Summer School
Panthers Banking On Improvement
By George Von Benko

College basketball like many other sports has become a year-long proposition. The University of Pittsburgh Panthers on the heels of a 29-6 record last season, which saw them, advance to the NCAA tournament's round of 16 are involved in some off season conditioning and summer school.

"The best thing," Coach Ben Howland observed. "Everybody on our team has taken at least one class during the summer working towards their degree because it is tough to try to graduate in four years when you're playing basketball at this high a level. So utilizing summers to be able to pick up some units and classes is a real important part of our education."

All of the Panthers are participating in the off season weight training and also playing in an open gym almost every night. Howland sees some progress with the weight program.

Surprisingly, none of the Panthers are playing in the Connie Hawkins or Kennard summer basketball leagues, but several Panthers will be playing elsewhere during the off season.

Howland said starting guards Julius Page and Brandin Knight will be counselors at the ABDC Camp, which is one of the two premier camps.

"The top college players in the country will be there and they are counselors," Howland said. "But they also work out every morning and that's a great experience. Brandin will be traveling this summer in the middle of July on a NIT team that will play seven or eight games up in Canada.

Julius (Page) and Toree (Morris) are going to be going over to Italy to play for another team representing the USA in a tournament over in Europe which will be a real nice experience for them."

Duquesne is also conducting their off-season weight training and many of their players are attending summer school.

Assistant coach John Mahoney reports that players Jimmy Tricco, Ronald Dokes and Bryant McAllister are all playing summer league basketball in Pittsburgh.

"There is some good competition," Mahoney said. "They need to play and get the reps and they are getting an education going up against some older former college players."