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  • Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post

    Toney would be a massive loss. He's their best player in my opinion. McGowens was holding him back and a punk from all reports.
    I hope Toney does stay. He is tough. I'm sure Capel is talking with him. Maybe now that Trey is supposedly leaving he will be more receptive towards sticking around.

    I'm disappointed to hear all of this about Trey. He really did show some flashes at times.

    I guess Horton is supposed to be pretty good and he should take over for Trey next season.

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    • Originally posted by IUP CRIMSON HAWKS View Post

      Yeah, I'm not too worked up over it. He didn't have a great season overall. Some good games but he was way too lackluster too many times. There seemed to be some complaints from some other players that he was spoiled and not on the same page. No idea if it is true. I guess Au'Diese Toney confronted him after a game in February and even went so far as to punch him in the face. Some think that Toney may transfer out as well.

      Xavier Johnson and Slam Penny have released statements that they are staying in Oakland.

      If I was Capel the only players that I would have been interested in keeping around on scholie after the season would be X, Trey, Slam Penny, Toney, Coulibaly, and Drumgoole (and Ithiel Horton who sat out this year). It is time for Terrell Brown to move on. He should play for St. Francis or IUP. I've seen enough of him. Seems like a good dude and a good shot blocker but Pitt needs much more than what he can offer.

      Hopefully Capel can land Jeffess and Odukale as well as a few good transfers. Lots of names in the transfer portal. I just saw that V-Tech frosh standout Landers Nolley II just entered said portal. He led the Hokies in scoring at 15 ppg.

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      Regardless of how good the coach is, or perceived to be, if the team doesn't win and the individual doesn't get the accolades they think they should, they'll look to move on. Just the nature of the beast now. That's why Capel will have a tough time. He needs to:

      A) Get enough good players in a season for his team to be considered good.
      B) Have enough of those said players perform well enough that they are happy there and want to return.
      C) Have those returning players be good again and have the team do well for a 2nd straight year.
      D) Ensure that there are no issues between himself, his best player's dad, and his best player's AAU coach that makes him want to transfer out on a moment's notice after the season.

      No idea why Murphy is transferring. Pitt was his 3rd school. His next destination is his 4th school in 5 years. At what point do you sit there and say, "maybe it's me."

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      • Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post

        Toney would be a massive loss. He's their best player in my opinion. McGowens was holding him back and a punk from all reports.
        Xavier Johnson stinks.

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        • Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

          Regardless of how good the coach is, or perceived to be, if the team doesn't win and the individual doesn't get the accolades they think they should, they'll look to move on. Just the nature of the beast now. That's why Capel will have a tough time. He needs to:

          A) Get enough good players in a season for his team to be considered good.
          B) Have enough of those said players perform well enough that they are happy there and want to return.
          C) Have those returning players be good again and have the team do well for a 2nd straight year.
          D) Ensure that there are no issues between himself, his best player's dad, and his best player's AAU coach that makes him want to transfer out on a moment's notice after the season.

          No idea why Murphy is transferring. Pitt was his 3rd school. His next destination is his 4th school in 5 years. At what point do you sit there and say, "maybe it's me."
          Murphy could be a star in D2. I doubt he comes down, however.

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          • Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post

            Murphy could be a star in D2. I doubt he comes down, however.
            Murphy's family is ultra-rich from what I heard. They live somewhere near where Kobe's helicopter crashed. I think that he just dabbles in the sport for fun and goes where he feels like going. I thought that he basically did a decent job in the first part of the season before his concussion injury. He and Hamilton more or less upheld their end of the bargain for what they were brought in for. They were never going to be stars but each man put his shoulder to the wheel and did do his best. Murphy (much like Drumgoole) was never the same again for the rest of the season after his injury.

            I did see an interview he did after announcing his entry into the transfer portal and he was extremely classy. He talked well of Capel, Pitt and the city of Pittsburgh. He probably saw the writing on the wall with Horton to come in next season and the assumed return to form of Drumgoole. His minutes could be really eaten away. And you can't discount how that last part of the season was not fun for anybody who wore the blue and gold. It was tough.

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            • Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

              Xavier Johnson stinks.
              A pretty darn good freshman season. Let's not forget all the talk of the NBA that it generated. This past season was certainly not so great. He did have some moments that were good but not near enough of them. One MAJOR problem is that Pitt had next to zero inside game. Teams learned that you could stack up a 2-3 zone against he and Trey and they were in trouble without an inside presence. Hopefully that will change a bit next year with some quality bigs arriving on campus this summer.

