Hinson, and graduate guard Greg Elliott.
Cummings is an exciting prospect for Pitt’s backcourt. A native of Midland, Pennsylvania, Cummings began his career with Colgate, averaging 14.7 points on 3 of his 36% shooting percentage. He led the Raiders to their second straight league title over the Patriots, and last year’s tournament saw him nearly reverse third-seeded Wisconsin with a 20-point performance.
Johnson is set to team up with Cummings at guard this season, a significant boost to the Panthers’ scoring prowess and playmaking. In 2020, 247Sports will bring Johnson 3rd place high school player Despite dropping to 51st place in 2022, he is still Capel’s top-rated recruit in the pits.
Capel said Dior just “fell in our lap” this offseason, and he was never really on the Panthers’ radar because of his commitments to Oregon.Johnson Aside from his dazzling talent, Capel had to make sure he knew the backstory behind the controversy surrounding the new hire.
“He’s talented. It’s the first thing any kid does,” Capel said. “I knew talent, but it was a question of everything else. Why did you go to so many different schools?
Johnson isn’t just talented; He may be the most talented player Pitt has had in the last decade. 247Sports ranked him as his 2020 projected top 10 pick, comparing him to NBA star De’Aaron Fox. Even in terms of his morale, his impact on the team cannot be underestimated.
This year’s team includes not only talented newcomers, but also established veteran leaders. Senior forward John Hagley, graduate student Jamalius Barton and redshirt senior guard Nike Sibande will provide valuable leadership to the newly formed team.
Burton has his hands full putting together the team’s new backcourt. He recognizes the talent Capel has brought, but he said they won’t be as aggressive and gritty as they were last season.
“We have new talent, but to be one of the best teams we have to look after our defense every night because it moves, especially on the road,” Burton said. rice field. “Hungry and still have that grit to where we want to drag other teams into the mud and play our style of basketball.
Offensively, Burton had a breakout in his first year with the Panthers last season, averaging about 10 points per game and finishing second on the team in assists. The return gave the Panthers more room on the guard.
Unfortunately, the Panthers’ otherwise perfect offseason took a big hit this weekend as the team announced that Hagley suffered a sprained knee in the team’s first week of practice. He’ll be out for at least a few weeks, a major blow to the Panthers’ frontcourt.
When he returns from injury, Hugh Gray will be charged with being the only returning big man on the roster. While they were able to acquire Fede Federico, Inch’s sophomore transfer center, the absence of Hagley in the lineup significantly undermines their presence on Grass.
Before his injury, Hugh Gray talked about how having a shooter on a team undermines his own personal performance and prevents the team from keying in on him.
“You know, it’s great to have shooters,” said Hagley. “Now we can play in single coverage. If a team wants to play in double his coverage, we use open shooters.”
Hagley was the Panthers’ only All-ACC player last season and was named to the honorable mention team after averaging 13 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. must step up significantly to succeed. Jeffeles averaged 3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game last season. He also has an injury, but could be back by the start of the season.
For Capel, this year’s team gives him all the tools he needs to confidently put five players on the court and know what they produce. They have depth on their guard, which inevitably takes the pressure off the frontcourt and keeps them in possession with their aggressive rebounding. When Hagley returns, he knows the pressure is no longer just for him. Instead, Clutch 3 and game-changing defense he has other players in the lineup who can come up with plays.
The older politicians in the line-up know this season is their best chance to do something the Pitt team hasn’t done in the last decade.
“I’m even more hungry [this season]said Burton. “I don’t want to lose anymore. This is my last year, so I want to be at the top. Everyone in this locker room is trying to make this year their best year yet.”
