No one appreciates Xavier Johnson’s athleticism more than Jeff Capel. Especially when the Pitt sophomore guard hangs in the air to avoid a defender and scores, causing the crowd to go, “Oooh.”

The Pitt coach also appreciates and encourages Trey McGowens’ willingness to take on bigger, stronger opponents at the hoop.

Au’Diese Toney’s tenacious rebounding and Terrell Brown’s shot-blocking also are big pieces of a team Capel hopes will win more than three games in the ACC this season.

Tangible feats that fans can see are nice under the bright lights at Petersen Events Center, but those four players offer something behind closed doors that is just as important as lighting up those new scoreboards.

They now know Capel as well as they know their parents, and they can show the younger players the way he wants things done.

Pitt opens the season Wednesday at the Pete against Florida State, jumping right into the hot cauldron of the ACC where four teams — No. 4 Duke, No. 5 Louisville, No. 9 North Carolina and No. 11 and defending national champion Virginia — are ranked in the Associated Press preseason Top 25.

Florida State isn’t ranked, but it received 36 voting points to stand 30th in the nation after reaching the Sweet 16 last season.

That’s why Capel had his players scrimmage No. 7 Maryland a few days before the Slippery Rock exhibition game last week.

How did Pitt (14-19, 3-15 last season) compete against one of college basketball’s best teams?

“I thought we did some good things. I wasn’t pleased with the outcome,” Capel said.

Given the level of competition it will face Wednesday and during the season, Pitt needs more than just great athletes.

That’s why his four returning starters, who carry experience and familiarity with Capel’s system, must step up, even on off days.

“They can help in practice,” he said. “Last year, it was me and my assistants. It was our voice. No one knew what to expect from me. Now, we have four guys who can actually talk about some of the things we do as a staff.

“They know the drills. They know the standards. It’s not just us in the locker room and on the court. It’s the guys in the program.

“The really good programs, they have that. They have that from older guys who teach the younger guys. We are still trying to take steps to do that.”

Getting good leadership is important for a team that has no returning scholarship seniors, other than Kene Chukwuka, who might miss the season after having hip surgery.

Capel will rely on freshmen Gerald Drumgoole Jr., Abdoul Karim Coulibaly and Justin Champagnie to provide length, scoring and rebounding while playing with poise. Transfers Eric Hamilton, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound rebounder, and Ryan Murphy, a threat beyond the 3-point arc, are also new.

That’s a lot to ask for players who were elsewhere less than a year ago, but Pitt can’t afford to ease them into their new surroundings. Capel needs them to adapt quickly.

Drumgoole (6-5) started and scored 13 points against Slippery Rock. Coulibaly (6-8) led the team with eight rebounds and Champagnie (6-6) scored eight points after he feared a preseason knee sprain might end his freshman season before it started.

“We’ve been incorporating him back to full speed since he was cleared (by doctors), and we’ve been trying to ramp some things up with him,” Capel said. “We need him.

“Over a month ago now, he thought his season was over with. At 18 years old, you’re a freshman. You’re excited. You played your butt off over in Italy. You’re getting better, and then, all of a sudden, you think you’re done for the year.

“It took three weeks to re-evaluate him, and then you’re told, ‘You’re fine. Go back full speed.’

“So there are some mental hurdles to get over with him, and that’s why, getting as many minutes as he did (almost 18 against Slippery Rock), he’s playing through fatigue and things like that.”

Drumgoole said Capel has a drill he uses when he knows his players are tired so they’ll learn to fight through it.

“Coach puts a whole segment in there where we have to get three rebounds in a row before the next team gets rebounds, or we have to stay out there until we do,” Drumgoole said. “We have to fight.

“Coach always gets on us about rebounding because he knows it’s the best way to help us win the game.”

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