[jas225Participant]

I decided to participate the forum season preview.  I think it is a great idea. Don’t hate as I’ve never written up a season preview before.  I might have missed some things or messed some things up.  I hope this tells you something you didn’t know about the Pitt team this year.  Let me know if you have any questions after reading this, and I’ll try to answer.  Enjoy

 Pittsburgh Panthers:

The Panthers are coming of yet another disappointing early exit in the NCAA’s after a great regular season winning the big east regular season.  They lose three starters in Mcghee, Brown, and Wannamaker.  It will be another reload season as they can be expected to finish around the top 3 in the big east, similar to the season after they lost Blair, Young, Biggs, and Fields.  Who knows how far they will advance in the tourney (don’t bet too much on them), but they should receive a good seed.  They pride themselves on D’ing you up, and are completely fine with playing in close games.

 Point Guard:  Isaiah Epps comes off a redshirt year.  Incoming freshman John Johnson arrives out of Philly, and Redshirt Junior Travon Woodall is there too.  I’ll start with Woodall.  He still isn’t asserting himself like he has the potential to.  By now a lot of us Pitt fans thought he would be cutting up the D and dishing out assists as a stud PG.  He showed some flashes last year and is very quick, but I am hearing he hasn’t progressed that much over the summer.  John Johnson was one of the leading scorers in the Pittsburgh Pro-Am summer league and is looking like the next gritty point guard for Pitt.  Epps is more of a scorer with a lefty fine touch from three.  His downfall to this point has been being able to stay in front of quick guards, and Jamie prides on defense. 

2’s and 3’s:  At shooting guard a couple of players could play behind Gibbs.  Including Cameron Wright and JJ Moore.  Some of the PG’s could play off the ball if Gibbs is bringing the ball up and controlling the offense.  We all know what Gibbs will give Pitt, 25 ppg is not unreasonable, especially when he will be called on to handle the scoring load.  He has looked a lot different so far.  He is showing quickness and off the dribble moves.  Even looks like he might have a sick crossover now.  Cameron Wright can do a bit of everything, and is great on defense.  JJ Moore is one of the most athletic players in college basketball.  Some of the things you see him do remind you of Gilbert Brown, but Moore is more fluid as a basketball player and more of a natural scorer who can put points up.  At 3 is Lamar Patterson.  Definitely reminds me of Wannamaker.  He has great vision.  He struggled from distance last year, but is a better shooter than that.  Durand Johnson is a young guy with a great shot. Might take a year to get ready to play at the college level. 

Big Men: This is a pretty deep frontcourt for Pitt. Returning junior Dante Taylor should be in for a big improvement this year in stats, as did Mcghee and Gray did when they played for the Panthers.  Every year with Pitt, he has lost weight, added muscle, gotten quicker, and improved his D(which cost him playing time last year).  He has great touch inside and can finish with either hand with baby hooks.  Above average offensive rebounder.  Also returning is Talib Zanna.  He often gets by on his athleticism, because he is a raw basketball player.  He has touch from the outside and is good on the boards.  He excelled early in the season before the Big East schedule started, and then he was less and less a part of the rotation and broke his hand during the NCAA’s.  Heralded recruit Khem Birch is a quick jumper and a great shot blocker.  He is very weak at this point, and he has struggled banging with big men in the Pro-Am.  He still gets his blocks and rebounds, but his offense is limited to put backs and fast break dunks.  Another incoming freshman, Malcolm Gilbert, has shown he might have better shot blocking instincts than Birch.  He averaged something close to 6 blocks per game in the Pro-Am. ( I know I am referencing this Pro-Am as if it will tell us everything, but at least I got to see them play.  Players from WVU, Duquesne, and Pro players such as Blair, Brown showed up to play in games) Lastly, Nasir Robinson is our undersized four man.  He is about 6’5’’, and he gets in dirty in the paint and can take big guys off the dribble on the perimeter.   He doesn’t have a good shot and shot something like 33 percent for FT’s last year.  He is a great and willing passer and a good rebounder and defender.  Most of you know him for fouling at the end of the Butler game.

Projected Rotation:  Jamie Dixon could go a few different ways with these players.  But as it usually does, veterans earn the starting spots.  Gibbs is trying to show he is a PG at the next level, and to get the best players on the court, he might play PG a good bit.  Travon is too inconsistent at this point and is being pushed by the other PG’s to be put down as the starting PG in marker.  Birch has not showed he is ready to start in front of Nas or Taylor yet, but he may by season start.  Some players could play one of three positions depending on what Jamie has in mind at the time, and all the big men can play either position.

PG: Woodall(10 ppg 5 assists)-  Epps, Johnson

SG: Gibbs(23 ppg)- Wright, Durand Johnson

SF: Patterson(10 ppg 6 rebounds 5 assists) –  Moore(10 ppg), Durand Johnson

PF: Robinson(8 ppg 8 rebounds)- Birch, Zanna

C: Taylor(14 ppg 10 rebounds- Gilbert, Birch

 

 

[providencefriars1Participant]

Nice job here, one point I will address is that I highly doubt Patterson gets 5 assists while spliting time with Moore.

[providencefriars1Participant]

Nice job here, one point I will address is that I highly doubt Patterson gets 5 assists while spliting time with Moore.

[M-DYMESParticipant]

I don’t see Patterson getting all that much time.  From the looks of things and the way JJ Moore continues to improve, I think he might breakout and end up taking up a ton of PT come the tourney.  He is very talented, his shot is improving, he can play D, and he is one of the best athletes PITT basketball has ever seen. 

[M-DYMESParticipant]

I don’t see Patterson getting all that much time.  From the looks of things and the way JJ Moore continues to improve, I think he might breakout and end up taking up a ton of PT come the tourney.  He is very talented, his shot is improving, he can play D, and he is one of the best athletes PITT basketball has ever seen. 

[JNixonParticipant]

I am probably the biggest Ashton Gibbs fan on the site. I LOVE his swag on the floor he plays real confident and never is rattled, and he’s an automatic 3-ball shooter and makes no mistakes from the foul line. He also performs well in the clutch. I hope he does well, I saw something special in his game even as a Fr. playing behind Levance Fields and Ronald Ramon and those guys. He just has that confidence about him that stands out.

[JNixonParticipant]

I am probably the biggest Ashton Gibbs fan on the site. I LOVE his swag on the floor he plays real confident and never is rattled, and he’s an automatic 3-ball shooter and makes no mistakes from the foul line. He also performs well in the clutch. I hope he does well, I saw something special in his game even as a Fr. playing behind Levance Fields and Ronald Ramon and those guys. He just has that confidence about him that stands out.

[jas225Participant]

 Thanks for the input.  Yeah I might be overexaggerating Patterson’s passing ability, but it is there.  While Moore has the talent to play and start, he probably won’t start at the beginning of the season.  He will get a lot of time early because Jamie will want to see if he is ready to do what he does, and he may up starting later in the season without a doubt.

[jas225Participant]

 Thanks for the input.  Yeah I might be overexaggerating Patterson’s passing ability, but it is there.  While Moore has the talent to play and start, he probably won’t start at the beginning of the season.  He will get a lot of time early because Jamie will want to see if he is ready to do what he does, and he may up starting later in the season without a doubt.

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