Jerry DiPaola stories, Page 50
Pitt wrestling moves into 1st place in ACC after upset of No. 7 Virginia Tech
Pitt wrestling holds first place in the ACC dual standings after a decisive upset of nationally ranked Virginia Tech, 26-12. The Panthers won 7 of 10 bouts from the Hokies (7-3, 1-1) on Friday night in Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va. It was Pitt’s first victory in Blacksburg since 2004....
Pitt Take 5: Miami game starts 10-game stretch that will define Panthers’ season
Pitt embarks on a crucial 10-game stretch Saturday when it attempts to rise above third place in the ACC with a game against No. 20 Miami at Petersen Events Center. Both teams are 7-3 in the conference. A victory probably adds another brick to Pitt’s status as an NCAA Tournament...
If there’s McDonald’s in that bag, Miami coach Jim Larranaga might be ‘lovin’ it’Video
If the celebrated prankster, who appeared to carry a bag of food onto the court at Duquesne on Wednesday, wants to move his act a couple miles up to the road to Petersen Events Center, Miami coach Jim Larranaga probably won’t have him removed. “I love McDonald’s,” Larranaga said Thursday...
There’s no explaining some of the plays that led Pitt to victory against Wake Forest
There were a few funny elements to Pitt’s 81-79 victory against Wake Forest on Wednesday night. Not funny, “ha-ha,” but funny strange. Set aside for a moment that Pitt won its seventh of 10 ACC games, a victory total that’s been unreachable by a Panthers team for the previous six...
Pitt rides hot hand beyond the arc to 81-79 victory against Wake Forest
For the past 30 years, Jeff Capel has been true to the basics of good basketball. Play solid defense, share the basketball, take appropriate shots inside and outside the 3-point line, step up and take a charge once in while and, for goodness sakes, rebound. But at the age of...
Former WPIAL football stars return home to accept new challenges at Pitt
Donovan McMillon remembers the first time he was on the same football field with Phil Jurkovec. From McMillon’s perspective, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Jurkovec’s Pine-Richland team beat McMillon and Peters Township, 56-7, on the way to the Rams winning WPIAL and PIAA 6A championships in 2017. “I was a...
Pitt’s bubble status at stake this week vs. Wake Forest, Miami
Jeff Capel wouldn’t take the bubble bait. Of course, Pitt’s coach understands the significance of the last 11 regular-season games. After all, Capel and his players created this NCAA Tournament talk — as premature as it might be — by winning their 13th game Jan. 18 (faster than any of...
Pitt’s Jeff Capel makes connecting with his players a priority
There was a moment Saturday in the heat of Pitt’s loss to Florida State that players gathered around Jeff Capel during a timeout. With passion showing in his face, he was teaching, encouraging and making his players aware of all that was awaiting them on the court. At one point,...
Jerome Lane’s rim-rattling, glass-breaking dunk still a grand slam 35 years laterVideo
Jerome Lane, a player who dominated Big East backboards for two seasons, said his legendary slam was “just another dunk.” The only difference? “Just the glass coming down,” he said. Oh, is that all? The dunk occurred Jan. 25, 1988, in Pitt’s Big East game against Providence at Fitzgerald Field...
Matriculating from the Canary Islands, Diaz Graham twins make Pitt their 2nd home
He attacks from behind, always with a weapon in his hands. Every day. And gets away with it. “When he has that blocking pad in his hand, you better be ready for anything,” Pitt freshman Guillermo Diaz Graham said of associate head coach Tim O’Toole. It’s all part of how...
Pitt gets commitment from 2024 running back Juelz Goff
Pitt has all but finalized its 2023 recruiting class, but coach Pat Narduzzi was working Saturday on the 2024 group. 1000%???????? pic.twitter.com/oDyN6AG8Yd— Juelz Goff (@JuelzGoff) January 21, 2023 Running back Juelz Goff of Central York High School made a verbal commitment to Pitt while attending the Florida State/Pitt basketball game...
Pitt shooting, defense go cold in loss to Florida State
The voices coming from the seats at Petersen Events Center were loud and expressive. Not quite like the old days at the Pete, but encouraging for a program trying to return to relevance. A crowd of 10,390 — more than 3,000 above the average attendance this season for Pitt basketball...
