McDonald’s Game

MERNAGH: ALL PITT DOES IS WIN

Pitt finished off Villanova yesterday 60-50 on what was a sweet Senior Day for the Panthers.

The win clinched the Big East Regular Season Championship for Pitt and the #1 seed in the upcoming Big East Tournament. It’s widely believed that the Panthers will also be a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament when the brackets are announced a week from today.

The Panther body of work – I italicise the phrase because it always makes me laugh to think it’s used to describe the accomplishments of sweaty 18-22 year-old ballers and not sweaty 18-22 year-old supermodels — is exquisite.

A 27-4 overall record with the one out of conference loss coming to Tennessee, a team as talented and mercurial as their head coach Bruce Pearl.

15-3 in the Big East with the 3 losses coming on a buzzer-beater on the road (St. John’s), an overtime thriller on the road (Louisville), and a Ben Hansbrough-led five-point loss to the second best regular season team in the league (Notre Dame).

The Panthers were expected to win the deepest conference in the country — a conference some experts incorrectly thought was down heading into the season — and they did. They were ranked in the top-five nationally in every preseason poll and finished the regular season there.

Basketball is still a game that, more often than not, rewards groups that work together. Groups that help each other. Groups that sacrifice the me for the we. Groups that get in the weight room and actually pound plates of metal and steel for hours at a time. And finally, the game tends to reward Groups that consist of really good basketball players.

And that’s where a lot of folks got it twisted with this exact same group of players just fifteen months ago.

Brad Wanamaker was the kid that would never live up to the greatness that the Pitt coach kept insisting was inside of him.

Gary McGhee was the center that would never contribute anything besides picking up his five fouls and grabbing the occasional defensive rebound in his area.

Gilbert Brown would never live up to his talent level.

Nasir Robinson would never be capable, at 6’5″, of contributing offensively at the 4 position.

Ashton Gibbs would never be anything more than a spot-up shooter.

Travon Woodall would never be a quality Big East point guard.

Dante Taylor was being questioned because he was producing numbers right in the middle of all the McDonald’s All Americans from his class, while Lamar Patterson and Talib Zanna were both being put in the “Pitt can’t recruit talented players” bin already.

And hilariously it continues, even on the morning after Pitt won its third outright Big East title.

I uttered a befuddled “what?” 20 minutes ago when my business partner let me know in a text that Brad Wanamaker was voted 2nd team All Big East by the coaches. It took me back to a discussion I’ve had with Brandin Knight more than once about Pitt’s philosophy in recruiting the types of players they do.

They recruit kids that come from winning programs. Kids that they think will get along with the players they already have. Kids with chips on their shoulders (somebody re-size Wanamaker’s shoulder because the Big East coaches just threw another boulder up there). Knights main point was that the staff, led by Jamie Dixon, recruits kids that they think will contribute to an elite Big East program, not kids that writers or scouts or even Ronald McDonald thinks will.

Gary McGhee is a load in the post defensively and a load on the offensive glass. His 3 offensive rebounds (10 total), especially his putback over two guys while in the air in the second half, were huge.

Gilbert Brown hit a three to give him 1,000 points for his career. He defended like he usually does with his length and strength, set good screens and hit all four of his freebies.

Brad Wanamaker went 0-5 from the field but delivered 6 extra large assists in a game that was slowed to a crawl because Jay Wright knew that was ‘Nova’s only chance. He also hit 3-4 free throws and grabbed 5 rebounds while playing with foul trouble.

Nas Robinson shot 4-6 from the field and finished with 9 points.

Gibbs made big shot after big shot, finishing with 18 points and 0 turnovers.

Woodall hit 5-6 free throws, dished out 3 assists and hit a huge runner off the glass late when the game was still in doubt.

Taylor finished with 4 points and 5 rebounds (4 offensive) in 15 minutes on a still sore knee.

Patterson hit all four of his free throws.

In other words a total Group effort and smiles all around afterwards. No down faces over numbers. No worries about touches. Just pure joy over a task accomplished together.

I asked assistant Pat Skerry to describe this team after working with them all year. Skerry is a first-year assistant, new to the program so I thought his would be a fresh take: “Cohesive and selfless group,” said Skerry. “They’re driven daily and understand winning.”

In other words….Champions.

