OT: D1

[IUPTrackMan]

Xavier Johnson stinks!!!

[IUPTrackMan]

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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[IUPbigINDIANS]

McGowens has entered the portal.

[IUPalum]

McGowens has entered the portal.

Stinks too! Capel has lost control already!!!

[IUP24]

He'll be on his 4th school in 5 years. I don't think the "fit" has anything to do with it.

[IUP24]

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.

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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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Hopefully he can do a virtual tour.

[IUPalum]

Hopefully he can do a virtual tour.

Pitt will still stink no matter who walks in the door!

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Hopefully he can do a virtual tour.

I think that there are close to twenty schools interested in Nolley. Pitt has also had contact with Wichita State PG transfer Jamarius Burton. I think at least a dozen schools in the mix there.

As someone mentioned---it's all over for Trey McGowens tour of duty in Oakland. He certainly flashed some impressive ability at times. I think the consensus is that he will select a more southern school to play at for his final two years. His younger brother just committed to Florida State but is not due to get there until 2021. South Carolina was mentioned as a possible landing spot for the Palmetto State native.

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[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

I see that the final men's and women's basketball polls are out. I think that the NCAA should just crown the top teams---Kansas for the men and South Carolina for the gals--- as the national champions. That would make sense at this point in time.

Also---Pitt recruit John Hugley was selected as a first team All-Ohio pick. He will make some noise at Pitt next season at the power forward position.

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[IUP24]

I think that there are close to twenty schools interested in Nolley. Pitt has also had contact with Wichita State PG transfer Jamarius Burton. I think at least a dozen schools in the mix there.

As someone mentioned---it's all over for Trey McGowens tour of duty in Oakland. He certainly flashed some impressive ability at times. I think the consensus is that he will select a more southern school to play at for his final two years. His younger brother just committed to Florida State but is not due to get there until 2021. South Carolina was mentioned as a possible landing spot for the Palmetto State native.

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Hopefully Nolley can do a virtual tour at all of those schools. Same with Burton.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Hopefully Nolley can do a virtual tour at all of those schools. Same with Burton.

Sounds like that is about the size of it with just about all the remaining high school recruits and now the transfers. I read an interesting article on Will Jeffress and how he is out in recruiting limbo with all of the restrictions. He and his family cannot make any recruiting visits at all for the time being. At least Pitt already hosted him earlier in the season so he at least did get his official visit in here.

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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Au'Diese Toney announced he is staying at Pitt.

I guess players make announcements to say they are staying on the team nowadays.

That's good news.

Murphy and McGowens are dime-a-dozen types.

[IUP24]

Au'Diese Toney announced he is staying at Pitt.

I guess players make announcements to say they are staying on the team nowadays.

That's good news.

Murphy and McGowens are dime-a-dozen types.

I said that myself on twitter. Crazy world we live in now. Press releases to say a player is staying put. That's absurd.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

I said that myself on twitter. Crazy world we live in now. Press releases to say a player is staying put. That's absurd.

Laugh if you will, but I am announcing at 4 PM on Friday if I am going to be back as a Pitt fan for the 2020-21 season. LOL.

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[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Au'Diese Toney announced he is staying at Pitt.

I guess players make announcements to say they are staying on the team nowadays.

That's good news.

Murphy and McGowens are dime-a-dozen types.

Murphy's an okay sort of player but probably not a bona fide ACC type. But McGowens I believe was a top 100 guy on some recruit ratings a few years ago. He was also a reclass for the class of 2018---means he was like 17 and should of been a high school senior his frosh year. He was a very good get for Jeff Capel and did lend some credence to his first Pitt recruiting class. He actually is good basketball player. He scored in the 30s twice for Pitt in his freshman season in big and much-needed ACC wins. But things seemed to go south for him this year. He didn't seem to be a great fit for one reason or another. Some said he was homesick much of his time at Pitt and that he wanted to be the point guard. There is also the expected emergence of transfer Ithiel Horton who may have cut into his playing time at the two next season. I see that he has his list down to his final eight choices for his next school----Ole Miss, Bama, Xavier, Nebraska, Seton Hall, TCU, Arkansas, and Auburn.

Let's get caught up on some Pitt and D-I hoops news here while I am logged on.

-Some very nice current highlights on youtube of Pitt recruit Noah Collier has emerged. And Wow! The kid has certainly grown from his listed 6-7 a year ago and has taken his game to another level. Some observers call him a taller version of Justin Champagnie. He is swift and rangy and has the hops which aid him greatly for his favorite pursuit of attacking the basket. Incredibly athletic high-flyer who should be very fun to watch next season.

-High school center Adama Sanogo a 6-10 possible 2020 reclass has put Pitt into his list of top ten finalists. One thing that might work in Pitt's favor here is that Sanogo is a native of Mali and is friends with Panthers F Karim Coulibaly.

-Many Pitt fans had their hopes up over Gardner-Webb guard Nate Johnson whom recently placed his name into the transfer portal. But no dice. He has committed to a school named Xavier rather than opting to play along a backcourt mate named Xavier. Some Pitt fans were also a bit intrigued by Dartmouth G Brendan Barry who had placed his name into the transfer portal. After viewing his tape I have to say that I could never project him playing in the ACC. He missed all of last season with a hip injury and never had anything on film of him shooting behind the further trey line. He was also noted as the God Son of Pitt assistant coach Tim O'Toole. But thankfully he has chosen to remain at Dartmouth which I think is about the level where he belongs. Pitt has also looked at Alan Griffin of Illinois. He is noted as the brother of top 2021 recruit A.J. Griffin who is a Duke commit.

-Pitt came up on the list of potential schools of Canadian 5-star PG Karim Mane. Most insiders feel that he will go with Marquette or Michigan State.

-One personal surprise for me was seeing talented high school PG Noah Farrakhan visiting Penn State and actually seeing more than a few of the crystal ballers predicting him to ink with the Nittany Lions. He would be a haul for them. They have already landed a bluechipper in D.J. Gordon out of the 'Burgh.

-Highly touted C Big Cliff Omoryuri has just recently announced his college selection-----Rutgers. Nice get for the Scarlett Knights!

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