Pitt's Jeff Capel shepherds young team into uncertain season

While wading cautiously into his third season as Pitt’s basketball coach, Jeff Capel doesn’t know what to expect.

He likes what he has seen at practice. But doesn’t everyone before the games begin?

The Panthers expect to improve on last season’s shooting percentage (40.4, the program’s worst in 51 years), but he is smart enough to offer a word of caution:

“We’ve shot the ball well, knock on wood,” he said. “I think we’ve gotten better at that at practice, but I don’t know if that’s fool’s gold. I don’t know if our defense is bad.

”For this whole time, we’ve only been against us. That’s where the (canceled) exhibitions and/or the scrimmages are sorely, sorely missed.”

The season is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Wednesday against St. Francis (Pa.) at Petersen Events Center. In a slimmed-down nonconference slate, Pitt has only four games — Capel hopes to add a fifth next month — after playing 11 in pre-pandemic 2019.

Here are five thoughts to ponder while awaiting the opening tip:

1. Teaching the culture

On a team with as many newcomers as holdovers (seven, if transfer guard Nike Sibande is granted immediate eligibility), Capel will need help from his veterans to brand the program’s culture and expectations across the roster.

Those players include Xavier Johnson, Au’Diese Toney and Terrell Brown, who have been with Capel from the outset, and sophomore Justin Champagnie, who led Pitt in scoring (12.7) and rebounding (7.0) as a freshman.

“The hope is that they are able to teach your culture,” Capel said. “They’re able to help you in the building of the program because they understand you. They’ve been around you.”

Capel has seen encouraging signs in practice.

“It has been really cool to see those (upperclass) guys pull guys aside and talk to them during a practice,” he said. “To put their arm around a freshman or a new guy after a practice, either encourage them or tell them, ‘Hey, no, this isn’t the way we do things.’ ”

2. What about covid?

Basketball is hit as hard as any sport — maybe harder — because it’s played indoors.

“Our guys have done a pretty good job of trying to adhere to the protocols, but it is a challenge,” Capel said, “especially for an 18- to 21-, 22-year-old kid that’s trying to navigate college, some for the first time, in this environment.”

But living in a pandemic teaches discipline, a concept that appeals to Capel, even if it’s a hard lesson to learn.

“One of the things I’ve felt in order to be a really good player and in order to have a really good team and program, there has to be a level of discipline. There has to be sacrifice,” he said.

3. Johnson’s time?

Johnson led Pitt in scoring (15.5) and five other categories as a freshman point guard in 2018-19, but his points dropped to 11.7 last season. His assists have been constant, averaging 4.9 last season on a team that had trouble scoring.

Capel said the most significant difference has been his mindset.

“Having a better understanding of the responsibility of a point guard and a really good player,” he said. “There’s a responsibility that comes with that if you want to be good and if you want to have a really good team.”

He also pointed to Johnson’s humility and decision-making. And something more basic:

“It helps that he has better talent around him right now,” Capel said.

4. Legitimate rebuild

Seven players who were on Pitt’s roster at the outset of last season are gone, including three who were key elements in Capel’s rotation.

Trey McGowens, Ryan Murphy and Eric Hamilton each made a specific contribution.

• McGowens averaged 11.5 points (third on the team).

• Hamilton was third in rebounding (4.4).

• Murphy led the team with 42 3-pointers.

With seven new faces, five who are freshmen, Capel is venturing into an uncertain reality.

5. What about the freshmen?

While their eventual contributions are to be determined, they at least offer big, sturdy bodies and stiff competition in practice.

Brown, the only senior on the team, matches his 6-foot-10, 235-pound frame against freshmen John Hugley (6-9, 240), Max Amadasun (6-10, 230) and Noah Collier (6-8, 210).

“It’s made the practices really, really interesting,” Capel said. “With 13 guys we feel like can help us, it’s been really great to see that competition. We’re at the point now, you’re ready to do it against somebody else.”

Probably the most intriguing freshman is William Jeffress, a 17-year-old who graduated early from Erie’s McDowell High School.

“I’m not sure I had a guy who was that young,” said Capel, who signed Jeffress when he was 16. “He’s able to pick things up pretty quickly.”