MCDONALD’S Q&A: 10 WITH JAYVAUGHN PINKSTON

by PAT STEVENS

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tom Konchalski makes the Jamal Mashburn comparison, but Jayvaughn Pinkston never saw him play.

He doesn’t go as far back to the three amigos – ‘Dre, Omar and Taliek.

Not even Charlie V.

Jayvaughn Pinkston just hoops, and in just a few years of working on his game he’s gotten himself to the McDonald’s All-American game just like those five Big East New Yorkers before him.

The Villanova-bound forward took some time with NBE for some light quick-hitters at Tuesday’s media day before hitting the court for the annual senior send-off Wednesday night on ESPN.

-Earliest Memory of McDonald’s Game…

Pinkston: I didn’t start playing basketball until late so I don’t really have one. Just when I found out that this was the biggest game I knew I wanted to be in it someday. It’s a great honor.
———————

-Anybody You Would Add To The McDonald’s Game…

Pinkston: Nobody particular. I felt everyone was good here.
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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (4/1/2009)

With the coaching carousel in college basketball in full swing, beware of the April Fool’s jokes. Last year it was no joking manner, but Tom Crean shocked the Marquette faithful when he left for Indiana on April 1st. Will a big coaching domino fall today. One thing is certain, John Calipari’s move from Memphis to Kentucky will cause some recruiting waves.

Elsewhere in college basketball, two Big East teams are gearing up for the Final Four as UConn and Villanova continue preparations to do battle. The Wildcats hope their previous Ford Field basketball experience is of help while the Huskies should get an emotional lift on their bench and in pre-game warmups.

Louisville is preparing for next season and Pittsburgh will be adding a big man to the line-up already possessing the Pitt will to improve. The NBA early entry decisions have begun to trickle in, and one Big East player is off to the NBA and not looking back.

Lance Stephenson is back in a holding pattern. Jeremy Tyler could be the next Stephenson as a documentary film star. Tyler, in the class of 2010, is already committed to a Big East school.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (3/26/2008)

Syracuse can close the curtain on their season with one final collapse, now all their fans have their eyes set on an upcoming decision from Donte Greene on his future. The Providence College coaching search continues, but the names involved seem to stay about the same.

Villanova, West Virginia continue to prepare for this week’s Sweet 16 match-ups.

Several recruiting notes including fallout from Rutgers big week and will it sway players like Devin Ebanks and Dominic Cheek to give RU a closer look? Frank Ben-Eze has narrowed his list this spring to five schools. Gary Flowers’ list might be expanding to include up to three Big East schools. A 2009 JUCO has interest from UConn. Dalton Pepper has a pair of Big East schools at the top of his list. Tyreke Evans is not the only unsigned McDonald’s All-American with Big East schools hoping to sign him this spring, Scotty Hopson is in the same boat.

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ZAG’S HURLEY NIGHT RECRUITING NOTEBOOK

By ADAM ZAGORIA

A slew of Big East and other Division I coaches were in the gym at St. Peter’s College Thursday night for “Hurley Night,” a nationally televised doubleheader featuring Danny Hurley’s St. Benedict’s team and Bob Hurley’s St. Anthony team.

The Hurley family came out on top in both games on ESPN and father and son are now a combined 49-1 on the season.

St. Benedict’s handled North Carolina-bound Ed Davis and Benedictine (Va.), 58-44, in the first game, and Rutgers-bound Mike Rosario and St. Anthony knocked off Tyreke Evans and American Christian (Pa.), 64-53, in the second game.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES

March 28, 2007

We are recharging the ‘Blogger Batteries’ a bit, so I apologize for the sporadic posting of the last week. We are also working hard at redesigning the website to a more stable internet presence that will hopefully include a few new contributors from around the geographical Big East region keeping everyone up to date on High School and AAU action in the areas of interest to Big East fans. We are striving to make this site, in the future, be your best source of Big East Basketball information in a one-stop shopping sort of way…

So, don’t worry if you see some sporadic posting in the next few weeks. We are keeping up to date on all the happenings around the league and are already preparing for next season!

