Pitt to play in Jimmy V Classic

[Apis Bull]

Pitt to play in Jimmy V Classic

Pitt to play in Jimmy V Classic

   

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By Joe Bendel

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Friday, July 23, 2004

John Calipari remains good friends with a host of Pitt basketball boosters, yet he suspects they might turn on him when his University of Memphis Tigers face the Panthers in the Jimmy V. Classic on Dec. 7 at Madison Square Garden.

"I hope they aren't too tough on me," said Calipari, a Moon Township native and former Pitt assistant. "Maybe they'll give me a break for old time's sake."

Memphis joins Pitt at Madison Square Garden for the second consecutive year. The two teams were part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in 2003, but they did not play.

This year's meeting between Pitt and Memphis is part of a doubleheader that also features Syracuse vs. Oklahoma State. The games will be televised by ESPN.

"This is a heck of an event," Calipari said of the Jimmy V. Classic, which is named after former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano and raises money for cancer research. "And to get to play a team like Pitt, it's a real challenge for us. We know what a great team they have, and we just hope to compete with them."

Pitt returns three starters from last season's Sweet 16 team which finished 31-5 and won the Big East regular-season title outright. Memphis returns four starters from last season's second-round NCAA Tournament team, which finished 22-8 and is loaded with top-flight newcomers. The recruiting publication HoopScoop rates Memphis' incoming class the best in the nation.

The crown jewel is point guard Darius Washington of Edgewater, Fla. Washington averaged 32.0 points per game as a prep and is set to take over the Tigers' offense. Calipari is probably letting out a sigh of relief, considering Washington didn't decide to jump to the NBA out of high school like so many Memphis recruits before him.

"We had three guys do that -- it's all part of the deal," Calipari said. "Now, other schools are dealing with what we've already been through. So many of these high school kids are going right to the NBA. I can't blame the kids for doing it. You're not going to hear me complain about it."

But Calipari realizes that this season's team would be considered the best in the nation if DeJuan Wagner hadn't left after his freshman year in 2001-02, and Amare Stoudemire (the 2002-03 NBA Rookie of the Year), Quintel Woods and Kendrick Perkins had gone to Memphis instead of jumping from high school to the NBA.

"If those four were playing for us, we'd be the consensus No. 1 team in the country right now," Calipari said. "We'd be way beyond No. 1."

Calipari, who was in Pittsburgh last week for the Five-Star Basketball Camp, continues to build Memphis into a Conference USA power. Entering his fifth season, Calipari has led the Tigers to an NIT championship and three consecutive trips to the NCAAs, including a loss in the second round to Oklahoma State last season. His four-year record is 93-39.

During his tenure, Memphis has ranked in the top 10 each season. The Tigers move to the new FedEx Forum this year.

"We have a lot of good things happening," Calipari said. "This is the first team I've had in which everybody who's supposed to be returning is returning and everybody who's supposed to be coming is coming. Now, we have to see what we can do with it."

Joe Bendel can be reached at joecbendel@aol.com or (412) 320-7811.

[bulls96go]

he should dominate cdoa next year

[smazza]

memphis will find a way to disappoint

what ever happened to djuan wagner