              But he is a talent. I think it would help if Capel added another PG to take some of the pressure of running the point off of him all the time.

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              • Xavier Johnson stinks!!!

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                • Originally posted by IUPalum View Post
                  Xavier Johnson stinks!!!
                  A pretty darn good freshman season. Let's not forget all the talk of the NBA that it generated. This past season was certainly not so great. He did have some moments that were good but not near enough of them. One MAJOR problem is that Pitt had next to zero inside game. Teams learned that you could stack up a 2-3 zone against he and Trey and they were in trouble without an inside presence. Hopefully that will change a bit next year with some quality bigs arriving on campus this summer.

                  But he is a talent. I think it would help if Capel added another PG to take some of the pressure of running the point off of him all the time.

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                  • Sounds like combo guard Femi Odukale is deciding this week as to which school that he will commit to. He would be a get if Pitt can land him.

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                    • Originally posted by IUP CRIMSON HAWKS View Post

                      A pretty darn good freshman season. Let's not forget all the talk of the NBA that it generated. This past season was certainly not so great. He did have some moments that were good but not near enough of them. One MAJOR problem is that Pitt had next to zero inside game. Teams learned that you could stack up a 2-3 zone against he and Trey and they were in trouble without an inside presence. Hopefully that will change a bit next year with some quality bigs arriving on campus this summer.

                      But he is a talent. I think it would help if Capel added another PG to take some of the pressure of running the point off of him all the time.

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                      Year 3 also means the honeymoon is over.

                      Recall the absolute killer at Pitt is that posse of very wealthy "Golden Panthers" who actually call all the shots in Oakland. Heather is the boss in title down there. Year 3 needs results. Having players leave after two years is never a good situation.

                      He does have some nice freshmen on the way ... but freshmen come with growing pains -- good one moment and, well, 18 years old the next.

                      The rent-a-bigs this year didn't help much.

                      I know they night they put a major scare in to Duke that Toney was the best player (that night) in the building. That was a performance for the ages. He actually looked like a Duke-caliber player that night. He and Champagne (sp) are the real deal. If one of the others can't get along with them ... don't let the door hit ya.

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                      • Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post

                        Year 3 also means the honeymoon is over.

                        Recall the absolute killer at Pitt is that posse of very wealthy "Golden Panthers" who actually call all the shots in Oakland. Heather is the boss in title down there. Year 3 needs results. Having players leave after two years is never a good situation.

                        He does have some nice freshmen on the way ... but freshmen come with growing pains -- good one moment and, well, 18 years old the next.

                        The rent-a-bigs this year didn't help much.

                        I know they night they put a major scare in to Duke that Toney was the best player (that night) in the building. That was a performance for the ages. He actually looked like a Duke-caliber player that night. He and Champagne (sp) are the real deal. If one of the others can't get along with them ... don't let the door hit ya.
                        Well surmised. Makes sense. I like Toney but I think that Duke game was a bit of an anomaly as well. He is not a 27 point scorer per game. He never will be. He hangs his hat on his toughness and defense. His shooting can be real suspect. Maybe after the Duke scoring output he thought that he should have the ball more and that led to problems with X and Trey. Slam Penny is MUCH more of an offensive threat than Toney.

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                        • Originally posted by IUP CRIMSON HAWKS View Post

                          A pretty darn good freshman season. Let's not forget all the talk of the NBA that it generated. This past season was certainly not so great. He did have some moments that were good but not near enough of them. One MAJOR problem is that Pitt had next to zero inside game. Teams learned that you could stack up a 2-3 zone against he and Trey and they were in trouble without an inside presence. Hopefully that will change a bit next year with some quality bigs arriving on campus this summer.

                          But he is a talent. I think it would help if Capel added another PG to take some of the pressure of running the point off of him all the time.

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                          I could argue that Xavier Johnson was the worst player on Pitt's team this season.

