Panthers Win a True Classic
by Ray Floriani
NEW YORK – The Aeropostale Classic was changed this season from a doubleheader to a single game. Just as well: after Duke and Pitt went at it for two and a half intensifying hours, another contest might have been anti-climatic.
Duke-Pitt in the Aeropostale Classic – a classic it was. Pitt edged Duke 65-64 in a thriller on a Levance Fields three-pointer with 4 seconds left in overtime. A last gasp three attempt by the Blue Devils missed the mark and the celebration among “Oakland Zoo” faithful in attendance at Madison Square Garden was on.
Looking back, three major factors stand out.
- The last and first few minutes of a half can be crucial and set the tone. This was a game that turned around the last few minutes of the first half and beginning of the second. Late in the half Duke had a 16-point lead. Pitt scored twice while Duke came up empty to cut the lead to 12 at the break. The Panthers came out and scored their first two possessions to trim the lead to eight. Duke would soon get it back to double digits, but Pitt had got the deficit manageable with a good fifteen minutes remaining.
- The game was won largely on Pitt coming out harder and more aggressive the second half. Not a whole lot of Xs and Os for Pitt mentor Jamie Dixon.
“At halftime we discussed tougher defense, getting offensive ball reversal and just getting field goal attempts,” Dixon said. “We felt getting shots attempts, not turning the ball over would give us opportunities on the offensive board if we missed.”
Pitt did just that. At the half the team rebounding totals were even at 19. At the final buzzer Pitt owned the boards with a 53-39 game edge, but most impressive was a 17-8 margin in offensive boards after the first half. Freshman DeJuan Blair did a good deal of the damage. The 6’7″ center had a 15-point, 20-rebound outing before fouling out.
“He’s a solid player and he’s tough,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Blair. “He’s surrounded by upperclassmen who allow him to do what he does best.” - Duke’s Gerald Henderson tied Kyle Singler for Blue Devil scoring honors at 17. Henderson, a 6’4″ sophomore, hit several big shots in the stretch and bothered Pitt with his penetration. A 6’8″ freshman, Singler had some notable prep battles with UCLA’s Kevin Love and was once an AAU teammate of Love’s. Singler is in constant motion and gets a good amount of opportunities off pick-and-rolls. The noted and famous Duke motion offense gives players with the penetration of Henderson and versatile skills of Singler a great deal of options, both inside and on the perimeter. A problem against physical teams could be rebounding, as the Blue Devils had a lot of trouble with Pitt’s strength and aggressiveness under the glass. It’s a point to consider down the road.
Notes
- What to do? Dixon had a situation to consider. You are down two points in overtime with seconds left. Do you go for two or three? The late Al McGuire felt on the road you go for the outside shot and the win. At home, go to the basket to possibly get the call. Pitt had support but it felt like at road game. Also, Blair, the main inside threat and “chairman of the boards”, had fouled out, so another five-minute session might not be a good prospect. Finally it wasn’t a tough decision. It came down to the play “we’ve run a thousand times,” per Dixon. That play Dixon alluded to was executed to textbook perfection. Sam Young set a screen, Fields took a pass and buried a shot he’s done countless times between practices and games. Fields’ trey gave him a game-high 21 points on the evening.
- As Dixon noted with great emotion it was a bittersweet win. Senior forward Mike Cook went down late in the game with what appeared to be a knee injury (torn ACL, out for the season). “At that point we said we have to win it for Mike,” Dixon said. As it turned out, his best friend, Fields, buried the game winner.
- Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was disappointed in his team’s “lack of energy.” The Duke mentor was quick to say that Pitt was having a great deal to do with his team’s giving away a 16-point lead.
“When two excellent teams play you are going to have swings in the game,” Krzyzewski said. “What bothered me was we shot 14 of 26 from the line. You can’t do that and beat a team as good as Pitt.”
Duke had a lead under a minute to go in OT and lost the ball, Very uncharacteristic of a Duke team but as Krzyzewski said, “credit Pitt.” - The Garden was sold out. As noted, Duke fans outnumbered Pitt but the Panthers had a respectable showing. During the game, one fan repeatedly held up a sign “Welcome to Cameron Square Garden”. At the buzzer, that sign gave way to “Hail to Pitt” and “Marry me Jamie”. Pitt is 11-0, Duke 10-1.
- Before the game, Duke assistant Chris Collins was optimistic. Duke came off a nine-day exam layoff and looked sharp defeating Albany a few nights earlier.
- Pitt assistant Orlando Antigua felt his club was playing well on both ends. “We can get better defensively,” Antigua said with a smile, “but all coaches say that.” Antigua also expressed his joy over getting two local stars to commit to Pitt. Trevon Woodall of St. Anthony’s and Ashton Gibbs from Seton Hall Prep are, “outstanding players, well-coached and great kids who will help our program,” per Antigua.
- Not limited to the Crazies. I spoke with three Duke fans, two young men and a young woman, about 45 minutes before tip-off. The men were pep band members and declared members of the “Cameron Crazies”. The woman, in a J.J. Redick jersey and virtually all matching blue, was a “bona fide Duke fan” but not even a Duke student. “I rooted for Duke all my life,” said Chrissy Wilbert, a freshman at Duquesne who lives less than a half mile from the Pitt campus. “I root for Duquesne,” she said, “but I still follow Duke. I find it neat Duquesne’s nickname is the Dukes.” A Duke fan who hails from Pittsburgh and drove six and a half hours to see the Blue Devils play – she should be an honorary “Cameron Crazy”.
On the Baseline
- Both schools brought cheerleaders and bands. The Pitt cheerleaders arrived on game day, stayed in New Jersey and were set to enjoy the next day hitting the sites of New York.
- Duke cheer coach Alayne Rosniak had mixed emotions. She is a Pitt grad (Class of 2000, civil engineering) and was on the dance team as an undergrad. “It’s exciting being here as both schools have great programs,” she said. The alma mater remains special to Alayne but it was a night to cheer for Duke.
