Pitt dominates Pitt-Johnstown, 96-60, in tuneup exhibition
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Pitt called its game Wednesday night against Division II Pitt-Johnstown an exhibition for a reason.
The 96-60 Pitt victory at Petersen Events Center does not count on the Panthers’ overall record, and the outcome mattered less to coach Jeff Capel and his staff than the process employed in securing the victory.
Pitt led from start to finish and by 41 in the final 2 1/2 minutes, but Capel liked the look Pitt-Johnstown gave his team.
”This game was really good for us,” Capel said. “It was more motion, more movement. Those (UPJ) guys cut really, really hard. You have to have your head on a swivel. We have to be able to guard the ball a little bit better.”
Pitt led 48-29 at halftime, but its players finally felt comfortable dealing with UPJ’s movement in the second half. UPJ scored only 10 points in the first 12 minutes after halftime.
“(Guarding movement) is something we have to work on,” Capel said.
Capel also wanted to see how his rebuilt team, especially the backcourt players, responded to an opponent in another color jersey, with the lights turned up bright and people in the stands. He wanted to see how freshman point guards Bub Carrington and Jaland Lowe reacted to the responsibility that was on their shoulders Wednesday and will remain there this season.
Veteran guard Ishmael Leggett, a transfer from Rhode Island who scored 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in a 78-64 victory against Georgetown on Oct. 21, continued his strong efforts with 12 points on four-of-nine shooting. Carrington started at point guard and filled up his stat line with 13 points, seven rebounds and a team-high six assists.
Leggett said he has developed some chemistry with his new teasmmates.
“Two great PGs,” he said of Carrington and Lowe. “They put the ball in the pocket where I need it.”
He said he also has a “great connection” with big men Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham and Federiko Federiko.
“I know whenever Fede gets the ball, if I’m open he’s going to pass it,” Leggett said. “We find each other. Just give and give. It goes both ways.”
Blake Hinson’s shooting was off while missing six of nine shots, but he shared scoring honors with Carrington (13 points) by making six of six free throws. Capel said Hinson’s shots from the field are the least of his concerns.
”He’s a weapon. He did some good things with passing,” the coach said. “We’re not worried about him making shots. He will make shots.”
Pitt recorded 19 assists on 32 baskets and had only seven turnovers, but Capel wasn’t totally pleased. “I know it could have been cleaner,” he said.
Pitt’s starting lineup for this game included Hinson, Carrington, Leggett, Federiko and Zack Austin. For most of the game, the reserves were the Diaz Graham twins, Lowe and William Jeffress, who collected eight points, eight rebounds and three assists after missing all of last season with a foot injury.
“It was really cool to see how excited he was,” Capel said. “Sometimes, you don’t realize how much something means to you until you don’t have it. When we came to the shootaround (earlier Wednesday), he was really excited and I thought he did some really good things defensively.”
Jorge Diaz Graham, who missed time with a foot injury this summer, scored 10 points and was especially active in the paint area. His brother and Jeffress led the team with eight rebounds each.
“(Jorge) was terrific,” Capel said. “Getting back and being able to play, getting his wind back, getting game speed, getting to defending and the physicality of it. Cut very well without the basketball.”