After touring the Canary Islands, Pitt defeats a team of Spanish pros, 86-80
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After three days of travel and sightseeing, Pitt’s basketball team overcame a slow start, a clock malfunction and sweltering heat in the gym to record an 86-80 victory Wednesday against the Tenerife All-Stars in the first game of its 10-day trip to the Canary Islands and Barcelona, Spain.
Blake Hinson (24), transfers Zack Austin (18) and Ishmael Leggett (13) and Guillermo Diaz Graham (13) combined for 68 of Pitt’s points against a team of professional players from Spain.
Pitt fell behind, 22-13, after Tenerife hit three 3-pointers in the opening quarter and scored a late breakaway layup following a clock malfunction that caused the Panthers to stop play.
Hinson made four 3-pointers in a row in the second quarter. Playing near his hometown and with several family members and friends in the crowd, Diaz Graham scored seven points in 10 minutes to help trim the deficit to 44-41 at halftime.
Austin took over in the third quarter, with three 3-pointers, a dunk that delighted the crowd and a finish in the lane. He added another dunk after grabbing a Dior Johnson pass off the backboard to finish the quarter with 15 points. Pitt took a 68-59 after three quarters.
Austin added his fourth 3-pointer and Diaz Graham recorded two of his own in the fourth quarter to help Pitt resist a late rally from Tenerife.
Freshman guards Carleton Carrington and Jaland Lowe also contributed, with Carrington handing out nine assists and adding seven rebounds and three steals to his stat line. Lowe had five assists and a 3-pointer, Johnson two steals and freshman forward Papa Amadou Kante a team-high eight rebounds, including four off the offensive boards.
Next stop for the Panthers is Barcelona where the team will tour the 1992 Olympic venues and play its second game.