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 people can’t get enough of social media, and perhaps in this case, that’s not such a bad thing.

“Maybe they feel they have something to prove,” Capel said.

That appears to be how Pitt will play out the remaining days of the season. After they snapped their five-game losing streak Tuesday with a 70-57 victory against Wake Forest, the Panthers (10-10, 6-9) will end the regular season Saturday at Clemson (15-6 record, 9-6 in the conference).

It will be a much more challenging test than what Wake Forest offered. Clemson is 33rd in the NCAA Net rankings, behind only two ACC schools, No. 16 Florida State and No. 20 Virginia. The Tigers are projected as a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament on ESPN’s most recent bracketology.

But no matter the opponent, the rest of the season for Pitt is about opportunity and laying a foundation for next season.

At the moment, senior Nike Sibande is embracing his increased playing time and doesn’t intend to waste it.

The first-year transfer from Miami (Ohio) recorded season highs in points (23), rebounds (nine) and assists (four) against Wake Forest. He hit three 3-pointers, giving him 197 in 108 career games. None were clean swishes — the first hit the backboard and banked in, the next bounced several times on the rim and fell in and the last banged off the back of the rim and dropped through the cords — but all counted three points and were instrumental in Pitt’s victory.

While barely missing a double-double, Sibande also was part of Pitt’s domination on the boards. The Panthers grabbed 42 rebounds to Wake Forest’s 23, giving the team a plus-19 edge that’s tied for the third-best in three seasons under Capel.

It was senior night, but Sibande chose not to participate because he might return next season, taking advantage of the NCAA’s bonus year of eligibility.

Capel acknowledged the possibility, but emphasized that’s a decision that will be made after the season.

“Just figuring some things out,” Sibande said, making no promises. “If he feels like I can be a piece to help us compete and win here, I’ll sacrifice and do that.”

Meanwhile, Sibande stepped up his game even before the recent roster upheaval. He’s played 35, 38 and 37 minutes the past three games, totaling 44 points with 21 rebounds.

“Sometimes, all you need is an opportunity,” Capel said.

Sibande’s season started late because the NCAA didn’t rule on his eligibility until Dec. 16. Then, he missed both Syracuse games because of covid-19 protocols.

“His season has been so disjointed,” Capel said. “It’s more disjointed than anyone on our team. I think he’s starting to get into the rhythm of the game.”

Just like many of his teammates.

Pitt has had small patches of success during Capel’s first three seasons, especially earlier this season when Pitt opened 8-2.

Capel said the past two games — when Pitt won one and lost one — have been as encouraging as anytime in his three seasons.

He didn’t specifically reference the departures last week of Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney, but he said starting last Thursday at practice and continuing all the way through Tuesday’s shoot-around before the game, the atmosphere around the team changed.

“We’ve been this way at times this year,” he said. “I thought that after the first game (a loss to St. Francis) and the next nine games until after Duke (a victory Jan. 19), we were all about winning.

“And, then, we got screwed up after that. We weren’t the same. I feel like over the last week, it’s starting to feel like that again, how it felt a little bit earlier in the season.”

When he said, “Hopefully, that’s something we can continue to build on,” he stopped and changed his line of thinking.

“Not hopefully,” he said, “we will continue to build on it.”

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