BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PITTSBURGH

December 28, 2007




By Chris Dokish of the Pittsburgh Sports Report's Keystone Recruiting Newsletter



The University of Pittsburgh basketball program landed their first recruit for the 2009 season last night when Lamar Patterson of J.P. McCaskey HS in Lancaster, PA told Jamie Dixon that he wanted to be a Panther.

PROJECTED 2008-2009 PITTSBURGH ROSTER:

Seniors: Levance Fields (PG), Sam Young (F), Tyrell Biggs (F), Cassin Diggs (C)
Juniors: NONE
Sophomores: Gilbert Brown (SF/G), Austin Wallace (BF), Bradley Wanamaker (G), Gary McGhee (C), DeJuan Blair (PF)
Freshmen: Travon Woodall (PG), Nasir Robinson (G/F), Ashton Gibbs (G), Dwight Miller (PF)
2009 Commit: Lamar Patterson (SG)

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Patterson, a 6’5” wing, can play both small forward and shooting guard at the college level, is an excellent outside shooter that can score from all over the floor, and he is very athletic. Others who offered included Penn State, Minnesota, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Miami and Michigan. He has also taken his SAT already and is expected to qualify academically.

The Panthers will look to fill at least two more openings for the class and are currently involved with some high profile players, including 6’11 ½” local big man, Zeke Marshall of McKeesport HS. Other perimeter players that the Panthers are making a big push for are 6’4” shooting guard Durand Scott of Rice HS in New York City and 6’3” wing Omari Lawrence of St. Raymond’s HS in the Bronx.

For big men, other than Marshall, the Panthers staff are currently concentrating on 6’8” power forward Dante Taylor of National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, MD, and 6’9” 230 pound forward Will Coleman, from Miami-Dade Community College. Coleman, originally from Columbus, GA, committed to Arkansas- Little Rock out of high school, but was not able to attend because of academic issues. At Miami-Dade, he turned into a bigger and better prospect.

Other than Marshall, there are no other local products being considered for the 2009 class, but there are two possibilities for the 2010 class in 6’4” wing Tom Droney of Sewickley Academy and 6’4” sharp shooting wing Deandre Kane of Schenley. Kane is a senior this year, and has verbally committed to Duquesne, but he has expressed a huge desire to be a Panther. However, it’s a strong possibility that grades will force him to junior college for two years. If he excels both on the court and in the classroom after that time, the Panthers are expected to be interested again.



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