Panthers have executed new system well as they head into second AMCC game

In what might be a gross understatement, the early returns for the Pitt-Bradford mens basketball team are very promising.

The Panthers are 7-0, with their only loss coming to Division I Buffalo.

Counting that game, they are averaging 107.1 points per game, trailing only Grinnell (Iowa) and Greenville (Illinois) as they head into their second AMCC game of the season on Saturday at 2 p.m.

against Hilbert at the KOA Arena.

Those are the only three teams in Division III averaging over 100 points per game.

Assistant coach Nate Schneider, a St.

Marys native and former star for the Panthers, picked up the system the Panthers are currently incorporating during his grad transfer year playing for Jordan Fee at Gannon.

In simple terms, its essentially 40 minutes of full-court pressure defense and pushing the tempo in almost every situation after a turnover, make or miss.

Fee, a Grove City native, brought the style of play with him from when he was an assistant at Nova Southeastern, helping the Florida school to a Division II national championship in 2023 under head coach Jim Crutchfield.

It did wonders during Fees lone season at Gannon, taking the Golden Knights from 3-23 to 32-3 and a Division II Elite Eight appearance.

He parlayed that into a Division I assistant job at Florida International, which made the Final Four in 2023.

Panthers head coach Jesse DeLoof and Schneider (who averaged 7.9 points per game last season for Gannon) adopted the style with the Panthers, and its wreaked havoc on opponents thus far.

Thats not to say its been perfect the Panthers have had close calls against Hiram, Grove City, Fredonia and Mt.

Aloysius, the last of which was a game in which they nearly let a 29-point lead slip away.

But they were all wins, and there have been some lopsided ones in there as well, including on Tuesday, when the Panthers disposed of Houghton, 120-87.

I think we still have some stages to go as far as what we become, but I think weve come a long way already, DeLoof said after the win over Houghton.

All of this is based off of defense.

I think we can make improvements and start playing even harder, and thats whats going to get us even better.

For fans of the college game, think of the Nolan Richardson 40 Minutes of Hell Arkansas teams that won a national championship in 1995 playing that style, or more recently, Bob Huggins Press Virginia squads.

Its kind of like that, but even more pronounced.

To play that way, you have to have the talent and the depth to be able to do so.

And the Panthers have that, with the roster constructed in such a way that it fits the style of play perfectly.

Jamarion Butler, the returning 6-5 first-team All-AMCC performer, has led the way averaging a team-high 20 points per game, but its been a true team effort.

Sam Brown, a 6-6 forward, is the tallest player in the rotation, but that is actually somewhat by design.

This is a team that at almost all times during the course of the game, has five superior athletes on the court that can make life a living hell for opponents.

Freshman guard Braylen Salters (Richmond Heights, Ohio) has burst onto the scene and is second on the team in scoring at 18.

Rodd Yarbrough and Coby Farley both average in double figures scoring off the bench, as does starter Jesse Laster.

Starting point guard Xavion Boone and Keshon Kittrell round out the regular starting lineup, with Brown, Xander Norris, Rob Richards, Logan Joncas and Chris Martin all seeing regular minutes as well.

They sub...a lot, which is a requirement playing the way they do, but it works when there isnt a significant drop off between 1-5 and 6-10.

They also put up a ton of shots, and thus far as a team are shooting nearly 50% (49.8) and 37.9% from 3-point range.

At 8-2, Hilbert is the only other AMCC team currently above .500 (Penn State-Altoona is 5-5 and Penn State-Behrend 4-4).

Hilbert also played Houghton this season, winning 84-79 on Dec.

20.

The Hawks are led by senior guard Shameer Ellis (18.2 ppg), as well as senior guard Quran Briggs (17.0 ppg) and sophomore forward Larry Morse (15.8 ppg).

Were going to do what we do, were not spending time trying to run a zone defense or anything like that, DeLoof said.

We are who we are and were going to do this until the end of February or however far it takes us.

Were going to focus on the thing were doing and improve at that..

This article has been shared from the original article on bradfordera, here is the link to the original article.