Pitt gets commitment from Florida transfer wide receiver Daejon Reynolds
Pitt made a move Friday to bolster a position that needed help. After losing three players over the past four months, Pitt secured a verbal commitment from transfer wide receiver Daejon Reynolds. #H2P what’s good! pic.twitter.com/w9FBnIO7zk— DR (@DaejonReynolds) January 20, 2023 Reynolds (6-foot-2, 204 pounds) was rated a four-star prospect...
Pitt Take 5: Too early to talk about the NCAA Tournament, but we’re doing it anyway
The talk is way, way premature, and Jeff Capel and his players don’t want to hear it. But in recent days, there have been more than an occasional reference or question about Pitt’s worthiness for a berth in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Did you see the prediction of a Pitt/Penn...
Pitt reaches 13 victories at earliest point in 7 seasons
In six seasons between Jamie Dixon’s departure and Jeff Capel finally injecting renewed energy into the program, Pitt has won at least 13 games three times. The Panthers (13-6, 6-2) reached that milestone — admittedly low-hanging fruit — Wednesday night at Louisville with a 75-54 victory, their most decisive against...
Pitt pounds Louisville, improves to 6-2 in ACC games
If the numbers on Greg Elliott’s stat line looked bad, he either didn’t notice or merely believed a reversal of misfortune was in order. He trusted his ability to make shots, kept firing and ended up Wednesday night with a Pitt career-high 23 points in a 75-54 victory against Louisville...
Pitt/Notre Dame renewal set in South Bend after 5-year absence
Pitt’s historic series with Notre Dame that includes a four-overtime victory, a three-overtime loss and Tony Dorsett running the length of three football fields returns to South Bend, Ind., next season for the first time in five years. Never too soon to think about next season ... Jerry DiPaola...
Pitt coach Jeff Capel can relate to Louisville’s struggles
Jeff Capel said he understands what Louisville coach Kenny Payne is enduring this season. When Pitt and Louisville get together Wednesday night at the KFC Yum! Center, the Panthers (12-6, 5-2) will meet an opponent that has sunk as low as any team can go. Last in the ACC, Louisville...
Pitt overcomes roster shakeup to edge toward top of ACC
When Jeff Capel gathered his rebuilt team around him in September, he was hopeful that as many as 12 players could earn significant playing time as Pitt’s season progressed. Although he had no idea how — or if — so many new faces could mesh together smoothly, he knew there...
Right mix of transfers has Pitt men’s basketball pointed in upward direction
When Jeff Capel assembled his roster in what is a pivotal season for him at Pitt, he couldn’t have known how the first half of the season would evolve. Like the singularly focused coach that he is, he put his head down, went to work and ignored the outside noise....
Nelly Cummings’ brother, Brandin, becomes 1st from class of ’24 to commit to Pitt
Within hours, Pitt coach Jeff Capel received two doses of good news from one family when Lincoln Park junior guard Brandin Cummings said he plans to enroll after his 2024 graduation. 1000% committed! ???????? #H2P @Pitt_MBB pic.twitter.com/WNyhcYp97Y— Brandin Cummings (@ambition___3) January 4, 2023 Cummings (6-foot-3, 170 pounds) is rated a...
Pitt comes alive in 2nd half to beat No. 11 Virginia for 5th straight win
After Pitt’s second Top 25 victory in five days (and what preceded it over the previous four seasons), perhaps Jeff Capel wanted to jump up and touch the rim, high-five the Oakland Zoo and run triumphantly from the court. If that’s what he was thinking after Pitt’s fifth victory in...
Prayers, thoughts, donations to Damar Hamlin’s foundation pour in after his collapse
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s presence at Central Catholic and Pitt was so impactful that when he collapsed after making a tackle Monday night, thoughts and prayers poured into social media from several sources — people who knew Hamlin and those who knew him only as a football player. Almost...
Nike Sibande’s efforts off bench help Pitt take 4-game winning streak into Virginia game
Jeff Capel didn’t look far down his bench while orchestrating the 76-74 victory against North Carolina. Four starters played at least 33 minutes each Friday at Petersen Events Center, and reserves Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham were in the game only long enough to score a total of two points...
Pitt position analysis: Roster change coming, but Sun Bowl victory provides positive offseason trigger
EL PASO, Texas — In the aftermath of victory, Pat Narduzzi might have been one of the few men in Pitt’s locker room thinking these words: Winter conditioning. Yes, those sessions with Pitt strength coach Michael Stacchiotti will start before the end of January. Pitt’s last game of Narduzzi’s eighth...