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                          • Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

                            I could argue that Xavier Johnson was the worst player on Pitt's team this season.
                            I agree that it was not quite the season that we were hoping for but he was by no means their worst player. He has a pretty tough job to do with handling point duties with basically no quality bigs to look for in the paint (only options are to find Slam Penny or Toney on the wing or throw it around the perimeter) nor does he have anyone else to help him out at PG. Remember last year they at least had Sidney N'Dir to spell him. He and Trey's Kamikaze drives to the bucket from last season were also greatly reduced due to defenses keying on them and gearing to stop that.

                            Pitt badly needs some depth in the backcourt. Horton will be there. Maybe Trey will be there or maybe not. Hopefully Odukale signs on and perhaps a grad transfer as well. It would all help greatly.

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                            • Originally posted by IUP CRIMSON HAWKS View Post

                              I agree that it was not quite the season that we were hoping for but he was by no means their worst player. He has a pretty tough job to do with handling point duties with basically no quality bigs to look for in the paint (only options are to find Slam Penny or Toney on the wing or throw it around the perimeter) nor does he have anyone else to help him out at PG. Remember last year they at least had Sidney N'Dir to spell him. He and Trey's Kamikaze drives to the bucket from last season were also greatly reduced due to defenses keying on them and gearing to stop that.

                              Pitt badly needs some depth in the backcourt. Horton will be there. Maybe Trey will be there or maybe not. Hopefully Odukale signs on and perhaps a grad transfer as well. It would all help greatly.

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                              The frustrating thing is he was only a sophomore.

                              God, think of Dante Lombardi as a sophomore compared to him as a senior. Night and day difference. This transfer-happy world never lets kids develop and grow. Freaking Dustin Sleva wasn't even noticeable his first two years then turned in to Ivan Drago his junior season. DeVante Chance as a sophomore made you want to pull your hair out. As a senior he was an All-Time great at IUP. Same with Malik Miller.


                              I know D1 athletics and patience don't go in the same sentence. But, man, I'd hate to see them blow it up entering Year 3.


                              As Capel (amazingly publicly said ... he inherited a 'dumpster fire' of a program).

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                              • Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post


                                The frustrating thing is he was only a sophomore.

                                God, think of Dante Lombardi as a sophomore compared to him as a senior. Night and day difference. This transfer-happy world never lets kids develop and grow. Freaking Dustin Sleva wasn't even noticeable his first two years then turned in to Ivan Drago his junior season. DeVante Chance as a sophomore made you want to pull your hair out. As a senior he was an All-Time great at IUP. Same with Malik Miller.


                                I know D1 athletics and patience don't go in the same sentence. But, man, I'd hate to see them blow it up entering Year 3.


                                As Capel (amazingly publicly said ... he inherited a 'dumpster fire' of a program).
                                Some excellent points you make. It takes time to learn your craft and time develop the game that we so often see seniors strut with. As you point out----we have all seen it firsthand here at IUP and within the PSAC.

                                Capel did inherit a real mess of a program. What else can you really call a situation where you take over an 8-24 team that went 0-19 in conference play? Dumpster fire may have been a kind description. But there is a lot of hope here. Improvements have been made. The general rebranding of the program including colors and facility improvements along with a renewed culture of optimism. Attendance has more than doubled in two years of the Capel regime and the record has gone from the aforementioned 8-24 (0-19) to 16-17 (7-15). Progress is being made despite the frustrating end to the season by losing 8 of their final nine. They were just worn down to nothing but they did fight it out to the last man while they defended the Alamo.

                                ************************************************** **************************

                                And now for the very BIG NEWS out of Pitt this afternoon!

                                Guard Femi Odukale has formally committed to Pitt!!! This is a big deal. He is 6-5 with a wingspan of 6-11 and is capable of playing the 1-3 positions. He comes from Brooklyn and should have that Slam Penny New York toughness about him. Highly versatile player with an absurd amount of athleticism.

                                Homework assignment for those of you who post on and read this forum. I want you to go to youtube and download video of him. I prefer the one that runs for 8:10. It shows you all you need to know about what kind of game he has. Prepare to be impressed. Enough said.

                                With Odukale's commit Pitt has now been ranked as having the 30th best recruiting class in the nation by 247. And here's the clincher---if they get the services of four star William Jeffress they will move up to the 12th best national recruiting class.

                                Also worth noting that there has been no official word that Trey McGowens nor Au'Diese Toney plan to transfer as of yet.

                                There is also word that V-Tech transfer to be Landers Nolley II is looking at Pitt as one of his possible landing spots.

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