Jerry DiPaola stories, Page 97
Pitt reprimands Jeff Capel for ‘double standard’ remarks about officiating
Pitt coach Jeff Capel’s remarks about how his team’s games have been officiated this season drew a public reprimand Sunday from his employers at Pitt. School officials said Capel violated the ACC Sportsmanship Principle when he said a “double standard” exists for his team. “There’s a double standard with us,...
Take 5: Pitt players know Jeff Capel has their backs
In the aftermath of Jeff Capel’s impassioned remarks on ACC officiating after the Clemson game — one reader didn’t think rant was an appropriate designation — Pitt stayed in the Carolinas and headed straight to Greensboro, N.C., for the ACC Tournament. It’s not a rant. It’s time to say something....
After loss to Clemson, Pitt will carry a No. 12 seed into ACC Tournament
While assessing Pitt’s 77-62 loss to Clemson on Saturday, the opponent must be taken into account. Clemson (16-6, 10-6) is one of the best teams in the ACC and will play in the NCAA Tournament. In light of recent roster upheaval and how far the program sunk before coach Jeff...
Jeff Capel rants about ‘double standard’ against Pitt after Clemson loss
Pitt coach Jeff Capel sounded off for nearly three minutes Saturday on a “double standard” he said exists with regard to how officials call his team’s games. In Pitt’s 77-62 loss at Clemson on Saturday, Justin Champagnie, the second-leading scorer and leading rebounder in the ACC, scored only 13 points...
Pitt’s Justin Champagnie focuses on team while trying to ignore ‘outside noise’
Distractions rush toward Justin Champagnie at a dizzying rate. • Will he win ACC Player of the Year? • Can he wrestle the conference scoring title from Duke’s Matthew Hurt? • What if the lure of the NBA becomes too strong for the Pitt sophomore to ignore? • And what...
Take 5: Pitt’s Jeff Capel says team has ‘bonded’ as season end approaches
Only a handful of games remain for Pitt in another losing ACC season, but it seems different this time. In his chats with reporters and on his radio show, Jeff Capel seems relaxed — content is not the right word, but he’s eager to continue rebuilding his program in the...
Duquesne bows out of Atlantic 10 Tournament in loss to St. Bonaventure
Unafraid to speak his mind and frustrated enough — at himself and his players — to not care what it sounds like, Keith Dambrot bared his soul Friday afternoon. Duquesne’s coach had just stood through — he never sits — his team’s final game of the season, a 75-59 loss...
Pitt senior Nike Sibande says he’ll use bonus season of eligibility, return in 2021-22
A week after two players left the Pitt basketball program, coach Jeff Capel found one who could leave but wants to stay. Guard Nike Sibande, a senior transfer from Miami (Ohio), announced Thursday night on “The Jeff Capel Show” on 93.7 FM, that he plans to take advantage of the...
Duquesne rallies in 2nd half, beats Richmond to advance in Atlantic 10 Tournament
In a few words, senior Michael Hughes told the story of Duquesne’s season and the 67-62 victory against Richmond in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. First, consider the Dukes trailed by seven at halftime, missed their first eight shots of the second half and were down eight...
Greensburg Salem grad Brennan Marion’s dream leads him back home to Pitt
His knee weakened by three ACL tears and his dream of playing in the NFL squashed, Brennan Marion needed another road. It was more than a decade ago and he was living in California, a long way from Homewood, his boyhood home. He had been a star athlete at Greensburg...
Pitt senior Nike Sibande embraces increased opportunities, takes brief look at 2021-22
Jeff Capel said he doesn’t worry about what people say about his team. There’s no need. “I don’t pay attention to what’s said or talked about or written because I’m in it. I know,” Pitt’s men’s basketball coach said. But he can’t expect his players to do the same. Young...
Atlantic 10 Tournament sends Duquesne onto Richmond turf — to play Richmond
In an effort to minimize the effects of the coronavirus, the Atlantic 10 moved its tournament from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Richmond, Va., where two league schools — VCU and Richmond — this week will be the hosts for 12 of the 13 games. No. 9-seeded Duquesne...
