In The City
Schenley's Kane Still On Pitt's Radar
By Chris Dokish and Tony DeFazio

When Schenley High School won the Pennsylvania state basketball title one year ago, the name that garnered the most attention was center DeJuan Blair. A year later, it's easy to see why, as Blair was named the Big East's co-rookie of the year after leading the Panthers to a 27-10 record and the 2008 Big East Tournament Championship.

But there was a junior on that squad, DeAndre Kane, who used his senior season to garner just as much attention as his former teammate Blair.

Kane, a 6'4" shooting guard, verbally committed to Duquesne last summer. When the early signing period rolled around in November, however, Kane did not sign with the Dukes. Academic problems, as well as other suitors-including Pitt, Wisconsin, Illinois and St. John's-were all reasons for Kane deciding not to sign with Duquesne.

His list of suitors sweetened as his senior campaign trucked along. Kane led Schenley to a third consecutive City League Championship, and scored 35 points in the title game. The sharp-shooting guard led all WPIAL and City League players in scoring during the regular season with 30 points per contest. Grades will most likely force Kane to go to a junior college, but he is working hard to become eligible and there is still a possibility that he could somehow pull it out in the end. If he does make the grade, he is likely to sign with Pitt despite the previous verbal commitment to Duquesne. The Pitt coaching staff thinks Kane is the best senior in the state not named Tyreke Evans, as the city product is athletic, confident and well sized, but his main asset is his superior long range shooting - something that would come in very handy at Pitt. Kane's 30 ppg was accomplished despite averaging only 19 shots per game.

If a junior college is where Kane is headed, one possibility is Polk Community College in Winter Haven, Florida. Polk head coach Matt Furjanic is a Pittsburgh native and coached previously at Woodland Hills High School, Pitt-Greensburg and most famously at Robert Morris, where he led the Colonials to their only victory in the NCAA Tournament, a 64-54 victory over Georgia Southern in the opening round of the 1983 tourney.

Former Beaver Falls star Lance Jeter played for Furjanic at Polk this past year after transferring from Cincinnati, where he was playing football.

Even if Kane does go the juco route, expect Pitt to continue to recruit the city league star.

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