James Robinson surveys the floor early in Pitt’s victory over Niagara on Friday at Petersen Events Center. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
News: Pitt suspended junior forward Durand Johnson, the team’s best pure shooter, for the 2014-15 basketball season Friday evening just before its opener.
Views: No explanation was given, and the only elaboration from Jamie Dixon was that Johnson will continue be part of the program “going forward,” and he’ll still practice. I can share that I heard at the Petersen Events Center — where Pitt beat Niagara, 78-45 — that the suspension was academic at its root and that it was instigated by the university rather than the athletic program.
Dixon insisted that, even with Cam Wright out until mid-December or so with a broken foot and now Johnson gone, “We’re still good with the wings. We’ve got some options.”
Jamel Artis is mostly likely to pick up Johnson’s minutes, and he picked a fine night to drop a team-high 14 points, along withe four rebounds and assists each.
Another to watch is freshman Cam Johnson, whose 11 points and a steal drew more effusive praise from Dixon.
“We talked about redshirting him this summer, and then he came in and began to change our minds,” Dixon said. “Now, we’re well past that point. The young man can play.”
All I’ll add is that it’s good for the Panthers that ACC is still weeks away. Young group. Really young. And no, I’m not about to dissect how they fared against a tragically overmatched Niagara team. Time enough to observe and see how they fare when things get serious.
November 14, 2014
News/Views: Pitt suspends Johnson for year
by Dejan Kovacevic • Columns • Pitt
James Robinson surveys the floor early in Pitt’s victory over Niagara on Friday at Petersen Events Center. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
News: Pitt suspended junior forward Durand Johnson, the team’s best pure shooter, for the 2014-15 basketball season Friday evening just before its opener.
Views: No explanation was given, and the only elaboration from Jamie Dixon was that Johnson will continue be part of the program “going forward,” and he’ll still practice. I can share that I heard at the Petersen Events Center — where Pitt beat Niagara, 78-45 — that the suspension was academic at its root and that it was instigated by the university rather than the athletic program.
Dixon insisted that, even with Cam Wright out until mid-December or so with a broken foot and now Johnson gone, “We’re still good with the wings. We’ve got some options.”
Jamel Artis is mostly likely to pick up Johnson’s minutes, and he picked a fine night to drop a team-high 14 points, along withe four rebounds and assists each.
Another to watch is freshman Cam Johnson, whose 11 points and a steal drew more effusive praise from Dixon.
“We talked about redshirting him this summer, and then he came in and began to change our minds,” Dixon said. “Now, we’re well past that point. The young man can play.”
All I’ll add is that it’s good for the Panthers that ACC is still weeks away. Young group. Really young. And no, I’m not about to dissect how they fared against a tragically overmatched Niagara team. Time enough to observe and see how they fare when things get serious.