Pitt stops 5-game losing streak with victory against Wake Forest
Long before what remained of Pitt’s basketball team banded together to save what looked like a lost season, freshman William Jeffress did something that amazed coach Jeff Capel. And he did it days before the 70-57 victory against Wake Forest on Tuesday stopped Pitt’s five-game losing streak — away from...
Duquesne’s success in Atlantic 10 Tournament likely tied to defense
After coaches review video with players until their eyes hurt, there are no secrets at the end of a basketball season. Even this year, with covid-19 protocols limiting Duquesne to 16 games (approximately half a season), coach Keith Dambrot expects no surprises when his No. 9-seeded team meets No. 8...
Duquesne will play Richmond in 1st A-10 Tournament game Thursday
After a wait of two years, Duquesne (8-8, 7-7) will play its first game in the Atlantic 10 Tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday as the No. 9 seed against No. 8 Richmond. The game will be played at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Va., home venue of No. 2 seed...
Oldest to youngest: Pitt’s Terrell Brown, William Jeffress have chance to step up
During the final two games of the regular season — plus, whatever magic can get conjured up in the ACC Tournament — Pitt will be relying on a new cast. Among them are the oldest player on the team (senior Terrell Brown, age 22) and the youngest (freshman William Jeffress,...
Pitt basketball attendance at the Pete will stay ‘status quo,’ capped at 500 people
Despite Pennsylvania government officials easing covid-19 restrictions on indoor gatherings Monday, attendance at Pitt’s last basketball game of the season Tuesday at Petersen Events Center will remain capped at 500 people. “Status quo,” a university spokesman said, adding that the Pitt campus is under “elevated risk” status. Pitt has played...
Pitt remains unbeaten in ACC after 3-game sweep of Florida State
Pitt’s baseball team will continue its journey through the ACC on Friday when it travels to Duke after a historic three-game sweep of No. 9 Florida State. The Panthers (6-1, 3-0) rallied for a 9-7 victory in 13 innings Sunday at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. Kyle Hess drove...
Pitt wrestlers Jake Wentzel, Nino Bonaccorsi win ACC championships
Pitt wrestlers Jake Wentzel and Nino Bonaccorsi became 2021 ACC champions Sunday at N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum and will join teammates Micky Phillippi and Cole Matthews at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis on March 18-20. Wentzel (South Park) defended his championship at 165 pounds, recording shutout victories (1-0 and...
New-look Pitt battles N.C. State to end, still loses
Jeff Capel paused briefly and looked to the ceiling to consider the question. He wanted to make his answer clear, with no room for misinterpretation. “What seemed different about your team, compared to what you had seen from them and what it had been over the past several weeks?” The...
Pitt pitchers strike out 16 more Florida State batters in 2nd consecutive victory
The strikeouts kept coming Saturday night, helping lift Pitt to its second consecutive victory against No. 9 Florida State, 7-2, at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. Starting pitcher Matt Gilbertson (2-0) threw six scoreless innings and struck out a career-high 10 while allowing only five hits and two walks....
Duquesne beats Rhode Island to stop 2-game losing streak
With one hour of practice, a bit of film study and more time on a bus than on a basketball court, Duquesne went from a 20-point loser Wednesday to a decisive winner Saturday. The impressive reversal didn’t surprise coach Keith Dambrot at all. After defeating Rhode Island, 86-75, in only...
Pitt pitchers strike out 19 batters in 1-0 victory against No. 9 Florida State
Three pitchers struck out 19 Florida State batters Friday night at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., to lead Pitt to a 1-0 victory against the Seminoles, ranked No. 9 in the nation by Baseball America. Starting pitcher Mitch Myers threw a no-hitter for six innings with a career-high 13...
Despite troubles, Keith Dambrot says Dukes aren’t ready to ‘cash it in’
Keith Dambrot’s immediate concern is recovering from what he called an embarrassing performance in Duquesne’s 20-point loss to La Salle on Wednesday night. A loss in the next game — Saturday night against Rhode Island at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse — might shove the Dukes (7-8, 6-7) among the Atlantic 10’s...
Pitt’s Jeff Capel, Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot learn to ‘move on’ after confronting reality of transfers
Jeff Capel admits the past week has not been easy. He spent the better part of his first three years as Pitt’s coach recruiting, mentoring, counseling, prodding and developing Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney, helping to turn them into good men and better players than they were the day he...
