Four Takeaways From Pitt's Rout of Clarion

The Pitt Panthers debuted a retooled roster in a blowout win over Clarion.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers and their revamped 2022-23 roster took the floor against another opponent for the first time this season. They dominated Division II Clarion University 103-51 in a game full of highlights. 

The debut of this roster was a good one and with a key player sidelined while he recovers from an injury, the game gave a look at some of those new faces. 

Here's four takeaways from Pitt's first live game action. 

That Was ... Fun?

Recall the beginning of the 2021-22 season, when Pitt hosted Gannon University for an exhibition game. They pulled away late, but the first half of that contest was unnervingly close. At the time, it was possible to chalk the sluggish play up to it being the first game of the season, but as time wore on it was clear that the team simply wasn't very good. That wasn't the case this year. Pitt truly looked like a Power 5 team playing a Division II opponent. 

There were dunks and and-1's and 3-pointers. Pitt played fast and well. They scored 103 points and that tells you a lot but not the whole story. Even a win that doesn't count gave some reasons to cheer and hope. 

Let's face it - Jeff Capel's tenure has been miserable at points. They lost a lot and rarely looked good doing it, even against the kind of competition they faced in Clarion. Even when the Panthers won last year, they were not enjoyable to watch. For what feels like the first time during Capel's stint at Pitt, the Panthers were smooth and efficient and a win came easily. 

Savor it, because the road only gets harder from here on out. 

Sorting out Frontcourt Minutes

John Hugley, still working his way back from a knee injury, did not dress and his absence gave a sneak peak into how Pitt will manage the front court when he's not on the floor. 

Capel has some options to play around with between Guillermo Diaz-Graham and Fede Federiko. They're different players but both have Capel's trust and their minutes will likely fluctuate depending on when and how frequently Hugley picks up fouls or who the opponent is. How those two split the available frontcourt minutes will become more clear with time, according to Capel. 

"First of all, they're not John," Capel said. "So that's the first thing we have to realize. ... So we have to figure out different ways. ... We're just trying to figure out the strengths of each guy and put everyone in a position where they can be at their best which will help us be at their best."

Federiko, a player that flew under the radar ever since transferring in from the junior college ranks, posted a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double and his three blocks illustrate how much he dominated the Golden Eagles' frontcourt physically. 

Diaz-Graham is less imposing but more skilled than Federiko. He started and scored four points on 1-3 shooting and collected four rebounds and three assists. He'll help more with his passing and shooting but he'll need a little more time to get his legs under him as he jumps from high school to the highest level of college basketball. 

Celebrating Two Long-Awaited Returns

With 15:37 left to play in the first half, Nike Sibande stepped onto the hardwood to play in a real, live basketball game for the first time since March 2020. Two and a half minutes of game time later, he buried a pull-up 3-pointer from the top of the key and assistant coach Jason Capel had to physically restrain the Pitt bench as their celebrations leaked onto the court. 

Sibande finished with five points on 2-6 shooing from the field to go along with three rebounds, two assists, two turnovers and three fouls, one a technical. He is still getting his legs under him, according to head coach Jeff Capel, who said Sibande was cleared to take on 100% of his practice load just two weeks ago.  

Blake Hinson, a transfer from Ole Miss and Iowa State, had also spent two years on the sidelines for various reasons before making his own return to the court against Clarion. Hinson's return was much more fruitful, as he led the Panthers in scoring with 20 points while knocking down 10 of the 13 total shots he took from the field and free throw line combined. 

New Shooters 

They had a low bar to clear but this Pitt team already looks like a much improved group of shooters. Six different players hit at least one triple and four made multiple. They made six in the first half and second halves. Five different players made at least one 3-pointer. More than half of the Panthers' attempts came from distance and 40% of them found the bottom of the net. 

There is certainly more natural shooting talent on this team but their shot selection and movement was also much improved. Capel said their total assist numbers - 20 on 38 made field goals - actually fell short of what they'd been in practice, meaning he expects a step forward in that regard as the season progresses. 

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