Pitt Searching for Consistency from Federiko Federiko

The Pitt Panthers feel they can unlock a new level when Federiko Federiko is at his best.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers' frontcourt has been an enigma this season, sometimes looking like the leading unit of a dominantly athletic team at times and the weak link in an otherwise strong team at others. 

Part of the reason for those extreme peaks and valleys is the inconsistent play of starting center Federiko Federiko, who has shown just as many flashes of brilliance as he has signs of regression. The Panthers and head coach Jeff Capel are looking for ways to get him on the right track all the time. 

Federiko has demonstrated an ability to be a game-changing interior defender and effective rim-runner and passer out of the post on the other end in spurts, particularly early against Wake Forest. 

Federiko battled former five-star recruit Efton Reid to a near stalemate in the first half, matching buckets and outrebounding him early. But as Reid began to overpower Federiko for buckets against single coverage or pass out of double teams to open shooters, Capel made the ultimately game-winning decision to stick undersized forward Will Jeffress on Reid. 

It worked and the Panthers won because of it, but Capel still felt like Federiko did a fine job following the scouting report and holding up well enough to let Pitt execute its game plan. 

“I thought he did some good things when he played with the necessary physicality," Capel said. "We didn’t want to double as much because we were really trying to keep them off the 3-point line. So it was like a double-edged thing. Him scoring, I was upset by it, but it’s like ‘Okay, well it’s not three’s, it is breaking their rhythm a bit offensively.'"

But Capel still holds Federiko to a high standard and wants his very best every game not just for Federiko himself, but because when the 6'11 center plays at his best, he makes the Panthers that much more dangerous.

"He’s got to do that on a consistent basis," Capel said. "We need him. When he’s at his best, then I think we go up a level because I think he has the ability, defensively, to help change games when he plays with that discipline, the physicality, the alertness."

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