Zoo Crew Adds Defensive Center to Roster

The Zoo Crew, Pitt Panthers alumni team for TBT, added a staunch, defensive center to the roster.

Nov 24, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Dain Dainja (42) looks to the basket while Western Illinois Leathernecks center Drew Cisse (23) defends during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Zoo Crew, the Pitt Panthers basketball team for The Basketball Tournament (TBT), is mostly filled with former players, but there are instances of players who were at other schools playing for the team.

The finalized roster for the Zoo Crew revealed one player that did not play for Pitt in center Drew Cisse. Cisse is just one of two players who didn't play for Pitt, joining power forward Dustin Sleva, who played for Division II program Shippensburg.

Cisse hails from San Diego and played high school basketball for Rancho Bernarndo. He spent two seasons at San Diego City College at the junior college level. He played in 31 games and started nine in the 2019-20 season, averaging 8.9 points per game and shooting 53.9% from the field.

He didn't play in the 2020-21 season, but did do so for the 2021-22 season. He improved his game starting 22 of 27 contests, while averaging 22.1 minutes, 9.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He also made 63.4% of his shots from the floor.

Cisse would transfer to the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) at the Division II level for the 2022-23 season. He started 17 of 29 games played, averaged 17.6 minutes, 5.2 points, team-highs of both 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, while also shooting a team-high 65.4% from the floor.

He then finished off his college career last season by transferring to Western Illinois in Division I. He had an excellent 2023-24 season, starting 32 of 33 contests, while scoring 8.5 points, grabbing 11.0 rebounds, dishing out 2.4 assists and blocking 2.0 shots per game. He also made 60.3% of his shots from the field too.

Cisse's play helped lead the Leathernecks to a 21-12 overall season and 13-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference. They also made the semifinals of the tournament as the No. 4 seed, but lost to No. 1 Little Rock.

His rebounding stats came in as some of the best in the country, with his 4.33 offensive rebounds per game, 367 total rebounds, and 11.0 rebounds per game ranking No. 3, No. 4 and tied for No. 5 in Division I, respectively.

Cisse received both OVC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-OVC honors for his efforts last season.

Cisse will work with Sleva, but also Pitt legends in center DeJuan Blair (2007-09) and forwards in Ryan Luther (2014-18) and Mike Young (2013-17), to command the paint both defensively and on offense for the Zoo Crew.

The Zoo Crew will play in the Pittsburgh Regional at the Petersen Events Center from July 20-24. They are the No. 2 seed and open up with their first game against No. 7 Million Dollaz Worth of Game on July 20 at 8 p.m.

Stars of Storrs (UConn), Happy Valley Hoopers (Penn State) and Best Virginia (West Virginia) join the Zoo Crew in the Pittsburgh Regional. Winners of the First Round game will play on July 22 and then the final two teams play on July 24.

Zoo Crew Final Roster

Guards
Nelly Cummings
Greg Elliott
Nike Sibande
Jared Wilson-Frame

Guards/Forwards
Jamel Artis
Lamar Patterson

Forwards 
Ryan Luther
Dustin Sleva
Mike Young

Centers
DeJuan Blair
Drew Cisse

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