Ray Fittipaldo's Pitt basketball chat transcript: 11.15.12

Thursday, 15 November 2012 14:01

Written by Ray Fittipaldo

Poll question: How will Pitt do in N.I.T.? Win both games (33%) Win first, lose second (0%) lose first, win second (67%) Lose both (0%)

Cold as Zeise: Are Gilbert and Jones headed for redshirts?

Ray Fittipaldo: Jamie Dixon has been consistent on Gilbert. He would like to redshirt him. Gilbert is not even dressing for games. Jones is dressing for games, but I think the plans are to redshirt him, too. Jones was sick for a long while in October and lost some weight. The only wild card for Jones is the John Johnson departure. Should Pitt have some injuries to guards later in the season Dixon might ask him to burn his redshirt. Otherwise, I would not expect to see Jones on the court this season.

93.7 Seibel and Garfunkel: What do you expect out of Taylor this year?

Ray Fittipaldo: I expect him to play about 15 minutes per game and contribute some rebounds and decent defense. He's not going to score all that much. In the Lehigh game, Taylor played 18 minutes and pulled down 10 rebounds while scoring four points. That's not bad for a backup center. Taylor says he is healthy, which hasn't always been the case in his career, and the Panthers will need a solid year from him in a backup role.

Steigerworld: Let's say Adams continues to average about 9 points and 6 rebounds the rest of the season would you still expect him to go pro?

Ray Fittipaldo: Adams has been consistent. He is not even looking at that option right now. Of course, that can change, especially if he has a great season. Twenty scouts watched him the past two games. They'll watch him on many more occasions the rest of the season. If he is still among the potential lottery picks he'll have to think about it. But if not, he can come back and work on his game. I think it's clear he has a long way to go before becoming a complete player. His offensive game is lagging behind his defense. Of course, the NBA drafts on potential a lot, so that might not even matter. The point is, Adams is not in a hurry to leave.

Dr. Chim Richalds: why would jamie say johnson was sick/injured if he wasnt

Ray Fittipaldo: He said that about John Johnson and Durand Johnson. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe he was lying. It wouldn't be the first time a coach lied to reporters about a player. It happens. The thing I took out of that whole exchange was that Johnson had a bad attitude and really didn't want to be at Pitt anymore. When Dixon was asked about Johnson that night he simply said it wasn't a surprise and that Johnson had plenty of competition for playing time. The truth is there were some rumors about Johnson over the summer. He decided to stay, but when a true freshman is playing in front of you there really isn't a ton of incentive to stick it out unless you really like your teammates and school. Obviously, Johnson did not.

H2P from Houston: How good does James Robinson look? I briefly watched the Lehigh game and his defense looked pretty impressive.

Ray Fittipaldo: Robinson does not look like a freshman. He is playing like a poised veteran. He makes the right decisions, doesn't turn the ball over and plays really good defense. He gives you everything a coach desires in a point guard. He doesn't score much, but with some good scoring options around him Robinson doesn't have to worry about contributing much in that department. I've really been impressed with him. Before too long, some people on the national scene will be talking about him. He's that good.

Dr. Eby: Who will be the five players on the court at the end of the game?

Ray Fittipaldo: Assuming there isn't foul trouble I'm going to make the assumption that it will be the five starters because Dixon has said over and over that defense rules the day when it comes to his lineup. So if Adams, Zanna, Patterson, Woodall and Robinson are good enough to start the game then I assume those five will be out there at the end if the game is in doubt. Which of course hasn't happened yet in the first three games, all blowouts.

Ray Fittipaldo: Thanks for joining me on the chat today. Stay tuned for chat information about next week. We'll move it up or back a day to avoid the Thanksgiving holiday.