Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Two More Basketball Players

Looks like Chase Adams is here:

Pitt was about to enter the 2009-10 season without a veteran point guard, but a little known NCAA rule allowed the Panthers to land a senior transfer who will be eligible to play this season.

Chase Adams, a starter at Centenary College the past three seasons, will enroll at Pitt in a couple of weeks and will find himself competing for time at point guard, an area of concern for the Panthers after the graduation of four-year starter Levance Fields.


Later in the article, Adams believes there will definitely be a competition:

"It's definitely a situation where there is going to be competition," Adams said. "I'm going to compete and hopefully show my experience. Wherever I fit in that's what I'm going to do."


At first I was kind of lukewarm about the idea - still am to some degree. I was really hoping Travon Woodall was going to get his shot this year, but I have to admit it will be good to have a veteran in there. The team is going to be so young and Adams and Dixon would give Pitt a veteran backcourt. Pair them with Gilbert Brown at the three, and suddenly, they're not so young anymore.

The biggest thing this does is possibly push Ashton Gibbs out of the starting lineup. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Dixon start because of his defense - as long as they get Gibbs at least 20 minutes a game in varying capacities (SG and PG). The move also, obviously, probably limits Woodall's minutes significantly.

But back to Adams - He was also the Summit Conference defensive player of the year. Hoping he and Dixon will be able to shut down opposing guards and really give Pitt an edge there.

Adams confirmed that the probation was the big factor in deciding to leave:

"When I found out (Centenary) was going on probation, I looked around, and Pitt was the best fit," Adams said.

Bob Smizik weighs in here.

Not to be lost in the madness is another verbal commitment for 2010-11 - Cameron Wright, a guard from Cleveland who had offers from Indiana and Wisconsin, among others. ESPN.com is projecting him as what sounds like a typical Pitt player.

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