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 the court, in Capel’s office, high above the Petersen Events Center floor.

He walked in, found a chair, sat down and said, “Coach, how are you doing? How are you holding up?”

Said Capel: “I actually thought he wanted to come and complain.”

“I was shocked,” he said, speaking on a video conference call after Jeffress’ eight points, two blocks and overall solid defense helped shut down Wake Forest (6-14, 3-14 ACC). “I don’t know when was the last time I’ve been asked that by anybody. My wife doesn’t ask me that. It’s refreshing.”

Jeffress said the talk helped him, too, by reinforcing in him Capel’s belief that Pitt is on a long, hard path — but the right path — to success.

“It made me feel like I was building a deeper connection with Capel, talking and communicating more and just building a stronger relationship within his program,” Jeffress said.

Only 17, Jeffress started and played 37 minutes Tuesday. That’s a large amount of responsibility for a young man, who still could be a junior at Erie McDowell High School. But he said he refuses to let his age define him.

“I’ve never used my age as a restriction or an excuse,” he said, mentioning he skipped grades in high school and always competed against older players. “I think it’s funny when people say I’m 17 because I don’t feel like it. I certainly don’t think I act like it.”

In the big picture, the victory was encouraging, but only Pitt’s second since Jan. 19. It also must be noted that Wake Forest has now lost six games in a row, the last five by an average margin of 23 points.

But Pitt will take it after improving to 10-10, 6-9 in the ACC. The Panthers matched their ACC regular-season victory total from a year ago, with one game (Saturday at Clemson) remaining. Then, next week, it’s off to Greensboro, N.C., for the ACC Tournament.

Jeffress said Pitt’s response to its almost season-long wave of adversity is simple. “Stick together,” he said. “One thing that we’ve really been saying is `We’re all we got. We’re all we need.’ I feel like adversity is the name of this season. All you do is continue to work and keep pushing.”

Jeffress did his best work on the defensive end of the floor. Senior Nike Sibande and sophomore Justin Champagnie provided the offensive punch. Sibande, who was not honored on Senior Night because he could return with his bonus year of eligibility, led the Panthers with 23 points, adding nine rebounds and four assists to his stat line. Champagnie recorded his 13th double-double (20 points, 13 rebounds).

It took Pitt a long time to seize control of the game. The Panthers only led by three points midway through the second half after a spell of six minutes, eight seconds without a basket. But Pitt immediately went on a 15-3 run to ensure the victory, triggered by a driving layup from backup point guard Onyebuchi Ezeakudo and supported by seven points in a row by Sibande, including his third 3-pointer.

Pitt held Wake Forest to 35.8% shooting from the field, including 10 of 29 from beyond the 3-point arc. When the Demon Deacons beat Pitt by a point on Jan. 23, they hit 15 of 32 3-point shots.

“This is two games in a row where I feel like we played really well, really together,” Capel said, referencing the three-point loss to N.C. State on Sunday.

The victory made him feel like there’s hope. “I believe in what we’re doing. I believe in how we’re doing it,” he said. “I know it’s going to work. I know we’ll continue to add pieces that we need and do it the right way.”

Capel’s played and coach in the ACC long enough to know the fight has many rounds to go and there are no guarantees.

“I knew when I took the job (three years ago) it wasn’t a quick fix,” he said. “That’s very difficult for me because I want it to be.”

Perhaps Jeffress’ meeting gave Capel an emotional boost — whether he needed it or not.

“We’re showing signs right now that we’re on the right path,” he said.

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