But wait, there is still basketball THIS season! Georgetown will participate in the Final Four this weekend and West Virginia will play for the NIT championshipo this week after last night’s exciting NIT Semifinal victory over Mississippi State which WVU Won at the Buzzer (Charleston Gazette) on a Darris Nichols’ 3-pt shot to lift WVU to a 63-62 win. The Mountaineers trailed by as much as 14 points (44-30) in the 2nd half and Nichols capped the comeback with his shot off an inbounces play with 2.1 econds left after Mississippi State missed a FT and failed to come up with a defensive rebound after Nichols missed a first attempt to win the game. Nichols led the Mountianeers with 17 points and senior Frank Young chipped in 16.

The tricky part of March and early April in college basketball is the coaching carousel that has become a new phenomenon in the college basketball landscape. It coincides with the late signing period and can turn some programs upside down. We have already seen high-major programs such as Kentucky, Iowa, Michigan, Arkansas and South Florida have job openings that will certainly be coveted. Seth Davis of CNNSI gives his basketball thoughts in his Quick Shots Column on the coaching carousel which will amp up this weekend at the Final Four. He feels that Marquette’s Tom Crean will be headed to Kentucky after they fail to land Florida’s Billy Donovan. Villanova’s Jay Wright has also been mentioned by media sources as a potential candidate, but UK Hasn’t Southt Permission to Talk with Villanova Coach (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Most of the information regarding Michigan seems to center around Lon Kruger, but West Virginia head coach John Beilein’s name continues to be mentioned as well. Beilein does have a monstrous buy-out clause attached to his WVU contract that makes it very difficult for him to move. However, Bob Wojnowski does not believe Beilein would be ‘exciting’ enough for Michigan and wonders Would U-M Be Settling for Beilein? (DetNews.com). Hopefully Beilein will stay in the Big East, but after years of Tommy Amaker, wouldn’t someone who can actually coach be enticing to those around Michigan?

South Florida seemed to put all their eggs in the Gregg Marshall basket, but the Coach Remains at Winthrop, For Now (Charleston Post & Courier) at least. I agree with Greg Auman of the St. Pete Times that if Stan Heath, formerly of Arkansas and Kent State, is interested, the Bulls should at least consider him. In Auman’s blog, he indicates that the Hog’s Heath is Interested in USF. USF has interviewed Marshall, Fran Fraschilla, Pete Gillen and South Alabama coach Doug Pelphrey and Fraschilla is the Latest to Reject Bulls Overtures (Tampa Trib), joining Marshall and Pelphrey as saying no thanks to AD Doug Woolard.

It is also the time that assistants move on. UConn Associate Head coach Tom Moore, 41, has been a candidate several times in the Northeast for job openings the last few years and it looks like this time he will be moving on as Moore Closes in on Quinnipiac Job (Hartford Courant). Moore just completed his 13th season on coach Jim Calhoun’s staff at UConn. He interviewed for a second time with Quinnipiac on Tuesday and also interviewed at St. Bonaventure and was contacted by South Florida. Quinnipiac, which fired Joe DeSantis after a 14-15 season, is offering about $300,000 a year – great pay for a Northeast Conference coach.

In other UConn news, with the announcements that Ben Eaves and Robert Garrison would be leaving the team, the Huskies have two scholarships open for next season and are interested in Donnell Beverly, a point guard from Leuzinger High in Lawndale, Calif. While he is also considering LSU and Cal, Beverly To Make Official Visit to UConn (Hartford Cournat) over Easter weekend.

Earlier this week Georgetown lost an assistant coach as Kevin Broadus has decided to leave the program once their season is done to take over at Binghamption. With the Georgetown Assistant Moving to Binghamption (Post Chronicle), another important assistant opening is available in the Big East as Broadus was a key recruiter in the DC-area for the Hoyas.

The future continues to look bring in the Big East as Two SU Recruits Suit up for McDonald’s Game Tonight (Syracuse Post-Standard) as Dante Green and Jonny Flynnn will put their talents on display. Another Syracuse recruit, Rick Jackson of Neumann-Goretti, was selected to the Philadelphia Daily News 2006-2007 all-city 1st team basketball squad. However, it was a Pitt recruit, Bradley Wanamaker that earned Philadelphia’s Player of the Year according to the Daily News as Wanamaker Displays the Best (Philly Daily News) leading Roman Catholic to a 28-3 record including a City Champsionship where they beat N-G to earn the title and the prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament title where theu beat N-G for a third time as well as Washington DC power DeMatha to become victorious.

We will keep you posted on what is happening in this busy time of change in college basketball!