Pittsburgh News, Ray Mernagh

PITT RAISES BANNER, FAN’S NERVES IN OPENING WIN OVER WOFFORD

Panthers rally from 13 points down in second half to escape opener with win

by RAY MERNAGH

Last night Pittsburgh raised a banner in honor of its Elite Eight team and played video messages from Tyrell Biggs in Greece, Levance Fields in Russia, Sam Young in Memphis and D-Blair from the Alamo all on the scoreboard that hovers over center court at the Peterson Events Center. Biggs’ message for Gary McGhee to “grab some rebounds” got a big cheer from the decent-sized crowd (especially for a high school football playoff night in Western Pennsylvania).

They raised the banner… and then Pitt played the first 3/4th’s of the game as if they were waiting for those four guys to show up and save them. Missed shots, not blocking out, getting beat off the dribble, and not getting out on shooters all plagued the Panthers against a highly-skilled Wofford group that went into the locker room at halftime with a 31-24 lead. Wofford continued to get great shots off their half-court action in the second half as well, and when Wofford’s Junior Salters hit a three-pointer from Squirrel Hill and did his best imitation of Antoine Walker’s shimmy-shake, things looked kind of dire. Yes, a So-Con sniper was dancing on Pitt’s floor, the Terrier bench was up screaming, and about an 80% filled “Pete” was wondering if their new-look Panthers would roll over and die.

Then Dante Taylor made a play.

Followed by a Brad Wanamaker drive.

Followed by a knuckleball three-pointer by Nas Robinson (hey it was Friday the 13th right?).

All of a sudden it was 41-38 and a much quieter Wofford bench called a timeout.

Wofford — and I can’t emphasize enough how good this team will be in the So-Con — responded like a good team should with a 7-0 run of their own, forcing a Pittsburgh TO with 10:32 left and the Terriers up 48-38. The Terriers had taken Pitt’s best shot and responded with their own hay-maker. Once again, especially after the brilliant Noah Dahlman blew by Gary McGhee for his 16th point of the night (he’d finish with 20 and 7) Pitt seemed on the brink once again, down 50-41.

Then Wanamaker, with a little help from his friends (especially McGhee) went to work. He hit a jumper off a pass from Tra Woodall to make it 50-43. Wofford’s Brad Loesing (who hit every shot he took on his way to 13 points, 4 assists and 0 turnovers) hit two free throws to stretch the lead to nine again. The teams exchanged again when Tra Woodall’s jumper was followed by Tim Johnson’s only bucket of the night– 54-45 Wofford.

Once again cue Wanamaker: the junior grabs a defensive rebound and heads straight to the bucket and converts (54-47 Wofford). McGhee then makes the biggest plays of his career by blocking Dahlman not once but twice, before coming away with a huge rebound. Wanamaker gets a questionable call out beyond the three-point line and buries all three freebies to cut the Terrier lead to 54-50 with 5:05 left on the clock. Suddenly the crowd, waiting for a chance all night, is into it. Wofford’s Terry Martin gets a huge put-back (after Taylor’s inexperience causes him to try and tip the rebound to a teammate instead of snatching it) to give his team some breathing room, but Wanamaker again goes straight to the rack, takes the hit and finishes. He also hits the free throw and now it’s outright bedlam in the Pete.

56-53 with 4:08 to go.

Dahlman gets his 18th point to go down, but Wanamaker responds yet again, this time finding Dante Taylor for a slam that again cuts the lead to three (58-55).

All of a sudden this season-opener has turned into a mid-season-type barn burner and the crowd, which Jamie Dixon would mention in his postgame comments several times, rises to the occasion with their energy. After a Salters miss, Dante Taylor hits 1-2 from the line and Jamie Dixon subs him out for McGhee (which shows why Dixon, and not the 9 or 10 thousand “coaches” in the arena, including myself, gets the big money). Salters misses a three-pointer (bad shot) and McGhee chins a key defensive board out-letting the ball to Wanamaker, who goes to the rack again and gets fouled. He misses the crucial pair from the line but McGhee, for the second time tonight, makes the biggest play of his career by coming up with the board, scoring and getting fouled to tie things up at 58. McGhee then gives Pitt their first lead since they led 2-0 by draining the free throw.

Wofford looks truly shaken for the first time all night.

59-58 Pitt.

Dahlman then runs a sweet pick and roll with Cameron Rundles for a layup to cut it to a point 61-60 with just under 30 seconds left. Ashton Gibbs gets fouled and hits both free throws to extend it to three (63-60) and Dixon immediately calls a timeout. 17.5 seconds left and Wofford has the ball.

Instead of running a pick and pop out for a three (something that’s been open all night) or going straight to the rim for a quick two, Wofford ends up getting a terrible shot after running a series of dribble handoffs for about 15 seconds. Dixon’s adjustment in the huddle before the last possession, telling his team to switch/jump out on any ball screens was huge. It surprised Wofford and threw their timing off. Dahlman also doesn’t run away from the fray and circle around (something his coach said he wanted him to do) and instead makes it even more crowded up top by trying a flair cut to the same-side wing after setting a screen.

Dixon is happy after the game, both because his team had to fight, and that they responded to get the win against a good team. It’s clear that he’s relishing coaching this group. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow to see how much better we can get,” he told me after the game. He was also excited the way the crowd got into it and backed his young squad. This type of understanding/supportive home crowd will be crucial all year because, quite frankly, this team needs it.

Dante Taylor (13 and 5 in 19 minutes) will continue to get better the more he plays. Wanamaker looks like a guy that can grow into the steady hand/make a play when they need it type of guy. Woodall struggled but that didn’t stop him from making some crucial shots to keep Pitt within a reasonable distance. Nas Robinson had 9 and 5 and shot 4-7. Chase Adams needs to shoot it when he has an open look (I’m sure the coaches will tell him that). There were three or four times he had a foot between him and his man on the three-point-line and he didn’t look to pull. Ashton Gibbs, who shot 3-12, “will make those shots next game” said Dixon.

And McGhee? If he can get 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks all the time the Pittsburgh staff will be jumping for joy.

It’s a new day for Pitt hoops with a lot of new players.

One thing was familiar though — they won.

Quick Note On Duquesne’s Saunders

About a mile down the road from the Pete last night Damian Saunders was showing why he just might be the best all-around player in the A-10. Saunders finished with 17, points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and a block as the Dukes turned a three-point deficit at the half into an 85-62 win over Nicholls State. Saunders is a 6-7 do-everything forward who would be at Marquette right now if Dominic James had stayed in the NBA draft after his sophomore year. Melquan Bolding, another talented Duke, put up 25 points. Saunders will be a tough match up for everyone this season, including Pittsburgh in a few weeks in the annual “City Game.”

*********Follow NBE Sports on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NBESports*****